10 November 2026
On 9 November 2026 the UAE started the rollout of the eATA Carnet, the digital version of the ATA Carnet customs document for duty-free temporary admission of goods. It is the first country outside Europe to move ATA Carnets to a fully digital platform. With a digital carnet, the holder presents a QR code or transaction code from the ICC ATA Carnet App at customs instead of paper vouchers. Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the national issuing and guaranteeing body since 2011, led the transition together with UAE customs and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Between 2011 and 2025, 63,591 ATA Carnets were issued and received in the UAE for goods worth AED 54.4 billion.
What happened on 9 November 2026
According to Dubai Chambers, the UAE commenced the rollout of the eATA Carnet system on 9 November 2026, becoming the first country outside Europe to implement a fully digital platform for issuing and processing ATA Carnets. The ICC roadmap confirms the date: digital procedures started on 1 June 2026 in the 27 EU member states, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and the UAE is the next activation on the list, followed by Moldova on 1 January 2027 and Serbia on 1 February 2027.
Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers under Dubai Chambers, has served as the National Guaranteeing and Issuing Association for ATA Carnets since the UAE joined the system in 2011. Dubai Chambers says it is one of only 13 chambers worldwide, out of 1,200 ICC-member chambers, to implement the eATA Carnet. Before the launch, the chamber ran a readiness programme: technical coordination meetings with UAE customs authorities, online sessions linking customs officers with ICC experts, hands-on training workshops for customs representatives and pre-production testing of different scenarios.
Ahmed Abdullah bin Lahej Al Falasi, Acting Director General of Customs at the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, said the system will accelerate transactions, reduce reliance on paper documentation and cut the time, effort and costs associated with the temporary admission of goods. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, described it as a faster, more transparent and more secure digital experience for companies.
What an ATA Carnet is and what the UAE accepts it for
An ATA Carnet is an international customs document that allows goods to be temporarily imported and exported without paying duties or taxes, for up to one year. One carnet is used for the whole trip, and the issuing chamber acts as guarantor towards customs; in the UAE this role belongs to Dubai Chamber of Commerce as the National Guaranteeing and Issuing Association. Requirements and the format of procedures still depend on each country on the route.
The ATA system has several categories of goods, but each country decides which ones it accepts. According to ICC country information, the UAE accepts ATA Carnets for goods for exhibitions and fairs. Carnets are processed only by the customs of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, at six offices:
- Abu Dhabi: Port Zayed, Port Khalifa and Abu Dhabi International Airport;
- Dubai: Jebel Ali Port, Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.
The same country information notes that partial shipments are not accepted, and that missing the re-export deadline or failing to present the carnet when goods leave the UAE leads to severe penalties.
How the digital carnet works
The ICC eATA system has three parts: a central database (ATA Carnet Core), a web portal for customs officers (ATA Carnet Customs) and a mobile wallet for holders (ATA Carnet App, with a desktop version for companies that manage many carnets). Under the ICC Global Transition Plan, the process looks like this:
- the issuing chamber issues the carnet, and the holder downloads it into the ATA Carnet App or Desktop;
- before crossing the border, the holder or representative prepares a declaration in the app;
- for each declaration the app generates a transaction QR code and a transaction code, which replace the paper voucher;
- the customs officer scans the QR code or types in the code in ATA Carnet Customs and approves the transaction;
- once the transaction is recorded, the holder receives a notification in the app.
Since 1 June 2026, more than 210,000 cross-border transactions have been completed digitally in the countries that switched first, according to ICC (6 November 2026). ICC expects ATA Carnet procedures to be fully digital worldwide by 1 January 2028.
When paper is still needed
Customs administrations do not switch on the same day, so during the 2026 to 2027 transition chambers issue carnets in paper format, digital format or both, depending on the countries on the itinerary. If a route includes a country that still accepts only paper carnets, the paper carnet has to be validated there, and some transactions on a mixed route are done in both formats. ICC advises checking the digital status of every country on the itinerary before departure.
