REX registered 0% duty into the EU, UK, Canada & Japan — see current status

Trishakti Apparel · Nepal

Nepal and the UAE: friends since 1977

Nepal opened its embassy in Abu Dhabi in 2004 and the UAE opened its embassy in Kathmandu in 2016. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal (source: Nepal–UAE relations (diplomatic relations since 22 January 1977; agreements incl. Air Services Agreement and workers’ MoU, 2019), opens in a new tab)

Buying from Nepal into United Arab Emirates

Knitwear from Nepal for UAE buyers

Standard duty applies No preference – GCC common external tariff From Nepal: 5% (standard GCC duty) Standard cotton tee: 5% Dubai Customs (source: FAQ: customs duty is 5% of the CIF value (GCC Common Customs Law), opens in a new tab) UAE Ministry of Economy (source: Final agreement text, incl. UAE tariff schedule (Annex 2B): 6105.10, 6109.10, 6110.20 base rate 5%, category A (0% from day 1), opens in a new tab) +1

Does imported fabric still qualify?

For the UAE, origin decides only whether a trade agreement applies, and none covers Nepal: the UAE’s CEPA partners include India and Vietnam but not Nepal or Bangladesh, and no UAE or other GCC scheme for least developed countries appears in the WTO’s database of preferential arrangements. So there is no special origin rule to meet: Nepal-made garments simply pay the 5% common external tariff. A certificate of origin is still part of the customs declaration. UAE MoFT (source: Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (partner list; Nepal and Bangladesh not listed), opens in a new tab) UAE MoFT (source: GCC free trade agreements (China listed as under negotiation), opens in a new tab) +2

What you receive and use at import

Why United Arab Emirates buyers work with us

Duty: the same as China and Bangladesh

Nepal-made knitwear pays the standard 5% on CIF, like goods from China and Bangladesh. India and Vietnam pay 0% under their CEPAs, so compare full landed quotes, not duty alone. Dubai Customs (source: FAQ: customs duty is 5% of the CIF value (GCC Common Customs Law), opens in a new tab) UAE Ministry of Economy (source: Final agreement text, incl. UAE tariff schedule (Annex 2B): 6105.10, 6109.10, 6110.20 base rate 5%, category A (0% from day 1), opens in a new tab) +1

Low MOQ for UAE programmes

1,000 pieces per style per colour suits UAE retailers, uniform and promotional suppliers testing a new source without a large commitment.

Duty comparison chart

Nepal against other origins, per HS code.

The duty each origin pays into United Arab Emirates, with an example cost, CIF and landed cost per piece. Switch the market to compare others.

Compare Nepal with
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No duty saving from Nepal into United Arab Emirates for these products.

Some origins pay less duty here, as the table shows. Our case for this market is lead time, low MOQ and service.

HS 6109.10

Cotton knit T-shirts

Cost (FOB) $3.20 · CIF $3.45 · United Arab Emirates

Same duty as Nepal: Bangladesh, China

HS 6105.10

Cotton knit polo shirts

Cost (FOB) $5.50 · CIF $5.75 · United Arab Emirates

Same duty as Nepal: Bangladesh, China

HS 6110.20

Cotton sweatshirts & hoodies

Cost (FOB) $9.50 · CIF $9.75 · United Arab Emirates

Same duty as Nepal: Bangladesh, China

Duty into United Arab Emirates is charged on the CIF value. Import VAT of 5% is also charged on CIF plus duty (not shown in the chart).

* 0% only if that preference’s rule of origin is met. For goods from Nepal we check this for each style before you order.

Costs are illustrative, not our quote, and freight is set the same for every origin so the chart shows the duty difference alone (Nepal’s inland leg to Kolkata usually adds a little). Rates verified 2026-09-25; confirm your 10-digit code with your customs broker.

All markets and sources →

Minimum order
1,000
Per style / colour · flexible per programme
Sampling
7–14
After tech-pack review
Bulk lead time
40–50
After sample approval
Monthly capacity
26–30k
Knit basics · confirmed per programme

Questions from United Arab Emirates buyers

Straight answers.

Is clothing from Nepal duty-free in the UAE?
No. Nepal has no trade agreement with the UAE, so Nepal-made garments pay the standard 5% GCC customs duty on the CIF value, plus 5% import VAT on CIF and duty.
Do India and Vietnam pay less duty in the UAE?
Yes. Indian-origin garments enter at 0% under the UAE–India CEPA (in force since 1 May 2022) and Vietnamese-origin garments at 0% under the UAE–Vietnam CEPA (in force since 3 February 2026), if the origin rules are met. Goods from China and Bangladesh pay 5%, like Nepal.
Do invoices need attestation?
Import invoices of AED 10,000 and above need electronic attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the bill of entry: AED 150 per invoice, within 14 days. Your importer of record handles it.
How long does shipping to Dubai take?
By sea, roughly 2–3 weeks from Kolkata/Haldia to Jebel Ali plus the inland leg from our factory; by air, samples fly non-stop Kathmandu–Dubai in about five hours. Your forwarder will confirm current schedules.

Guides for United Arab Emirates importers

Sources & last verified

Page facts checked

We link every trade claim to the body that publishes it — official sources first. Rules change; if you spot something out of date, tell us.

  1. 01 Nepal Foreign Trade Statistics FY 2079/80 (2022/23), exports by HS code and country Department of Customs, Nepal · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  2. 02 FAQ: customs duty is 5% of the CIF value (GCC Common Customs Law) Dubai Customs · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  3. 03 Services Guide 2025 (customs declaration: invoice, packing list, certificate of origin; business registration with trade licence) Dubai Customs · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  4. 04 Nepal–UAE relations (diplomatic relations since 22 January 1977; agreements incl. Air Services Agreement and workers’ MoU, 2019) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  5. 05 Bengal Middle East Express (BMEx) container service, Haldia–Chattogram–Jebel Ali (launched September 2024) Press Information Bureau, Government of India · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  6. 06 Treaty of Trade, Treaty of Transit and related agreements (Kolkata/Haldia transit arrangements) Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC), Government of Nepal · official · checked 24 Sept 2026
  7. 07 Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017 on VAT (consolidated): 5% on imports; value of import = customs value incl. freight, insurance and customs duty UAE Federal Tax Authority · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  8. 08 Final agreement text, incl. UAE tariff schedule (Annex 2B): 6105.10, 6109.10, 6110.20 base rate 5%, category A (0% from day 1) UAE Ministry of Economy – UAE–India CEPA · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  9. 09 FAQ: electronic attestation of import invoices of AED 10,000 and above (since 1 February 2023; AED 150; 14 days from the bill of entry) UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  10. 10 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (partner list; Nepal and Bangladesh not listed) UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  11. 11 GCC free trade agreements (China listed as under negotiation) UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  12. 12 Tariff schedule of the UAE: 6105.10, 6109.10, 6110.20 base rate 5%, category E(0), duty-free on entry into force UAE–Vietnam CEPA, Appendix 2A-A (published by WTO Center Vietnam) · official · checked 25 Sept 2026
  13. 13 Nepal – graduation status (scheduled 24 November 2026; 2026 extension request, CDP and ECOSOC) United Nations – LDC Portal · official · checked 24 Sept 2026
  14. 14 List of preferential trade arrangements (no UAE or other GCC scheme for developing or least developed countries) World Trade Organization – PTA database · official · checked 25 Sept 2026

Namaste — let’s talk

Sourcing for United Arab Emirates? Let’s cost it properly.

Send a tech pack, a photo or just an idea. You’ll hear back from the people who run the floor — usually within 24 hours, Nepal time.

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