What do you need to apply for tax free? Question: Is it possible to return Tax Free in my home country? Tax Free does not apply to purchases from online stores

Tax Tree (tax free)– VAT refund system when making a purchase in a foreign country. The procedure for refunding part of the cost of goods is the same for all countries participating in the system, but there are differences in the amount of tax, the minimum purchase amount for the right to receive tax free and other nuances that you need to familiarize yourself with so as not to lose money.

Who can get taxfree: VAT refund conditions

Refund part of the purchase price made in a participating country Tax Free Shopping is possible if several conditions are simultaneously met:

• lack of citizenship, refugee status, residence permit and work permit in the state where the purchase was made;
• less than three months' one-time stay in the country;
• purchase of goods for a certain amount: the lower limit of the purchase price that gives the right to receive tax free, is set individually by states (for example, in France it is 175 euros, and in Germany - only 25).

Important: in most countries food and other products are not subject to VAT foodstuffs, as well as tobacco, alcohol, printed products, precious metals and stones, vehicles. Therefore, to return tax free There is no need to count when buying cigarettes, books or a car.

Program Tax Free Shipping operates in all countries that are part of the European Union, as well as in Belarus, Argentina, Great Britain, Turkey, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Lebanon, Israel, South Africa, Iceland and Uruguay. Russia is not one of the participants in the system.

Important: system tax free does not apply to online purchases, even if they were made in a foreign store.

Tax free return procedure

The main condition for subsequent VAT refund is the purchase of goods in stores that are partners of the system Tax Free. This is usually indicated by corresponding signs on front door. If you have any doubts, you can always check with the seller - you don’t have to be fluent to do this. foreign language, one phrase is enough: “ Tax free?».

1. Receive a receipt.

When making a purchase, the seller must provide a receipt tax free(Global Refund Check or Tax Free Form - depending on the operator providing the return service), in which the buyer’s last and first name, country and city of residence, as well as the date of purchase and total cost purchased goods.

The data is filled in in accordance with the buyer’s international passport - therefore it is necessary to have its original or copy with you. Most often, sellers issue a receipt themselves, but sometimes they limit themselves to only entering the purchase amount and issuing a cash receipt. In this case, you will have to fill out the form yourself.

Important: the integrity of the packaging of goods must be preserved until the money is returned. The same goes for tags, labels, labels and other insignia. In some stores, upon checkout tax free the packaging is reinforced with special stickers or seals.

2. Customs control.

Processing a VAT refund begins immediately before returning to your home country. Therefore, it is better to arrive at the place of departure (airport, train station, etc.) in advance - the procedure can be quite lengthy.

First resort on the way back tax free- customs point. If taxable items are in your hand luggage, you can go to the customs officers before checking in for the flight, otherwise it is better to do this after, since it will be more convenient to check the suitcase into your luggage right there.

The customs officer will check the integrity of the packaging of the goods, make sure that there is a cash receipt, and then put a stamp on the receipt tax free.

Important: when taking a transit flight or moving between EU countries, a refund is issued at the airport ( seaport etc.) of the last country visited before leaving for Russia, regardless of the place of purchase. For example, when purchasing goods in Germany with a subsequent flight to France, and from there to the Russian Federation, you should begin the return procedure in France.

3. Receiving money.

Get tax free possible in three ways: directly at the airport; in any Russian bank that is a partner of the system Tax Free Shopping; or at bank card– within several weeks after leaving all documents in a specially equipped box.

Receiving money at the airport

Documents for VAT refund should be submitted to the VAT Refund point or Tax Free Refund located in the zone international shipments(same place as Duty Free). Operators often provide the opportunity to choose the currency of the refunded amount.

Leaving documents in a special box

Choosing this method of receiving money is advisable when you have limited time - waiting your turn at VAT Refund often takes from 20 minutes to an hour and a half. Receipt tax free with a customs stamp and a cash receipt must be packed in an envelope and placed in a box marked “ Tax Free» – usually it is located next to the money issuing point. Before packaging, you should write your bank card number on the receipt - funds will be returned to it within 3-8 weeks.

Obtaining tax free in Russia

You can get information about banks that provide VAT refund services on the operators’ website Tax Free. To receive money at a bank branch you need to present a receipt Tax Free Form, cash receipt and both passports – Russian and foreign.

