Return tax free without customs clearance. Returning tax free in Spain - a step-by-step guide for tourists

I’ll take Italy as an example, since it is in this country that more purchases are made and, accordingly, tax free refund.
What is this anyway: “tax-free return”, “tax-free” or “tax free”? As the name suggests, this is something related to taxes.
Yes, in the EEC the price of goods includes indirect taxes, including VAT.
Each European country has its own VAT rate: in Italy 21%, in Germany 19%, in Finland 22.

VAT rates can be viewed.
When returning money through the system tax free, part of the money from the refund tax is taken by the tax free system whose check you use, so in the end you get back approximately 12% of the cost of your purchase.
There is a special table for calculating refunds depending on the purchase price - this table (and it is the same for all countries) is used by the seller when issuing you a tax free check.

When does a tax free refund occur? :
– if a non-EEC resident who is in the country for no more than 3 months buys some product on the territory of the EEC (in my example, Italy) and exports it outside the EEC, then at the moment of crossing the economic border of the EEC (at airports or land border points ), he has the right to receive this same tax free (12%) back.

From what amount can a tax free refund be made? :
– for purchases worth more than 155 euros, you can receive a check for a tax free refund. If the purchase amount is less than 155 euros, a refund check will not be issued

How to find out - issued at a tax free store :
– as a rule, special stickers are pasted at the cash register. Typically blue and white. They also come in yellow:

If you don’t see stickers, just ask about the Tax Free option.
You might find the following useful - this my experience on how to reduce the price of something you buy in Italy:

• I'm bargaining. I always bargain. Even in those places where goods with fixed price stickers and seemingly haggling are not accepted. For me it’s an element of communication and it’s just fun for me
• after the bargaining, after the lowest price is announced to me, I ask about issuing tax free
• sometimes you have to choose: the seller offers either a discount or write a tax free refund. I always choose a discount... Somehow it just so happened

What do you need to present at the store to issue a tax free check?
It is possible that your passport will be required, so it is better to have it when you go shopping. This does not always happen and the passport number can be entered later, at the hotel. But it’s still better to have a passport or at least a photocopy of it.
The seller himself draws up a receipt, enters the purchase amount and, using the table, determines the amount that will be returned to you.
Then he gives you to fill out the fields with your address and passport number.
If you wish, you can enter your credit card information if you are going to receive tax free by bank transfer to your card (more on this below).
And be sure to make sure that the seller has stapled the cash receipt from the store to your tax free receipt.
If you just threw it in an envelope, be careful not to throw it away. Useful at customs when processing tax free returns

What is the difference between different tax free return systems? :
– some systems, for example Global Refund have more representative offices throughout the country and, accordingly, it is more likely that the cash return point may be at the airport of your departure from the EEC. Other systems are less common - like the yellow sticker above. In this case, payments are made either to your specified credit card: its details must be indicated when filling out the tax free check, attach a cash receipt from the store to it, put it all in an envelope after receiving a customs stamp and throw it in a special box - usually yellow with the corresponding logo)

As an example of filling out a tax free check, I’ll just give you a picture from the Internet.
This appears to be from some Chinese site. The first line marked by the Chinese is the amount of your purchase.
The second line is that you will receive this money after going through all the procedures described below.
This is what the Chinese have in red - this is about what I wrote about above - the return of money is not in cash, but by transfer to a card.
Well, the lower right corner is the customs mark, which is what I’ll talk about now. It is important.

The procedure for registering the export of goods abroad and obtaining tax free:

Remember and this is very important: any receipt, any tax free system without a customs stamp - toilet paper, and of poor quality.

Important addition about tax free in Italy 2017

Based on the results of receiving tax free at Rome airport (April 2017), I wrote a new article.
The procedure for obtaining tax free has been significantly simplified:

To receive money from a tax-free check of any system, you must have a customs officer’s stamp on it. Therefore, first of all, you should look for customs at the airport. Any employee will tell you or you yourself will notice it in turns from the Chinese and Russians. Usually this is a piece of glass with the inscription customs or Dogana

Now let's decide on two points:
A) let's decide on your luggage
B) we’ll decide on your flight home

A) There are two options:
1) hand luggage only
2) there is checked luggage

B) There are two options:
1) you have a direct flight or with a landing outside the EEC countries
2) you have a flight with a stopover in an EEC country

The scenario for obtaining tax free based on these 4 options and combinations with them may be different, but the essence is the same and remember it: you must receive a customs stamp on the tax free form. And you receive a mark when you leave the economic zone of the EEC.

