Maldives: President ratifies amendments to taxation acts
The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority announced that the President has ratified Acts Nos. 20/2024, 21/2024, and 22/2024, amending the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act, the Maldives Tourism Act, and the Airport Taxes and Fees (ATF) Act, respectively.
Under these amendments, the GST rate for tourism sector goods and services will increase from 16 percent to 17 percent effective July 1, 2025. Effective November 5, 2024, goods and services sold in cafes exclusively serving employees at authorized tourist establishments will be subject to an 8 percent GST rate
New departure tax and airport development fee rates will take effect on December 1, 2024. Registered persons may request refunds for any excess tax collected if it is subsequently refunded to the passenger.
Furthermore, new green tax rates will be effective from January 1, 2025, with an exemption for children under the age of two.
All the amended laws enter into force on November 5, 2024.
VAT/GST rates 2024 in Asia
| Country | Standard VAT/GST Rate | Reduced Rates |
| Armenia | The standard VAT rate is 20%. | |
| Azerbaijan | The standard VAT rate is 18%. | |
| Bahrain | From January 1, 2022, the standard VAT rate is 10%. | |
| Bangladesh | The standard VAT rate is 15%. | 10%, 7.5%, 5%, 2,4%, 2% |
| Brunei | There is no VAT in Brunei. | |
| China | The standard VAT rate is 13%, 9%, 6% | Reduced rates of 5%, 2%, 3%, 1.5% and 0.5%. |
| UAE | VAT is charged at 5% in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) | |
| Georgia | The standard VAT rate is 18% | |
| Hong Kong | There is no VAT or sales tax in Hong Kong. | |
| India | The primary rates of Indian GST are 0.25%, 1.5%, 3%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% | |
| Indonesia | The standard VAT rate is 11% | |
| Iraq | There is no VAT in Iraq. (The standard sales tax ranges from 10% to 300% on alcohol & tobacco) | |
| Israel | The standard VAT rate is 17% | |
| Japan | The standard (Consumption Tax) rate is 10% | 8% |
| Kazakhstan | The standard rate of VAT is 12% | |
| South Korea | The standard VAT rate is 10% | |
| Kuwait | There is no VAT in Kuwait | |
| Laos | The standard VAT rate is 10% | |
| Lebanon | The standard VAT rate is 11% | |
| Malaysia | On September 1, 2018, the Government of Malaysia replaced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) with a 10% Sales Tax (The standard rate of service tax is 8%) | 5% (Sales Tax), 6% |
| Oman | the standard VAT rate in Oman is 5% | |
| Pakistan | Pakistan does not have VAT. The standard sales tax rate is 18% | Pakistan has a large number of reduced sales tax rates, including 1%, 2%, 5%, 10% and 12% (among others). |
| Philippines | The standard VAT rate is 12% | |
| Qatar | There is no VAT in Qatar | |
| Russia | The standard VAT rate is 20% | 10% |
| Saudi Arabia | VAT is charged at 15% | |
| Singapore | The standard Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate is 9% | |
| Sri Lanka | The standard VAT rate is 18% | |
| Taiwan | The standard VAT rate is 5% | |
| Tajikistan | The standard VAT rate is 14% | 10%, 7%, 5% |
| Thailand | The standard VAT rate is 7% (Reduced from the standard 10% until 30 September 2024) | |
| Turkey | The standard VAT rate is 20% | 10%, 1% |
| Uzbekistan | The standard VAT rate is 12% | |
| Vietnam | The standard VAT rate is 8% | Reduced VAT rate is 5% |