Important: tax refund points for the purchase of goods abroad do not operate in all bank branches - they are only in 10 cities in Russia. Therefore, if the way home lies through the capital, it is better to return the money there. Moreover, the period is limited - apply for compensation tax free possible within 3 months from the date of purchase.

How to calculate the tax free amount

Sum tax free depends on the amount of value added tax established in the country in which the purchase was made. The range is from 7 to 21%. For example, in the Netherlands the VAT rate is 21, in France – 19.6%.

To accurately calculate the amount to be refunded, it is better to use an online calculator - it is available on the website of any operator tax free.

It should be taken into account that a certain percentage will be withheld as a commission for the service, and if we are talking about a non-cash return of money, there will also be a commission for converting into rubles (usually about 3–5%).

Refund of tax free in Moscow

Get tax free in Moscow possible if you have a receipt Tax Free Form with customs stamp and cash receipt. Refunds are made both in cash and to a bank card. Moreover, for this you do not have to be a citizen of Russia: the partner bank of the system will issue money upon presentation of any identification document specified in the receipt.

With the program Tax Free in Moscow The banks Intesa, SMP, Promsvyazbank, MDM and JSC Bank Russian Credit cooperate.

Features of tax free in Germany

Since 2013, Italy has established a VAT rate of 22% (previously it was 20%), the minimum purchase price for tax free tax free

The VAT rate in Germany is 19%. Previously, the country had set a maximum limit tax free, but as of today it has been cancelled. Minimum purchase price to receive tax free– 25 euros. That is, tourists can count on a refund of the full amount of tax minus commissions.

Receipt procedure tax free in Germany corresponds general rules, however, there are restrictions on the timing of customs control - a customs stamp must be affixed to the Tax Free Form within 30 days from the date of purchase.

Features of tax free in Italy

In 2013, Italy established a VAT rate of 22% (previously it was 20%), the minimum purchase price for tax free– almost 155 euros (154.94). A significant advantage of Italian tax free– the ability to issue a refund directly upon purchase, that is, in essence, to receive a discount equal to the VAT rate.

However, in practice, such a service is provided only by elite stores selling exclusive and very expensive goods; others prefer to cooperate with operators Tax Free.

You can return VAT in Italy as follows: traditional way– when leaving the country, and at money issuing points located in major cities, for example in Rome or Milan. But the latter is only possible if the service is provided by the Global Blue operator.

Put a customs stamp on Tax Free Form is required within 3 months from the date of purchase.

Features of tax free in Finland

Finland has the highest VAT rate in Europe – 23%. But in practice, it turns out to reimburse only 16% - the rest will be deducted by the operator as a commission.

The longest period for customs inspection is established here - 6 months from the date of purchase of the goods. Eligibility tax free occurs when purchasing a value of 40 euros or more.

GlobalBlue: tax free in 37 countries

Largest system operator Tax Free Shopping – Global Blue. VAT refund points are located in 37 countries, including Russia - however, there are only 10 cities in which you can receive money:

Moscow;
Saint Petersburg;
Novosibirsk;
Chelyabinsk;
Kaliningrad;
Murmansk;
Monchegorsk, Olenegorsk and Polyarnye Zori (Murmansk region);
Rostov-on-Don.

Tatiana Solomatina

What is Tax Free: where and how can I get my money back?

Good afternoon friends!

Many tourists abroad make purchases and apply for Tax Free. However, there is a category of people who, despite all the advantages, never take advantage of the opportunity to save. Most of them simply do not know how the system works and have little idea how to return Tax Free.

It is worth correcting this situation, in the article I will tell full information on the topic: what is Tax Free, how to apply for it correctly, I will give all the ways to return money.

Just recently, my friends almost missed the plane, so they didn’t have time to return Tax Free before departure. They easily managed to get money in Moscow. No one is immune from such a situation, so I’ll also tell you how to act in this case. Maybe it will be useful to someone.

For “Blondes”, I am among them, Tax Free is an amount that can be received back, thereby reducing the cost of the purchase.

For everyone else, this is an international system of refunding value added tax (VAT) to non-residents of the country.

In any country, almost every product is subject to tax. When traveling abroad, we make purchases in stores on the same basis as its citizens. Naturally, a foreign guest does not have to pay taxes, because he pays them at home. However, it is difficult to indicate two prices (for residents and those who have arrived in large numbers) for one product in each point of sale. Therefore, the Tax Free system was created to correct this injustice.

