Bilingual Arabic tax invoices: what they need, and what tBiz does not do
Start with the part most pages like this bury: tBiz does not print tax invoices in Arabic. There is no Arabic in the product and no right-to-left layout in the document templates. If bilingual invoicing is a requirement for you, this page will tell you what the requirement actually is and who does meet it.
- English tax invoice
- Yes — full UAE VAT compliant layout
- Arabic tax invoice
- No — not supported
- Bilingual side-by-side
- No — not supported
- Right-to-left layout
- No — not supported
What a compliant bilingual tax invoice contains
The words "Tax Invoice"
Clearly shown — in Arabic, فاتورة ضريبية — so the document identifies itself as a tax invoice rather than a proforma or a quotation.
Both TRNs
The supplier’s tax registration number, and the recipient’s where they are registered and claiming input credit.
A sequential number and date
Unique, sequential, and the date of supply where it differs from the date of issue.
The tax breakdown per line
Taxable amount, rate applied and the VAT amount, with the total payable shown in AED even where the invoice is in another currency.
The exchange rate, where relevant
If the invoice is in a foreign currency, the rate used to convert to AED, from an approved source.
Arabic where it is required
The requirement to provide an Arabic version arises in specific circumstances rather than universally — which is precisely the question to settle with your tax adviser before choosing software.
Arabic invoicing questions
Can tBiz print an invoice in Arabic?
No. There is no Arabic in the product today and no right-to-left handling in the print templates. We would rather say that on the page that ranks for the question than let you find out during a trial.
Which products do print bilingual Arabic tax invoices?
Wafeq and Zoho Books both do, and both are reasonable choices if that is a hard requirement for you. Our comparison pages for each say the same thing.
Does everything else about UAE VAT work in tBiz?
Yes — 5% standard, zero-rated and exempt classification, reverse charge, designated zones, TRN capture and validation, emirate-wise box 1 and the full VAT 201 working. Arabic document rendering is the specific gap, not VAT itself.
Is an Arabic invoice always required in the UAE?
Not universally. The circumstances in which an Arabic version must be provided are a matter for your tax adviser and depend on who you are supplying and what has been requested. Many UAE businesses invoice in English without difficulty, which is why tBiz is usable here at all — but if Arabic is required for you, it is required, and no amount of other features substitutes.
Related
If English invoicing works for you, the rest is ready
Set AED as your base currency, add your TRN, and see the VAT 201 working build itself.