1. You have hand luggage and you are flying home through Germany: you do not apply for any tax-free in Italy, since you do not leave the borders of the EEC. Everything is processed in the last country of departure from the EEC - Germany
2. You have luggage to Moscow, but you are flying through Germany: go to check-in and check in your luggage straight to Moscow. You don’t check your luggage right away, but after placing a luggage tag with a barcode on it, you go to the customs office to get a stamp on your tax-free forms filled out in the store. Perhaps customs officers will ask you to show the purchased goods indicated on the receipts. They will definitely ask you to show it if you have a large refund (more than 1000 euros). After this, the customs officer puts his stamp on the tax-free check and can send your luggage to the baggage belt, or you yourself hand it over through a special departure point for loading on the plane, or skip the line at the check-in counter and place it on the baggage belt there. Depends on the airport, it’s different everywhere.
3. You have hand luggage and you are flying a direct flight or a flight with a landing outside the EEC (well, for example, you decided to fly through Istanbul): you need to apply for tax free and after checking in for the flight, go with your boarding pass to the customs office. And here another option is possible and it is absolutely logical (see retreat below) - you will have to go through passport control and only after that go to customs (customs) to get a stamp on your tax-free check.

Digression (lyrical). We reason like this: we decided to deceive the state of Italy for the amount of VAT. For this purpose, a criminal group is created: buyer (Russian) – seller (Italian). What we do: we write a tax-free check for some expensive item that fits in hand luggage. Afterwards, the two of us go to the airport, where the Russian checks in for a flight to Moscow with hand luggage, receives a customs stamp on the tax-free check, and after that gives the goods from his hand luggage to the accomplice seller, who again puts it on sale. The profit of this gang is 12% of the cost of the thing that has not left Italy and can be sold again. Now do you understand the logic of placing customs for citizens with hand luggage behind passport control? But this is not the case at all airports in Italy, so ask the airport employees on the spot, or it is better to ask both in information and at the flight check-in counter and at the customs office.

1. You have luggage to Moscow, direct flight. See point 2. We do the same

I hope I wrote it clearly. I don’t have the opportunity to tell you about all the airports in Italy and make instructions for you. I just gave an action plan for returning tax free. Decide for yourself based on the location - not small.

Receiving money from tax free checks marked with a customs stamp

We have a pile of papers with customs stamps. Look and sort them by company. Yellows in one pile, blues in another, browns in a third, and so on. Refunds at the airport are handled by the representative office of the tax-free company whose logo and color is issued to your check. As I already wrote, the blue and white Global Refund will most likely be at the airport. There may not be others. The easiest way to receive money is to receive it on a plastic card from your bank.

Receiving refunded tax free money on a plastic card: fill in the fields (usually the lower left corner) card number, expiration date and Ivanov Ivan. Then we put the check with the customs mark and the cash receipt pinned to it in an envelope, seal it and throw it in a special mailbox. The box will be painted the same color as your receipt and will have the same logo as your receipt. There is no need to add stamps or write the address - everything is already on the envelope, if it is the envelope that was given to you in the store along with the check. The money will arrive in your account in 2-4 weeks

Receiving money at the airport through a bank or a representative office of the tax free system: Usually, points for issuing money for tax-free checks are located after passport control. Typically marked with a blue and white sign Tax Free Refund. You submit your passport and a check with a customs stamp into the window and they must pay you in cash the amount that you have on the second line (remember the Chinese picture above?).
Sometimes it happens like this: the cashier reports that he does not have cash euros, but only cash dollars. Know. that they are trying to deceive you, since they have euros, but by pretending that they do not exist, they will count you euros into dollars at a very bad rate, and if you agree to take dollars, then know that you have just given the cashier about 10 dollars for every hundred of yours Euro. And it’s not possible to do anything - it’s a waste of time calling the authorities, showdowns and you need to know the language well. Well, that is, there is a 50/50 chance that the issue will be resolved. In this case, there are two options:

• send a check in an envelope to transfer your money to your card (the procedure for doing this is described above)
• get money in Moscow. For example, I know that Master Bank pays money using tax free without commissions and using many tax free systems: by yellow, brown, blue...