Tax Free returns are regulated by Global Blue and Premier Tax Free. Banks work with them before issuing cash. You don’t need to know the details of the system, let’s leave them for the “nerds”, let them look for them on Wikipedia.

Who is eligible for a tax refund?

Reduce the purchase price by 7 - 20 percent (depending on the country), oh, how nice! But (conditions again!), there are certain requirements that must be met in order to return Tax Free without problems.

• You do not have to be a resident, have a residence permit or a work permit of the country where you are making the purchase.
• You must stay in the country for no more than three months
• The purchase price cannot be less than the established limit, each country has its own requirements (from 90 to 175 euros)
• The purchase must be made in stores participating in the Tax Free system. And it needs to be formatted correctly
• No more than three months must pass after purchasing the product

How to apply for Tax Free?

Make purchases only in stores that operate in the Tax Free system. Usually, there are special stickers hanging there, but if there are none, ask the staff.

When applying for Tax Free, you will need a foreign passport. The seller will fill out a certain form with your information. Check that they match the passport; a mistake even in one letter or number will not allow you to return Tax Free.

The completed form must be accompanied by a sales receipt. Compare the amount in both places, it should be identical.

Keep in mind! If you have purchased Tax Free, you will not be able to return the product or exchange it for another.

How to return tax at the airport?

There is nothing complicated there, of course, except for the notorious heavy suitcases that you will have to carry around in the first minutes after arriving at the airport. Because the coveted stamp on the check is received before checking in your luggage. I won't get ahead of myself, here you go step by step plan how to return Tax Free at the airport:

1. Arrive at the airport early (!!!). The Tax Free return procedure can take a long time. There are often queues.
2. Before going through customs inspection, put a special mark on your Tax Free return receipt. Find any airport employee and ask where you can do this. Attention! Items must be presented with tags and no signs of use. It’s not required everywhere, but according to the rules it’s required.
3. When you have the coveted stamp in your hands, check your luggage and go through passport control. In the international zone (where Duty Free stores) find Tax Free issuing offices. Usually there are signs “Cash refund” or “Tax refund”, there are Global Blue and Premier Tax Free logos.
4. Provide the employee with a passport (in whose name the purchase was made), a Tax Free form and a receipt from the store. You get money.

There are situations when the manager does not have cash, or you just want to get money on a credit card. Then fill out the application form for transfer of funds. Details will be required credit card. Place the documents in a branded envelope, and the staff will forward the letter to the right place.

In this case, the money will be transferred to the credit card specified in the application. The transfer is carried out within 2 months.

How to get money at home?

Most tourists, of course, prefer to return Tax Free at the airport before flying home. But there are times when all plans collapse and the situation gets out of control.

Picture this:

Returning home from vacation abroad. You're rushing to the airport with your tongue hanging out, and you're obviously late. Perhaps even through no fault of your own - an accident on the road, or, for example, there is no taxi called at a certain time a week ago. The reasons may be different, which is not relevant. There are heavy suitcases in your hands and a bunch of bags with expensive purchases, documents in your teeth, and the desired airport is still.....

Nerves are exposed to the limit. Guard! What Tax Free is there - you won’t be late for the plane!

Do you recognize yourself? No? Don’t flatter yourself, everything is ahead of you, because no one is immune from such a situation.

Immediately panic and a lot of questions: What to do if, by a fateful coincidence, it was not possible to receive hard-earned money at the airport? Is it possible to return Tax Free in Moscow or another region of Russia?

Breathe deeply and calm down. Not everything is lost!

You can issue a Tax Free refund at home, but this process will just take a little longer and will reduce the refund amount by a few percent, which the banks will take for themselves.

Where can I apply for a Tax Free refund at home? To return money at home, you need to visit the offices of certain banks; it is the banks that are authorized to deal with this issue. Below is a list of banks by region.

