B Mirror Report: The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has extended the deadline for businesses to enter previously submitted paper-based VAT returns into the electronic VAT (e-VAT) system until June 30, 2026, ahead of the planned mandatory online VAT return filing from July.

According to a press release issued by the NBR on Saturday, a new sub-module titled “Hard Copy Return Entry” has been introduced in the e-VAT system to enable the digital entry and preservation of monthly VAT returns that were earlier submitted manually.

The revenue authority said it had issued a circular on January 5, 2026, outlining the procedures for using the sub-module and initially set March 31, 2026, as the deadline for completing the entry of all paper-based returns into the online system.

However, data from the e-VAT platform show that a significant number of hard-copy returns have still not been digitised. In view of this, the NBR has extended the deadline to June 30, 2026, to allow businesses additional time to complete the process.

The NBR warned that businesses failing to upload their paper returns within the revised deadline will face restrictions. Their closing balances as of May 2026 will be frozen, meaning no future adjustments will be allowed against those balances.

It further stated that VAT refunds will only be processed if all returns are properly available in the online system. Businesses that fail to comply will not be eligible to submit refund claims.

The revenue authority urged taxpayers to cooperate fully with ongoing digitisation efforts, saying the initiative aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the country’s tax administration.