How to claim a refund of VAT paid in an EU member state (2024)

FAQs

How to claim a refund of VAT paid in an EU member state? ›

the goods must be taken out of the EU within three months of being bought. The tourist must provide a stamped VAT refund document proving this. the value of the goods bought must be above a certain minimum (set by each EU country) retailers can either refund the VAT directly or use an intermediary.

the goods must be taken out of the EU within three months of being bought. The tourist must provide a stamped VAT refund document proving this. the value of the goods bought must be above a certain minimum (set by each EU country) retailers can either refund the VAT directly or use an intermediary.

The VAT can be refunded if the merchandise is purchased and exported by a customer whose residence is outside the European Union. Please note that in order to qualify for tax-refund the merchandise has to be exported within three months of purchase. The VAT refund is voluntary and can be refused.

The United States Government does not refund sales tax to foreign visitors. Sales tax charged in the United States is paid to individual states, not the Federal government - the same way that Value Added Tax (VAT) is paid in many countries.

If you are charged VAT on business activities in an EU country where you are not established, you may be entitled to have the VAT refunded by the authorities in that country.

Can I get a VAT refund on online purchases? Yes, you can get a VAT refund even for your online purchases.

Tax-free shopping is currently available in the following countries: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Guernsey, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, ...

YES. Duty-free shopping, for example in airports, is only for non-EU residents whose are travelling to a destination outside the EU. EU residents have to pay VAT, even when they shop in another EU country. You may sometimes be exempt from paying VAT when you buy a car in another EU country.

Refund Locations: Both US Citizens and non-US citizens can claim tax refunds at all major international airport terminals, they would have a Tax refund desk. Check the airport for the details on the terminal. Also, if you are a non-US citizen, then you can even claim tax refunds at certain mall locations in the state.

VAT rates. EU law only requires that the standard VAT rate must be at least 15% and the reduced rate at least 5% (only for supplies of goods and services referred to in an exhaustive list). Actual rates applied vary between EU countries and between certain types of products.

Can Americans get VAT back in UK? ›

You may be able to get a VAT refund if you're only traveling to Great Britain in order to change planes. You must be travelling to a non EU country and the goods must be in your hold luggage at all times. Check the rules on bringing goods into Great Britain.

The majority of goods exported to the US can be zero-rated for VAT. In other words, you don't need to charge VAT on the exported goods or extra charges such as shipping and delivery.

VAT varies by country, but it is generally between 7 and 20 percent of the value of the merchandise. For imports, VAT is based on the customs value of your goods. The United States does not currently charge a VAT tax on imports, but you will likely have to pay this tax if you import goods into the European Union.

If you are in business, you can usually deduct the VAT you have paid on your own business purchases from the VAT you charge your customers; you then only need to pay the difference to the tax authorities, and report these amounts to them in your periodic VAT return.

According to EU law, EU Member States are required to levy a standard VAT rate of at least 15 percent and a reduced rate of at least 5 percent. Switzerland, as a non-EU country, levies the lowest VAT rate of only 7.7 percent, followed by Luxembourg (17 percent), Turkey (18 percent), and Germany (19 percent).

To be able to ask for a VAT refund, you must prove to the authorities that you bought goods in the European Union and you will 'consume' them in your country of residence (which MUST be outside the EU).

To reclaim VAT on the purchases that you've acquired for your business you need to have a valid VAT receipt (or VAT invoice) as proof of the purchase and that you've paid VAT on that purchase. If you don't have a valid VAT receipt you cannot reclaim the VAT.

Which Country Has the Highest VAT Refund? Hungary has the highest VAT refund at 27%.

Tax paid in error – For instance, where a withholding VAT agent withholds tax for the wrong taxpayer, the taxpayer then can apply for the refund for the tax paid in error. The claim however should be made within 12 months from the date of payment.

There is no VAT in the USA.