Banks in Moscow: addresses and opening hours

JSC Banca Intesa

• Moscow, Sadovaya-Chernogryazskaya street 16-18 (Mon-Fri 09.00 – 19.00, Sat. and Sun. closed)
• Moscow, Bolshoy Gnezdnikovsky lane, 1, building 2 (Mon-Fri 09.00 – 19.00, Sat. 10.00 – 13.00, Sun. closed)
• Moscow, Zatsepa street 24 (Mon-Fri 09.00 – 19.00, Sat. 10.00 – 13.00, Sun. closed)

JSCB "Slavia"

• Moscow, Kutuzovsky Prospekt, 2/1, building 1, 1st floor, room. No. 1125 (Mon-Fri 10:15 – 21:45, break 30 minutes at 14.00 and 18.30, seven days a week)

Banks in St. Petersburg: addresses and opening hours

JSC Banca Intesa

• St. Petersburg, Kuibysheva street, 15 (Mon-Fri 09.00 – 19.00, Sat. and Sun. closed)
• St. Petersburg, Moskovsky prospect, 125 (Mon-Fri 09.00 – 19.00, Sat. 10.00 – 13.00, Sun. closed)
• St. Petersburg, Liteiny Prospekt, 57 (Mon-Thurs 09.00 – 16.00, Fri 09.00 – 15.00, Sat. and Sun. – closed)

JSCB "Slavia"

• St. Petersburg, per. Grivtsova 4/4 (Mon-Thurs 09.30 – 18.00, Fri 09.30 – 17.00, Sat. and Sun. - closed)
• St. Petersburg, Lensoveta street 88/A (Mon-Fri 09.00 – 20.00, Sat. 10.00 – 18.00, Sun. closed)

These are the banks you need to run to to get money when you return home. Unfortunately, there are few of them, which creates certain difficulties. But where are we without them? All life is an obstacle race, it’s time to get used to it.

Tax Free refund in other regions of Russia

Russia is a huge country. But branches of the banks listed above are not available everywhere.

You can return Tax Free in Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Monchegorsk, Pskov and several other large cities of the country. I will not list all the addresses and opening hours of banks, look them up on the company’s official website Global Blue.

The rest of the sufferers will have to send documents by mail and receive the tax by bank transfer.

Return procedure Tax Free

Via bank

Provide the following documents to the bank:

1. Russian passport
2. international passport
3. Tax Free Form
4. Purchase receipt

Note! Checks have their own “expiration date” (depending on the country), so upon returning home, it is better not to delay going to the bank.

By mail

I repeat. The list of banks providing check cashing services is small. Their branches are not located in all regions of the country. Many of our citizens do not have the opportunity to get to the bank. All they have to do is get the money on their credit card by sending all the documents by mail.

To do this, you will need a branded envelope, which can be taken at the airport or in the store (where you made the purchase). If it's not there, send it by registered mail in a regular envelope. Don’t forget to include the application, form and Tax Free receipt. If there is no application form, write in free form, company employees will contact you and give further instructions. Just be sure to include your credit card details, email and telephone.

Below is an excerpt from the Questions and Answers section from the official Global Blue website:

Where do I send the Tax Free form to receive my refund?
Your Tax Free form must be sent to the Global Blue Processing Center:

• Regular and registered mail:
  Global Blue
  P.O.BOX 363
  810 00 Bratislava
  Slovakia
  Europe
• Express delivery:
  Global Blue
  Prievozska ​​4D/Block E
  821 09 Bratislava
  Slovakia
  Europe

When sending courier service, provide its employees with the following contact phone number: +421232222514.

Conclusion

As you can see, the process of applying for Tax Free is not complicated and getting your money back is not at all difficult. Of course, the easiest way is to get the desired amount at the airport. But if for some reason this failed, do not despair, everything can be fixed. True, it will require extra efforts, but the money can be returned, albeit not in full (interest to banks). Just don't give up and take action.

It’s stupid to donate money to the budget of a foreign state; it’s still worth getting Tax Free when making purchases. Even if you are a rich tourist or simply an altruist by nature, it is better to donate these funds to some Russian charitable foundation or give it to the first low-income person you meet on the street, this will be a more logical action on your part.

Perhaps you have your own experience on the topic of the article, write a story, I will definitely publish it in the section, more about this.

This is where I say goodbye, subscribe to blog updates, there is still a lot of interesting material ahead.

Tatiana Solomatina

Through tax free, a certain part of the cost of the product is reimbursed. The reimbursement algorithm is the same in all states that are participants in the Tax Free system. The only difference is the size interest rate, the validity period of the check document and the purchase price, which provides grounds for receiving this type of compensation.