What a carnet from Dubai Chambers costs
A UAE company that takes goods abroad applies to Dubai Chambers through its services portal or mobile app. Members and non-members can apply. The documents listed are a commercial invoice, an authorisation letter for representatives or agents and a Letter of Pledged Commitment; the chamber may request more. Fees published by Dubai Chambers:
| Service | Member | Non-member |
|---|---|---|
| Carnet processing, single visit (two working days) | AED 900 | AED 1,800 |
| Express processing, single country visit (one working day) | AED 1,400 | AED 2,300 |
| Each additional country | AED 50 | AED 100 |
| Regularisation | AED 300 | AED 600 |
Processing times are counted from receipt of the administrative fees and the guarantee. On top of the fee, the company lodges a security deposit based on the value of the goods and the customs duty rates of the countries visited; for several destinations the highest rate applies. The deposit is refunded after the carnet is properly discharged.
What this means for companies
Two groups are affected. Foreign exhibitors bringing stands, equipment and display goods to fairs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on a carnet from their home chamber now clear UAE customs with a QR code if their carnet is digital. UAE companies that exhibit abroad get their carnets from Dubai Chamber of Commerce and, on routes through digital countries, can manage declarations in the app instead of carrying paper vouchers. Exhibition calendars in the UAE are busy: our overview of the Q4 2026 events at Dubai World Trade Centre shows the scale.
A short checklist before a trip with goods under a carnet:
- check that the destination accepts carnets for your type of goods (for the UAE, exhibitions and fairs);
- check which countries on the route are digital and which still need paper;
- install the ATA Carnet App and agree who in the team prepares declarations;
- plan entry through one of the six customs offices in Abu Dhabi or Dubai;
- keep track of the re-export deadline, because the security deposit is returned only after proper discharge.
If goods are not going to leave the UAE after the event, customs has to be informed in writing, otherwise the penalties above apply. A company that wants to keep selling in the UAE beyond a single fair needs a UAE licence with the right activities; where to hold it, on the mainland or in a free zone, is covered in our guide mainland vs free zone company in the UAE.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital helps international companies set up in the UAE: we select the jurisdiction and business activities, register the company, arrange visas for founders and staff and support the opening of a corporate bank account. A licensed UAE company with the right activities can then apply for carnets and handle trade in its own name. More details are on our company setup page, and for a specific project you can contact us.
Conclusion
From 9 November 2026 the digital ATA Carnet procedure is active in the UAE: holders of digital carnets present a QR code from the ICC app instead of paper vouchers at the six customs offices of Abu Dhabi and Dubai that handle carnets. Dubai Chamber of Commerce continues to issue carnets for UAE companies, with fees from AED 900 for members. Paper remains in use on routes that include countries not yet connected to the digital system, until the expected full worldwide transition by 1 January 2028.
Source: Gulf News, ICC, eATA Carnet, Dubai Chambers, Issuance of ATA Carnet.
FAQ
When did the UAE switch to digital ATA Carnets?
The UAE started the rollout of the eATA Carnet system on 9 November 2026, with Dubai Chamber of Commerce leading the transition together with UAE customs and the ICC. It is the first country outside Europe to do so, after the EU, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom switched on 1 June 2026.
How does a digital ATA Carnet work at UAE customs?
The holder downloads the carnet into the ICC ATA Carnet App and prepares a declaration there. The app generates a transaction QR code and a transaction code, which replace the paper voucher. The customs officer scans the code in the ATA Carnet Customs portal and approves the transaction, and the holder gets a notification in the app.
What goods can enter the UAE under an ATA Carnet?
According to ICC country information, the UAE accepts ATA Carnets for goods for exhibitions and fairs, with temporary admission of up to one year without duties or taxes. Carnets are processed only by the customs of Abu Dhabi and Dubai at six offices, and partial shipments are not accepted.
How much does an ATA Carnet from Dubai Chambers cost?
Dubai Chambers charges AED 900 for members and AED 1,800 for non-members for standard processing of a single visit, and AED 1,400 or AED 2,300 for express processing. Each additional country costs AED 50 or AED 100. A refundable security deposit based on the value of the goods and customs duty rates is paid on top.