Oh yeah, I forgot. There is a third option: spit, swear and take the offered dollars...

Why do I still prefer a discount when choosing between so-free and a discount: this is exactly why. It’s not that much money to tear your ass and fray your nerves and run around at the airport. We only live once and I don’t want to stand in lines, fuss, beg... It’s easier for me to bargain for an item, spit on these tax frees and quickly go to the duty free territory to replenish the supply of cream and lotion, as well as cheese, prosciutto and drink something. Well, the choice is yours

Addition: regarding a full refund of VAT (VAT) on the invoice issued for the goods

This option is common in border countries or areas. For example, in Finland they go to places to buy nails for building a shed at their dacha.
The point is that when you buy a product, you ask the seller to issue an invoice for this product. When exporting it abroad, similarly to the described tax-free procedure, you put a customs stamp certifying that the goods were exported from the territory of the EEC (one copy of the invoice remains at the customs office).
And so, for this invoice you can receive VAT (in Germany, for example, VAT is 19%) the next time you visit the store where you purchased this product and where this invoice was issued to you.
The refund can be in cash, but as a rule the seller takes into account the VAT amount in the next purchase in this store.
It should be taken into account that the period for receiving money on an invoice is limited. The limitation period is written on the invoice itself and is usually 3 months.
That is, within three months you need to return to the same store where you bought the goods and, presenting an invoice sheet stamped by customs, receive either cash = the size of the VAT of this country, or a discount (which happens more often) on your next purchase in the same store.

This system (money refund or savings through VAT) works well in Finland, but I can hardly imagine tourists who, say, having bought a down jacket in Rome in the fall, will go there (to Rome and to the same store) to buy something else there in winter. In addition, the savings will not be that big (the difference between VAT 21% and the refundable tax free of 12%) compared to the more convenient tax free.

However, if you have relatives in Rome, then you can use this method of saving by sending the invoice to Rome, and they can personally transfer it to the seller so that he can transfer it to your card... In general, some kind of nonsense.
I know that in Finland they issue invoices even when buying smoked trout, but in Italy, when you ask: “Write me an invoice,” they will send you to hell... that is, they will not understand what you mean

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Olga Stepanova

Reading time: 8 minutes

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The opportunity to save on purchases during tourist trips is always a hot topic. And even more so on the eve of the New Year and Christmas holidays, when the long-awaited sales for many shopaholics are about to open in Europe. So we are studying the schedule of European sales and the features of VAT refunds.

All the nuances are in our article!

What is tax free and why is it returned - educational program for tourists

Almost everyone knows that all goods in stores are usually subject to a tax known as VAT. And they pay VAT not only in Russia, but also in other countries. Everyone pays except tourists.

Convincing the seller that you are a tourist, and therefore can ask for a VAT refund, is extremely difficult and useless (except for rare cases when you can refund the VAT directly in the store), which is why a civilized method of refunding this value added tax was invented, called Tax Free. Which, of course, is nice, considering that VAT can be up to 1/4 of the product price.

The main condition for a VAT refund under the Tax Free system is a purchase in a store that is part of this system. So far there are not so many of them, but every year there are more and more.

It is important to understand that the tax amount is returned to you not by the retail outlet, but by the operator cooperating with it.

Today, there are 4 such operators:

• Global Blue. The Swedish system, founded back in 1980, operates in 36 countries, including 29 European ones. The owner is Global Refund Group.
• Premier Tax Free. Operates in 20 countries, including 15 European ones. Founded in 1985, the owner is the Irish company The Fintrax Group.
• Tax Free Worldwide(note – today included in Premier Tax Free). Unites 8 countries.
• AND Innova Tax Free. System operating in France, Spain, UK, China and Portugal.