Table of contents:

The concept of "Tax Free"

Tax Free is a refund of indirect tax included in the price of a product or service and paid directly by the buyer in a situation where the purchase was made outside the home state. This is by no means a promotion or discount, contrary to popular belief. The basis of this procedure is pragmatic calculation.

States are interested in their products being actively exported. Without burdening foreigners with paying taxes, the state thereby stimulates citizens to make new acquisitions. This allows local production to grow without increasing the volume of surplus in the domestic market.

How to get Tax Free: return conditions

To return part of the amount purchased in foreign country product, you need to prove the following:

• the buyer does not have citizenship of the country in which the purchase took place, as well as refugee status, the right to officially reside and work in this country;
• the period of stay in the country where the goods were purchased should not exceed three months;
• the amount for which the entire purchase was made, i.e. the lower limit of its cost, which makes it possible to count on receiving Tax Free, is established by countries based on individual legislation.

note

Most states do not tax food, tobacco, alcohol, jewelry, cars, or printed materials. Returns are not provided for purchases of designated types of products.

The system providing for this VAT compensationTax Free Shopping, used in the European Union, as well as in 20 other countries of the world, in particular:

• Belarus,
• Britain,
• Turkey,
• South Korea,
• in a number of other countries, to which Russia Not included.

Tax Free does not apply to purchases from online stores.

Stages of obtaining Tax Free

In order to be sure that when purchasing a product you can receive part of the money back for it, you need to pay attention to the following: those stores that are partners of the system have a special inscription on the door.

The algorithm for registering and receiving tax free in this case is as follows.

First stage. At the time of payment for the purchase, the seller must issue a special receipt confirming the right to Tax Free. Inside the paper, the full name of the buyer, the state and city in which the particular citizen lives are written in Latin letters, the date of purchase and its total cost are indicated.

note

For this procedure, the buyer must provide his or her passport.

Sometimes sellers only fill out the date and amount fields. In such conditions, the remaining items have to be filled out by the buyer himself in accordance with the data of his passport.

Purchased products must be kept in the same condition in which they were purchased until the buyer receives a refund. This applies to tags, labels, packaging, seals and other things.

Second phase. The tax refund procedure begins before returning to your home state, at the place of departure.

Important fact

This process may take a long time. NIt is strongly recommended to arrive at the departure point in advance.

Having arrived at the place (airport or train station), you need to go through the customs point. If the purchase is in hand luggage, you need to go through the customs point before registration. If in luggage - after check-in, because It is more convenient to check in your luggage at the customs point.

The customs officer checks the purchase and its integrity, also looks at the receipt issued to the buyer, and compares the data in the receipt with the information in the international passport. Afterwards, he puts a stamp on the Tax Free receipt.

Third stage. You can receive your funds in the following ways:

note

Before closing the envelope, the payment instrument number must be indicated on the receipt. At correct design After this procedure, the money will arrive on the card within 8 weeks.

Not all travelers know that abroad you can save a lot of money on purchases by returning part of the money spent on them using the tax free system. Read about how to do this in this article.

What is tax free

Tax free(in translation from English tax free - “without fees”) is a system for returning the amount of value added tax (VAT). VAT is refunded on purchases made by foreign citizens upon returning from the border of the country in which they were purchased. Refund amounts usually, depending on the country where the shopping took place, range from 8% to 25% of the purchase amount. Legal entities they can also return part of what they spent Money– for them there is a business tax free (Business Tax free) – a system for refunding VAT on expenses for foreign business trips.

Thus, since you are not a taxpayer in the country where your purchases were made, you can get some money back for them, including VAT. However, you can only do this in those stores that support the tax-free program.

Where does the system work?

Tax free does not work in all countries and not for all store goods. So, for example, in Russia only at the beginning next year An experiment will begin to gradually introduce the system, but in most European countries it has been working for a long time. It's about about Austria, Cyprus, Slovenia, Belgium, Latvia, Turkey, Great Britain, Lithuania, Finland, Hungary, Luxembourg, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Croatia, Greece, Norway, Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden, Spain , Slovakia, Italy and Estonia. You can also get a tax refund or part of the tax for some purchases in Australia, Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Israel, Indonesia, Iceland, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, South Africa and Japan.

