Uzbekistan introduces 50% VAT cashback for major business tourism events.
Organizers of large-scale business tourism events in Uzbekistan will be able to recover half of the value-added tax (VAT) they have paid under a new government incentive aimed at attracting more international conferences and corporate events..
Uzbekistan has launched a 50% VAT cashback initiative for significant business tourism events. This new government measure is designed to encourage the hosting of more international conferences and corporate gatherings in the country.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the associated regulation on July 8.
According to the new guidelines, organizers of conferences and other business events that attract at least 100 foreign participants can receive a budget-funded reimbursement amounting to 50% of the VAT they have paid. This cashback will be available once for each eligible event.
To obtain the reimbursement, organizers are required to submit an application to the State Tax Committee within three months following the conclusion of the event.
The application must include details about the event and its agenda, an estimated budget for organizational costs, bank payment receipts, electronic invoices, and online cash register receipts, if applicable, along with any other legally required documents.
The Tourism Committee will assess the application within five days. If it is approved, the committee will send the documents, along with its electronic opinion, to the State Tax Committee.
The applicant can then request a 50% VAT refund via the Soliq mobile application or the electronic tax services portal within three months of filing the VAT return.
The State Tax Committee will confirm that the applicant has paid the VAT and met all eligibility criteria using data from its automated information system. The refundable amount cannot exceed 50% of the VAT paid for goods and services directly related to the event's organization.
The electronic opinion will be automatically generated by the system. Once a favorable decision is made, the State Tax Committee will issue a payment request to the Treasury Committee under the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The reimbursement will be deposited into the applicant's bank account within 15 working days after the payment request is made. Applications from businesses deemed to have a high tax risk may undergo additional scrutiny.