You can also note Litofolija Tax Free. But this system works in Lithuania.

Video: TAX FREE - How to get money back for purchases abroad?

Conditions for VAT refund – in what case can you use the Tax Free system?

1. The buyer must be a tourist staying in the country for less than 3 months.
2. The Tax Free product list does not cover all products. You can return VAT for clothes and shoes, for accessories and equipment, stationery or household products, for jewelry, but for services, for books and cars, bullion and purchases through the global network, you will not be able to return VAT.
3. The store window where you purchase the product must have the appropriate sticker - Tax Free or the name of one of the tax free system operators.
4. You have the right to a VAT refund only if the total amount of the check exceeds the established minimum. The minimum check amount that is subject to Tax Free rules is different for each country. For example, in Austria the minimum purchase amount is from 75 euros, and if you make 2 purchases for amounts of, say, 30 and 60 euros, then you don’t have to count on Tax Free, because they take into account the total amount of ONE check. So, the minimum amount for Tax Free in Germany will be only 25 euros, but in France you will have to receive a check for at least 175 euros.
5. To receive tax free, you need to export the goods from the country within a limited time. One for each country. The fact of export of the purchase is recorded by customs.
6. The goods for which you want to refund VAT must remain new at the time of export to customs - intact, in packaging, without signs of wear/use, with tags.
7. When refunding VAT for products, you will have to present the entire purchase, so don’t rush to enjoy it.
8. The period during which you can return VAT using tax free (tax refund period) is different for each country. For example, checks from Tax Free Worldwide and Global Blue operators received in Germany can be “cashed” within 4 years, but a check from the Italian New Tax Free must be used within 2 months.

Documents for returning tax free interest from the store

Registration of Tax Free is impossible without the relevant documents:

• Your passport.
• Tax Free form, which must be issued at the time of purchase. It should be filled out there, on the spot, after which the seller or cashier must sign it, keeping a copy for himself. As for your copy, it should be given to you in an envelope - with a receipt and a Tax Free brochure.
• Purchase receipt issued on a special form. Be sure to check that it is in the envelope. Important: the check has an “expiration date”!

And don’t forget to check the presence of all the data in the form (sometimes sellers do not enter, for example, the buyer’s passport data, assuming that he will do it himself)!

Registration of tax free at customs when crossing the border - what to keep in mind?

To apply for Tax Free directly at customs, you should arrive at the airport in advance, because there may be many applicants.

What to keep in mind?

Important nuances of applying for Tax Free at the border:

1. Find out in advance where the Tax Free counters are, where they stamp checks, and where to go to get money later.
2. Do not rush to check your purchases in your luggage - they will need to be presented along with the receipts.
3. Make sure the tax free form is filled out correctly.
4. Remember that you must first receive the money and only then go through passport control. In those countries where tax free counters are located outside passport control, you can get money before boarding the plane.
5. Take your refund in local currency - this way you will save on the commission for converting it.
6. If you plan to leave the country not through the airport, but in another way (note - by car, by sea or by train), check in advance whether it will be possible to get a stamp on your check upon departure.
7. After receiving a mark on the check from customs officers and passing through passport control, you can get money at the tax free office, which can be easily found using special signs like “Cash refund” or “Tax refund” with the logos of Premier Tax Free or Global Blue. If the manager has a cash shortage or, perhaps, you want to receive your money exclusively on the card, you need to fill out the appropriate transfer form with the details of your credit card. True, sometimes you can wait 2 months for a translation.

Where and how to get money for tax free: three options for returning tax free - we are looking for the most profitable one!

Every tourist has a choice - exactly how he wants to return VAT using the tax free system.

There are three such methods in total, choose the most convenient one.