How tax free works

Moreover, if we talk about those goods for which you can get a refund, then it is much easier to return the tax on clothing and equipment than, for example, on food and alcohol. You also cannot count on getting tax free for a hotel stay, dinner at a restaurant, or car rental, since the tax refund does not apply to services.

In general, the following services are involved in the tax refund process:

1. A store whose mission is in this case is to sell you the product and help you complete the paperwork for your tax refund.
2. Customs, which will check your documents and purchases before your departure from the country, after which they will either confirm your right to a tax refund or deny it. Service employees usually check purchases with receipts and may ask you to present new clothes, while the strictness of customs depends on the country.
3. A tax-free operator who must pay you money (to a bank card or in cash), but he can only do this with the permission of customs. Since tourists undergo customs control when leaving the country, tax-free operators are most often located at the airport, but they also have offices located in the city at banks or in large shopping centers. In such offices, money is paid even before leaving the country, but the tourist is still obliged to certify tax-free documents at customs upon departure and send them to the operator. If he does not do this, the operator will demand the issued money back.

So how do you actually get back part of the amount spent on shopping?

First, when planning to make a tax-free purchase, find out whether the store you have your eye on is part of one of the tax-free systems. Usually this is evidenced by a sticker stuck on the doors next to the emblems of payment systems whose bank cards are accepted at the point of sale, or announcements like “We issue tax free.” If there is no such information, then perhaps this system cannot be used here.

Secondly, you must spend at least a certain amount on one-time purchases, which is set separately in each individual country. Meanwhile, usually this amount is at least 40-50 euros, sometimes 100-150.

Thirdly, when purchasing, you need to make sure that you receive a special tax-free check. Without a correctly completed check, no one will return your money. In small stores, this is done by the sellers themselves; in large stores, there may be a separate counter. Make sure that the tax free check includes your passport details and full home address in Russia, indicates all purchased goods separately and their cost and the amount that will be returned to you when leaving the country. However, remember that the rules for purchasing tax free in a particular country may change, so just in case, check with the sellers immediately before shopping.

Important! When completing tax free documents, you will be required to present your international passport.

Thirdly, when crossing the border, the customs officer must certify that the goods were purchased “for export” and put a special stamp. To do this, you need to not only find customs, but also present them with goods in unopened store packaging (this serves as proof that you did not use them in the EU) and receipts.

Fourthly, in order to get some of your money back for purchases, you will need to find your “cash return” point (usually there is a Tax Free Cash Refund sign on it). Keep in mind that there are different tax free reimbursement systems (Premier Tax Free, Tax Free Worldwide, Global Blue, Innova Tax Free) and you need to contact the one indicated on your receipt. Please remember that in some countries, if you want to receive a tax-free refund immediately (in real money), you may be charged a small commission.

If you are short on time and you are unable to receive funds on the spot (at the airport or train station) when crossing the border, you can receive money on a bank card by sending a stamped tax free check and your data by mail to the operator. You can also cash out tax free in Russia - through branches of a number of banks.

Mistakes that could cost you tax free check refunds

If you want to use tax free, you must be very careful different stages procedures, since you may accidentally make mistakes that will not allow you to get back part of the amount spent on foreign shopping at the finish line. Among typical mistakes allowed by tourists:

1. Negligence. After purchasing goods in a store, after filling out the documents for tax free (filling out a form, receiving a receipt), you may simply forget them on the spot or fail to check whether the store employee put them in the envelope for you. In this case, as you understand, even with a receipt with a taxfree stamp on it, you obviously won’t have to wait for a refund without a form certified by the store. Thus, you should always check all tax free documents: a cash receipt must be attached to each application.
2. Availability of goods. The customs officer has every right to make sure that you have the goods that you purchased in the store. Meanwhile, if you checked them in with your luggage, and the customs officer asks you to present the things in any form, unopened or in any other condition, and you don’t have them, then you won’t see a tax-free voucher either.
3. Time. You need to plan your time carefully, since taxi-free operators at the airport usually have long queues.
4. Payment from the operator. Having received money instantly, you can immediately at the airport and take it to duty-free. Keep yourself in control and ask the tax free operator to pay you money on your card to protect yourself from impulsive purchases and save on commissions.

Who cannot use the tax-free system in Europe?

