United Arab Emirates
UAE consent records: the date, the time, and the words used.
TDRA's policy on marketing texts asks for consent that can be stored and shown to TDRA, with the date, the time, and the words or content the customer agreed to on record. Below: that rule, the free opt-out, the 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. limit, and VAT on imported services.
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The rules that matter here
Marketing email, texts and calls
- TDRA's Regulatory Policy on Unsolicited Electronic Communications (v1.1, June 13, 2022) requires that consent to marketing text messages can be stored and shown to TDRA, that it is obtained clearly and transparently, and that the record includes the date, time, and words or content by which the customer consented.[1] Note: The policy is addressed to licensed telecom operators; it shows what TDRA regards as valid consent.
- Under the same TDRA policy, every marketing text message must give a way to opt out, subscribe/unsubscribe must be free of charge, and messages may not be used to persuade a customer not to opt out.[1]
- The same TDRA policy says operators must put terms in their messaging-service contracts that a business sending marketing texts through them must not itself start a consent request by text message or voice call (section 9.2.5), and must not send marketing texts between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (sections 8.3 and 9.2.4).[1] Note: The policy is addressed to licensed operators; it shows what they must write into their contracts with senders. Ask your messaging provider how it applies to you.
Personal data
We have not confirmed any data-protection rule for the UAE from a primary source, so we state none. Do not read the absence of a rule here as the absence of one in law. Where to look first: the UAE Government's page on data protection laws.
Billing across borders
- The UAE Federal Tax Authority's E-Commerce VAT Guide (August 9, 2020) says the reverse charge applies where a taxable person imports services from outside the UAE: the non-resident supplier does not charge UAE VAT and the registered recipient accounts for it and recovers it as input tax under the normal rules.[2] Note: Guide dated 2020; confirm the current position with the FTA or an accountant. Applies where the recipient is VAT-registered.
Time zone and language
Gulf Standard Time, 1.5 hours behind India: 10 a.m. for our team is 8:30 a.m. in the UAE. Languages: Arabic, English. Our own context, not a sourced rule.
What buyers here ask
Is WhatsApp automation allowed for my business?
WhatsApp's own policy requires opt-in from the person you message and makes you responsible for obtaining it lawfully. Gonzo uses only the official WhatsApp Business API and does not send WhatsApp messages to people who have not opted in.
What counts as valid consent for marketing messages?
TDRA's policy says consent must be clear, storable, and shown on request, with the date, time, and words used recorded, and every marketing message needs a free opt-out. Our systems keep opt-outs; your own consent records remain your responsibility.
Do UAE telemarketing rules affect me?
Possibly. A 2024 telemarketing resolution has been reported, but we could not read its text from a primary source, so we are not summarizing it here. Ask your licensing authority or adviser.
How is VAT handled when a company in India invoices a UAE business?
The FTA guide says a UAE VAT-registered recipient of imported services generally accounts for the VAT through the reverse charge. Check with your accountant.
These answers draw only on the sources listed on this page, last verified 2026-10-02.
Same on every market page: Prices (US dollars, fixed), WhatsApp opt-in rules, how this research is made. Prices are in US dollars. Invoicing in AED is not confirmed; ask on the Talk to us call.
Sources
- tdra.gov.ae retrieved back
- tax.gov.ae retrieved back
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Send one web address. In about five business days you get a short written report. If a system fits, a fixed-price scope follows.
Free audit, no accounts, we change nothing.
Or ask a person: aimarketing@gonzo.co.in +91 7390990227 WhatsApp