• Right at the airport, before flying home. Features: you return the money immediately, in cash or to your card within 2 months. The service fee for cash payments is from 3% of the total purchase amount. Returning money to the card is more profitable: a service fee is not charged if you receive funds in the currency in which you purchased the goods. The bank itself handles the conversion.
• By mail. Refunds may take 2 months (and sometimes longer). To use this method, the envelope with the receipt and customs stamp must be dropped into a special box at the return point at the border. You can also send it by regular mail directly from home after returning, if you suddenly did not have time to do this when leaving the country in which you were visiting. You can return VAT via mail to your bank card or account. To return to the card, you must indicate its details on a stamped receipt and throw the envelope in the Tax Free box directly at the airport. If you did not receive an envelope at the store, you can pick it up at the airport - at the Tax Free office. When sending an envelope from your country, be sure to use an international stamp. Important point: Tax Free returns via mail may not be the most reliable method, so be sure to scan or film all your receipts before sending them, so that if they are lost, you have proof of their presence.
• Through the bank. Naturally, not through any one, but only through one that is a partner of tax free system operators. In Russia, VAT can be returned in two capitals, Pskov, and also in Kaliningrad. When returning funds in cash, the operator will again charge his own service fee, starting from 3%. Therefore, the most profitable way again remains to return the tax free to the card.

There is also a 4th way to refund VAT: immediately after purchasing the product - right there, in the store. This method does not work everywhere, but it is possible.

Important:

1. Even if you return the funds on the spot, you are required to put a stamp on the form at customs, and upon arrival home, send the form by mail to the store to confirm that the purchased goods have been exported.
2. If this confirmation is not provided within the specified period, money will be debited from the card in the amount returned by tax free.

And further:

• The amount you get back is unlikely to be what you expect for a simple reason - commission and service fees. The conditions for VAT refunds, the general Tax Free system and the addresses of offices at the border can be found directly on the operator’s websites.
• If you forgot or did not have time to affix a customs stamp before leaving the country, this can be done at home - at the consulate of the country where you bought the goods. True, this service will cost you at least 20 euros.

Who can be denied tax free payments - situations when you definitely won’t receive tax free money

Unfortunately, cases of refusal to refund VAT under the Tax Free system do occur.

Main reasons:

1. Incorrectly executed checks.
2. The presence of serious corrections in checks.
3. Incorrect dates. For example, if the dates of the Tax Free check are ahead of the date of the cashier's check.
4. Absence of a customs stamp with the date and name of the checkpoint.
5. Lack of tags and packaging on the goods when presented at customs.

Tax free in Russia in 2018 – latest news

According to a statement by the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, it is also planned to introduce a tax free system in Russia from 2018, but for now in pilot mode, and with specific companies.

This bill was adopted by the State Duma in the 1st reading.

First, the system will be tested in some ports and airports with the maximum number of foreigners.

When shopping in Europe, you often see a blue Tax Free sticker. Those who go abroad for the first time usually do not attach any importance to this sticker, although with the help of this system you can return up to a quarter of the cost of purchases. In this article we will talk about the return system and the benefits of using it.

What is Tax Free?

Tax Free is a specially designed system that allows you to return value added tax, which you, as a taxpayer of another tax zone, are not required to pay.

When a tourist or businessman bought certain goods and decided to take them outside the country where the purchase was made, he has the right to return a percentage of the amount that is allocated for VAT. This system has mutually beneficial aspects for both parties, namely:

• for a tourist/businessman there is a chance to really save money;
• For the country where the goods were purchased, it is advantageous to stimulate exports, as a result of which demand and trade turnover increase.

In most European countries, VAT is 20%. If the amount on the price tag is 100 €, then you should understand that the real cost of the product is 83.5 € and another 16.7 € is added to the price due to value added tax (83.5 x 20%= 16.7 €). It is this tax (16.7 €) that you can return if the check amount exceeds the minimum, which is different for each country.

So, with this tax refund system, you can get an additional discount of around 10-20% on all your overseas purchases.

Minimum amounts

Each member country of the system sets its own limits for the minimum amount that a tourist must spend in order to be able to return part of the funds. As for the most ideal tariffs, it is profitable to buy in Germany, since the minimum amount to use the system is 25 €. Switzerland is the most unprofitable in this regard - you need to spend 400 €.

Below you will find a list of countries that have a tax refund system, the tax rate and the minimum purchase amount for a refund.