Not everyone is eligible to receive tax free refunds in Europe. Among the “unlucky ones” who have Russian citizenship are those who

• has a residence permit in one of the European Union countries;
• has permission to work in the country where the purchase was made;
• stays on the territory of this country for more than six months;
• the period between the purchase of the goods and its export exceeds three months, counting from the end of the month when the purchase was made.

In general, be economical and, when buying the goods you need abroad, do not forget to get your money back using the tax-free service.

Short description tax free process: when making a purchase in a store abroad, a tourist receives a special check, which must be stamped with a special stamp when leaving the country (at customs) (it confirms that the goods have been exported). After this, the buyer has the right to return VAT. You can receive money immediately after clearing customs or upon arrival home. The tax-free system operates in Europe and in about 20 countries beyond its borders. The procedure for returning tax free is approximately the same, but the restrictions on the minimum value of the purchased item and the validity period of the check are different in each country.

Tax free process diagram

Tax free systems

All work on VAT refunds is entrusted to private tax-free systems, which are intermediaries between tourists and the state. Each of them includes a network of partner stores and a number of offices for refunds. As a reward, the system retains a small commission. Basic systems:

Attention! If the product was purchased in an EU country, then you need to stamp the tax free check not when leaving the country where the product was purchased, but only when you leave the EU itself (Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Norway are not included in it). Additional hassle may arise if you are leaving the EU through a transit stop (more on this at the end of the article). EU members are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia , Spain, Croatia, Sweden and Great Britain.

Refund amount

It should be noted that a tax free refund does not mean that you will receive the full amount of VAT paid. Part of the money will go towards administrative costs and commission to the intermediary (each country has its own rules). If you receive from a bank, you will have to pay for acceptance of the check for collection and interest for cash withdrawal. In some rare cases, the cost can reach half the refund amount. The Global Blue website has a convenient calculator for more or less accurate calculations.

Ways to return tax free (check cashing):

• at the airport - the most quick option get your money back;
• by mail - you need to send a tax-free check to the tax-free system office. The money will go to your card or bank account. Takes quite a long time (2 – 4 months);
• at any tax-free point - it sounds like an option with a wide choice, but in practice it all comes down to receiving a refund in the city of residence. Available only to residents of large cities.

Return (receipt) of tax free at the airport

Main mistake when receiving tax free at the airport, check in the purchased item as luggage when checking in for your flight, because you will need to demonstrate the purchase at customs. Sometimes a special tag may be attached to such luggage, but they are required to return it to you.

Try to simplify your life before arriving at the airport by:

• find out where exactly in the departure area there is a customs window where tax-free checks are stamped, and where money is then issued (in the general area of ​​the airport or in the neutral zone after passport control). Usually the queues at these points are such that you won’t even dare to get up. In addition, not all points are open 24 hours a day. The locations of points with operating schedules are on the website global-blue.com;
• Do not cut off tags and labels from purchases. At the same time, pack your suitcase so that your purchases can be easily presented if asked by a customs officer. It’s best to carry your purchases separately - as hand luggage;
• be sure to fill out the tax free receipts (if the seller in the store has not done so) and keep the latter along with the cash receipts, passport and tickets.

When you arrive at the airport, first line up for customs. At the control you will need to present a tax free receipt, cashier's receipt, passport and goods. If your purchases do not fit into hand luggage, you will have to go through customs before checking in for your flight and checking your suitcases into luggage. Therefore, spending time and money on pre-packing suitcases in this situation does not make sense.

All you have to do is get the money and go through passport control. It is in this sequence, because in some countries VAT refund points are located in the common room. You may be left without money if you remember about it after going through passport control, because you will not be allowed to go back to the common room. In countries where these points are beyond passport control, you will receive money upon boarding the plane.

Receiving the money

After receiving the customs stamp, go to the tax free return office (it can be called differently; sometimes this role is played by one of the Duty Free store cash desks). To avoid paying a currency conversion fee (sometimes up to 5%), you must take a refund in local currency. Advice: if the money return point is located before passport control, then you should get in line before going through customs.

Having finished with tax free, go through passport control. By the way, if there are less than 10 minutes left before it ends, you can go to the counter without queuing, or use the check-in window for late passengers and check your luggage at the Drop Off counter.

If you don’t have time to get money at the airport and you know for sure that there is no tax-free issuing point in the city of your residence, then the only option is mail.