How do I get VAT back in Italy? ›

Bring your VAT forms, your receipts, and, of course, your purchases. Head to the customs office. They will check your goods, your documents, and stamp your VAT forms. Once you've got your VAT forms stamped, you should be able to get your refund straight away.

How to get a tax refund. To be entitled to a tax refund, you must present the duty-free slip at customs on leaving France. You may be asked to produce the objects purchased so that they can be verified. You can easily obtain an electronic duty-free slip by using the Pablo terminals at the airports.

Cash refunds are faster but typically have a higher fee. Credit card refunds can be slower, but typically get more money back. Sometimes the refund is instant, sometimes it takes five days, sometimes it takes months.

Luxembourg levies the lowest standard VAT rate at 16 percent, followed by Malta (18 percent), Cyprus, Germany, and Romania (all at 19 percent). The EU's average standard VAT rate is 21 percent, six percentage points higher than the minimum standard VAT rate required by EU regulation.

For a 19% VAT rate, it will be (Price-Price/1.19)*0.91=your refund and so on. Want to know how much you are paying for the item? Take off the price the refund amount, and that's it.

The Spanish government has removed the minimum amount of €90.16 that previously applied to Tax Free Shopping transactions made in the country. This means that, whatever the value of the goods you purchase, you now have the right to claim back the VAT. The new regulations came into effect in July 2018.

The VAT you pay is usually the difference between any VAT you've paid to other businesses, and the VAT you've charged your customers. If you've charged more VAT than you've paid, you must pay the difference to HMRC . If you've paid more VAT than you've charged, HMRC will usually repay you the difference.

The EU's average standard VAT rate is 21 percent, six percentage points higher than the minimum standard VAT rate required by EU regulation. Generally, consumption taxes are an economically efficient way of raising tax revenue.

To qualify for a VAT refund, you must:

Be a resident of a non-EU country¹ at the time of purchase. Have been in France for less than six months.

If your primary residence is located in a non-EU country or a third country, the value-added tax (VAT) may be deducted from the price of your purchases in France. As a non-EU resident, if you purchase duty-free items in France to take back to your home country, you are eligible for reimbursem*nt of the VAT.

How do I get my tax back when I shop in France? ›

Shop at a store that offers tax-free shopping, spending the minimum amount required for a VAT refund, which is over €100 in France (other EU countries will have different limits). When paying for your purchases, ask a member of the store staff for a tax refund form.

The standard VAT rate in Italy is 22%.

It applies to most goods and services. The two reduced VAT rates are 10% and 5%. The super-reduced rate is 4%. Italy also has some zero-rated goods, the sale of which must still be reported on your VAT return, even though no VAT is charged.

What's the time limit for making a claim? You have up to 4 years to claim back any input VAT suffered for which you didn't make a claim previously. However the 4 year time limit runs from the due date of the VAT return on which you should have made the original claim, rather than the date of the VAT invoice itself.

- Your boarding pass. There are two ways to reclaim VAT after getting the form validated at Customs: - Through the Tax Free management body located where you are departing (a fee will be charged). The refund will be in euros, in cash, to your credit card, by cheque, or by bank transfer.

Repayments are usually made within 30 days of HMRC getting your VAT Return. Your repayment will go direct to your bank account if HMRC has your bank details. Otherwise HMRC will send you a cheque (also known as a 'payable order').

If a supply is exempt from VAT, it may be because the EU considers the goods or services as essential. VAT exempt supplies include: Education and training. Insurance, finance and credit.

YES. Duty-free shopping, for example in airports, is only for non-EU residents whose are travelling to a destination outside the EU. EU residents have to pay VAT, even when they shop in another EU country. You may sometimes be exempt from paying VAT when you buy a car in another EU country.

There is no VAT in the USA.

VAT rates. EU law only requires that the standard VAT rate must be at least 15% and the reduced rate at least 5% (only for supplies of goods and services referred to in an exhaustive list). Actual rates applied vary between EU countries and between certain types of products.