EU countries:

• Belgium (21%., 125 €)
• Bulgaria (20%, 200 lev)
• Cyprus (19%, 50 €)
• Denmark (25%, 300 kroner)
• Germany (19%, 25 €)
• UK (20%, £30)
• Estonia (20%, 38 €)
• Finland (24%, 40 €)
• France (20%, 175 €)
• Greece (23%, 120 €)
• Hungary (27%, 5000 forints)
• Ireland (23%, no minimum)
• Italy (22%, 155 €)
• Latvia (21%, 44 €)
• Lithuania (21%, 58 €)
• Luxembourg (15%, 74 €)
• Malta (18%, 55 €)
• Holland (21%, 50 €)
• Austria (20%, 75 €)
• Poland (23%, 200 zloty)
• Portugal (23%, 60 €)
• Romania (24%, 250 lei)
• Slovakia (20%, 175 €)
• Slovenia (20%, 50 €)
• Spain (21%, 90 €)
• Czech Republic (21%, 2000 CZK)
• Sweden (25%, 200 CZK)
• Croatia (25%, 500 kn)

Other countries:

• Indonesia (10%, $440)
• Japan (10%, 5000 yen)
• Korea (10%, 30,000 won)
• Malaysia (6%, 5000 rupees)
• Singapore (7%, SGD 100)
• Switzerland (8%, CHF 300)
• Taiwan (5%, NT$3,000)
• Thailand (7%, 5000 baht)
• Türkiye (8-18%, 100 liras)

How to return Tax free

The refund procedure consists of 2 or 3 stages:

Check and receipt

For example, we went to a store that works with the Tax Free system and bought goods for 150 €. We approach the seller and ask for a special check. It indicates purchases, cost, VAT and the amount not included in the treasury of a particular state.

After being told that you need to apply for tax free, the seller must issue a special receipt in your name (you will need to show your passport). You will need to provide your details and sign.

According to the rules, you do not have the right to use the purchased goods until they are exported from the country. To do this, the seller can seal your product with special tape. In this form you must show the goods to customs. Not all countries take this point seriously, but it can be an official reason to reject your application. Remember this.

It is also worth remembering that you cannot total checks. You can get a tax refund on each check, but its value must be greater than the minimum value for a refund.

Customs stamp

After you have purchased the goods and received a completed receipt, we go to register at the airport, seaport or other place where there is customs control. There you need to approach customs officers with a request to issue a tax refund. A wet stamp is placed on a receipt made in a store.

Refund

You can usually receive a commission refund at the same airport, seaport and other places where there are points for accepting commission refund checks. You need to take into account the fact that in some places check processing takes place behind passport control, but most often before it, so that you do not need to carry your purchases as hand luggage. It is imperative to ask customs service consultants how the procedure for receiving funds goes. A tourist can choose a currency convenient for himself. You should also remember that commissions are deducted upon payment.

If you have a late flight and the “Tax Free” option no longer works, you need to ask the customs officer to put an exit stamp on your check (show the receipt and say “tax free”). Upon arrival in your country, within 3 months (that’s how long the check is valid) you will need to find the office of one of the companies involved in the return and provide them with the check, a copy of the passport and visa during which the purchase was made. Within a few business days, the funds minus the commission will be transferred to your bank account.

The Soviet era of total shortages is long gone. Domestic counters are literally “groaning” from imported abundance. The era has passed, but the harmful bacillus, which encourages our compatriots to look for exclusive items in the West, has taken root in our consciousness forever. And it doesn’t matter that you have to overpay for this “exclusive” (which has ceased to be such for 20 years now). Do the math: air tickets, visas, hotels, transfers - all this ultimately results in solid numbers. Maybe that’s why (in order to sweeten the expensive pill), the leadership of the EU countries came up with a plan for the Russians, Chinese, Japanese TAX FREE?

And the EU leadership is also making sure that we remember for a long time the long tails of queues “for something” in the wonderful Soviet times. After all, it is almost impossible to get a refund after a shocking shopping spree in Italy without tedious waiting. But, jokes aside, our story is on a serious topic. So…

Dedicated to all Russians shopping in Italy...

What is TAX FREE?

International VAT refund system for people not residing in EU countries. This means that Russians (Chinese, Arabs, Japanese) making a trip to Italian stores can soften the bitterness of losing their money by returning a small percentage.

What is the refund amount?