Tax free return by mail (to a bank card)

To receive a tax free refund on a credit/debit card, its details must be indicated in the tax free receipt stamped by customs. It must be enclosed in a special envelope and in a special Mailbox taxi free at the airport. The envelope can be obtained in advance at the purchase store or already on site (at the tax-free system office at the airport). Of course, it is acceptable to use a standard envelope and a regular mailbox, but then you will need a postage stamp and the recipient's address. And if you are sending a letter from your country of residence (or any other), then an international stamp is required.

Tax free returns by mail are not only the longest (2-4 months), but also the most unreliable. Use it only if you don’t have time to process a refund at the airport and you know that there are no tax-free offices in your hometown. Be sure to scan or photograph your receipts before sending them - in case of problems, they will become the only strong evidence of your right to a tax refund.

Tax free return by mail (to bank account)

This method repeats the previous one, with the only difference that if the card account details are not filled out in the tax-free check sent by mail, then the tourist will receive an international bank check marked “to the recipient’s account” at the specified address. Such a bank check can only be cashed at the bank where you have a current account. The check has no statute of limitations, but each bank decides to accept it or refuse it individually.

Refund of tax free upon transit departure

When traveling around Europe, you must put a customs stamp on tax free checks in the last country of the European Union (Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Norway are not part of the EU). But what if the last country is only a transit stop for you? In this case, there may simply not be enough time for the tax-free procedure. Yes, and there may not be a customs point in the transit zone. In addition, the luggage is sent directly to its destination, which makes it impossible to demonstrate it. Therefore, be sure to issue a tax free refund at the airport of your first departure. Show your ticket and say that you have little time for a transfer.

Tax free refund at the point of issue in any country

To receive a refund, you must have a tax-free receipt, a cashier's receipt, foreign and internal passports (for CIS countries). Funds are paid exclusively in national currency (the exchange rate is usually not favorable).

Refund of tax free when leaving the country by car, train, ship

The easiest way is to put a customs stamp on tax-free checks for motorists. This is the only way when it is difficult to be late. When leaving the country by train/ship, you can obtain a customs stamp at the point of departure (station/port) or when directly crossing the border. The disadvantage of the first method is that your luggage will travel separately from you. The second method is not particularly reliable, since when crossing the border, customs officers may simply not have time for you. Be sure to find out in advance whether there will be customs officers on the train or ship, and whether you can get a stamp on your tax-free receipt.

Subtleties of tax free returns in different countries

• If you forgot to put a customs stamp on your tax free receipt, you can do this upon arrival home at the embassy/consulate of the country in which the purchase was made. This service is not cheap (minimum 20 euros);
• for checks issued in Poland, money is returned only in cash;
• when leaving Slovenia, you need to put two official stamps: the first - on the tax free form, the second - on the check;
• In Iceland, a stamp is not required to receive a tax refund on wool purchases;
• in Israel, VAT refunds are carried out according to the tax (VAT) scheme, which has its own characteristics;
• Croatia, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark have their own national stamps. This means that checks from these countries to other European countries may not be accepted. This is especially true for Croatia and Norway, since they are not members of the EU. Therefore, if you have a direct flight to your home country, you need to get tax free immediately at the airport. If you are flying or passing through other countries, you can only process a refund at home;
• In Norway, the stamp must be placed not at customs, but at the tax-free office. This is the only country that allows refunds for food items (over 285 CZK), but like all other purchases, they must be presented at customs and therefore cannot be consumed before departure;
• In the USA, it is impossible to obtain a tax free service, since there is no value added tax in this country. However, non-residents can get an 11% discount at large department stores. To do this, you need to find a Customer Service employee and show him your passport, after which you will be given a special card, which you will need to present at the checkout;
• At German airports they require you to first register and then go to the customs officers. In this case, when registering, you need to say that you will be using tax free: your luggage will be checked in and returned to you. After issuing the checks, you will need to hand them over in another place (customs officers will explain where).
• In Holland, you can return VAT by making a purchase in any store, even not part of the tax free shopping system, but to do this you need to return to the country. Conditions: if you buy goods worth more than 300 guilders, then put a customs stamp on a regular cash receipt. When you come to Holland again, go to the store where you made the purchase. There you will be able to receive the entire VAT amount without deducting commissions. For comparison: with a tax free check when leaving Holland, you will be refunded only 10% of the cost of the goods, and in the store - all 17%.

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