At Loyalty Consultancy, we provide expert guidance on International & GCC Tax to help businesses operate smoothly across borders. Whether you’re expanding into new markets or already dealing with multiple jurisdictions, understanding regional tax laws is key to staying compliant and competitive.
Navigating international tax rules isn’t just about following the law, it’s about protecting your profit margins, managing risk, and ensuring smooth cross-border operations.
Why International & GCC Tax Planning Matters
Tax rules across GCC countries and beyond continue to evolve. With global standards like BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) and economic substance regulations in place, businesses are expected to comply with local laws while aligning with international expectations.
The GCC has taken major steps toward unified tax frameworks, starting with VAT and now moving into corporate tax and transfer pricing. If your business trades across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, or Bahrain, each jurisdiction brings different filing rules, tax rates, and compliance procedures.
This is where our International & GCC Tax service becomes essential. We help you simplify complexity, avoid double taxation, and structure your business efficiently across borders.
Our International & GCC Tax Services
Loyalty Consultancy offers a complete range of cross-border tax services designed for UAE-based and international businesses. We go beyond generic advice. Our consultants study your industry, understand your business model, and offer region-specific solutions that work in the real world.
Our services include:
- International tax planning and compliance
- Transfer pricing documentation and advisory
- Double tax treaty reviews and optimization
- Country-by-country reporting (CbCR) support
- Foreign tax credit analysis and application
- Permanent Establishment (PE) risk assessment
- Economic Substance Regulation (ESR) filing and strategy
- Cross-border corporate structuring
Whether you’re a holding company, a trading group, or a service provider with regional branches, we ensure that your tax approach is both strategic and compliant.
GCC Tax Compliance Made Clear
Each GCC country has its own set of tax laws. From the 9% UAE corporate tax to Saudi Arabia’s zakat and income tax rules, staying up to date is no longer optional. Filing delays or missed declarations can result in penalties and reputational harm.
We help you:
- Understand the tax requirements in each GCC country you operate in
- File VAT and corporate tax returns where required
- Assess the impact of transfer pricing and related-party transactions
- Stay ready for audits and local authority reviews
If you’re unsure whether your entity creates a tax presence in a particular country, we’ll assess your situation and help reduce Permanent Establishment risks.
Our experience with Company Tax Services ensures we look at your tax obligations holistically, not just by country.
Structuring Your Business Across Borders
One of the most important aspects of International & GCC Tax planning is how you structure your business. The way you set up your subsidiaries, branches, and contracts has a direct impact on your tax efficiency and legal exposure.
We assist you in building structures that:
- Comply with local substance and tax rules
- Avoid unnecessary withholding tax or double taxation
- Align with commercial operations and real-world substance
- Stay flexible as your business scales into other GCC markets
Our advisors use both local and international tax knowledge to help you find balance between risk and opportunity.
Cross-Border VAT and Indirect Tax Advice
If you supply goods or services across borders in the GCC, VAT rules may apply differently in each country. Some jurisdictions have zero-rated exports, while others require registration based on the value of supplies.
Our team works alongside our VAT Consultants in Dubai to provide a full picture of your indirect tax landscape. This ensures you avoid common issues like incorrect invoicing, input VAT claims being rejected, or late registration penalties. With our help, your tax filings are clean, accurate, and on time across all jurisdictions.
Managing Transfer Pricing and Related Party Transactions
As businesses grow across the region, transactions between related entities become common. Whether it’s goods, services, loans, or IP, every transaction must follow the arm’s-length principle.
We guide you through:
- Creating compliant transfer pricing policies
- Preparing local and master files
- Responding to tax authority queries
- Aligning your pricing with business reality
This ensures your group is protected during audits and your pricing methods hold up under scrutiny.
Understanding Economic Substance Requirements
Many GCC jurisdictions, including the UAE, require companies to demonstrate real business activity within the country. If you have international income streams like interest, royalties, or IP licensing, you may need to file an Economic Substance return.
We support you in:
- Determining your ESR classification
- Gathering operational and board meeting evidence
- Submitting the right forms within deadlines
- Avoiding fines for non-compliance
These obligations often apply alongside UAE Excise Tax and corporate tax, which we can help manage in a single, streamlined plan.
Reducing Double Tax and Leveraging Treaties
The UAE has over 130 double tax treaties with other countries, offering opportunities to reduce or eliminate taxation on foreign income. However, claiming benefits under these treaties requires proper structure, documentation, and tax residency certificates.
We assist with:
- Treaty analysis and benefit application
- Certificate of tax residency issuance
- Withholding tax reduction planning
- Structuring investments into or out of the UAE
By using the right treaty provisions, we help you retain more of your profits and avoid double taxation on the same income.
Why Loyalty Consultancy?
Our International & GCC Tax services are built on a strong foundation of trust, technical skill, and real market experience. We’re not just advisors, we’re tax partners who work closely with your team to simplify the complex.
Clients choose us because we:
- Understand the unique business culture of the GCC
- Keep up with fast-changing tax policies
- Communicate in plain language
- Offer practical support, not just reports
Whether you’re an SME looking to expand or a large enterprise with multi-country operations, we offer consistent, reliable support that grows with your business.
Let’s Build a Tax Strategy That Works for You
Your business doesn’t stop at borders and neither should your tax strategy. With Loyalty Consultancy, you get guidance that fits your structure, goals, and regional presence.
Our International & GCC Tax experts are ready to review your current setup, highlight risks, and unlock new efficiencies across your operations.
Reach out to us today to schedule a tax consultation. Let’s simplify compliance and position your company for long-term cross-border success.
Frequently Asked Questions About International & GCC Tax
International & GCC Tax refers to tax laws that apply to businesses operating across Gulf countries and international borders. It includes corporate tax, VAT, transfer pricing, and treaty-based obligations.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have implemented corporate tax rules. Oman is also applying tax on business income, while Bahrain and Kuwait have limited tax systems.
GCC stands for Gulf Cooperation Council. It includes six countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman.
Yes, certain supplies like exports and international transport are zero-rated in GCC VAT systems. However, standard VAT applies to most goods and services.
Companies with operations in multiple countries or related-party transactions must follow these rules. This includes trading firms, holding companies, and regional service providers.
Yes, many GCC countries have signed double tax treaties to prevent taxing the same income twice. With the right structure and documents, businesses can benefit from these agreements.