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Khaleej Times feature: your 90-day roadmap to UAE e-invoicing

24 Sep 2026 3 min read

In this Khaleej Times feature, Imran Mushtaq, Partner and Head of Indirect Tax, and Harsh Batia, Director, Tax Advisory, provide a practical, step-by-step 90-day roadmap to help businesses prepare for the UAE's mandatory e-invoicing regime. 

The practical guide highlights:

  • How Phase 1 of the UAE's mandatory e-invoicing regime will apply from 1 January 2027 for businesses with annual revenue exceeding AED 50 million, requiring organisations to begin preparations well in advance.
  • Why appointing an Accredited Service Provider (ASP) is only the first step, with successful implementation also dependent on data quality, VAT configuration, ERP readiness, process design and employee preparedness.
  • The importance of a structured 90-day implementation plan covering assessment and provider selection, system configuration, testing, training and go-live activities.
  • The critical role of cross-functional collaboration between Finance, Tax, IT, Procurement and Legal teams to ensure compliance and operational readiness.
  • How early testing, change management and stakeholder communication can help minimise implementation risks and support a smoother transition to the new e-invoicing framework

This guide reinforces the importance of taking a proactive and structured approach to UAE E-invoicing readiness. As the January 2027 deadline approaches, organisations should focus on more than just technology implementation, ensuring that data, processes, controls and people are prepared for the transition. 

By investing in early planning and addressing potential gaps ahead of go-live, businesses can strengthen compliance, reduce implementation risk and position themselves for a successful transition to the new e-invoicing framework.

Experts / Authors

  • Imran Mushtaq Imran brings over 20 years of experience within Tax across the UK, EU, and GCC regions. Prior to joining Grant Thornton UAE, Imran was a Senior Tax Director at a Big 4 firm in the Middle East, where he led the real estate and logistics sectors in the UAE and played a pivotal role in leading VAT implementation for clients in Oman. His extensive GCC VAT experience also includes involvement in several regional tax authority engagements. View Profile
  • Harsh Bhatia Harsh is a Director at Grant Thornton’s VAT advisory team. Having done VAT implementation in UAE, Oman, KSA, Bahrain, and India, he has conducted VAT impact assessment and implementation for more than 100 multi-national companies to ensure a smooth transition. View Profile
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