The percentage of TAX FREE varies from country to country. Tax free in Italy - 22%. It's official. In fact, its value varies greatly. Stores enter into unfavorable agreements with intermediaries for tourists, which we will talk about later. As a result, a Russian citizen receives 11-13%, instead of 22%. The exception is exclusive stores (jewelry, fur). In them, the returned amount sometimes reaches several thousand euros.

Minimum purchase price

The total amount of purchases is above 155 €. They must be completed during the day and certainly in one store, less often - in one trading house. For example, Milan Center La Rinascente At the Global Blue office, a general tax free invoice is issued for all purchases in different boutiques.

Which stores offer Tax Free?

We noticed shop windows with a logo or Global Blue, or Tax Refund or Premier Tax Free- that way. There are more than 18,000 such outlets in Italy.

How to ask a seller about Tax Free?

After choosing a product and going to the checkout, say: "Tax Free, per favor". Say the phrase before making a purchase.

What documents are required?

Personally, you need a passport. For large purchases, branded equipment (for example, Apple) without a passport, a discount will not be issued.

The store is obliged to issue:

• Fattura- a special invoice, which indicates: the purchase amount (as in the receipt) and the return amount (without this figure, customs officers will not put the required stamp). Sellers may fill out your personal information themselves or ask you to do so.

Return methods

1. In the city before leaving.
2. At the airport of Rome, Milan, Naples, Rimini, Verona, Pisa, Bologna.
3. In Moscow.

Return in the city

Without waiting for the return flight, you can return the taxi free at the city offices of the return points. A list of Global Blue offices is available on globalblue.ru. A list of TAX Refund points is available on the website taxrefund.it. When going for money, take:

1. Product.
2. Fattura.
3. Passport.
4. Return ticket.
5. Credit card.

The tax-free return procedure looks like this. Employees, after checking the checks, pay the money, while recording the credit card details. You undertake, in turn, to send stamped checks to the office address on time. Otherwise, the amount paid and a fine for failure to fulfill the agreement will be debited from the card.

Expensive fur and jewelry boutiques provide a similar service without intermediaries. This is the most profitable return for the buyer. Such stores return the maximum percentage (22%). That is, you are buying a product that is “cleared” of value added tax (VAT).

There are special boxes at the airport for stamped checks in a branded envelope (issued along with the fattura). The envelope can be sent from Russia by post, affixing the necessary stamps.

Standard return procedure at Italian airports

1. Take your boarding pass.
2. Approach the dogana (customs point) with documents (coupon, passport, checks, fattura) and with things purchased in the country. Do not cut off labels from products.
3. The customs officer, after checking the purchases and receipts, puts a stamp.
4. Find items Global Blue, or Tax Refund or Premier Tax Free and present stamped receipts.
5. You receive the money in cash or leave your credit card details, to which the entire amount will be transferred in 3-5 days.

Yaroslav, St. Petersburg:

“I left my card details at the Rome airport (in January 2019). I waited 2 weeks in vain. I thought my blood was crying! It’s good that I kept the piece of paper with the phone number from Premier Tax Free. I called. I had to “growl” in Italian-English. I received mine after 3 weeks. Unpleasant story."

Rome. Tax Free at Aeroporto di Fiumicino

There are 2 customs offices in the building. The first is intended for passengers wishing to send items purchased in Italy as luggage. Huge queues, in which it is easy to lose 2 hours, are 100% inevitable. The undoubted advantage of this item is a superficial inspection of purchases.

Olga, Petrozavodsk:

“I once received TAX FREE by showing a used Naf Naf dress instead of a purchased Max Mara outfit.”

You will see the second dogana behind the store Salvatore Ferragamo after going through passport control. This dogana undergoes the procedure for those who “prefer to carry everything they own with them” rather than check it in as luggage. The queue here is small, but things are examined more carefully.

Opposite this customs house there is a crowd of people at the window Global Blue. Direct refunds occur in this window. Be patient and take time (the final step will take another 40 minutes).

Milan. Tax Free at Aeroporto di Milano - Malpensa

The first customs office (registration hall) checks checks more quickly than the passport control point. In the window Premier Tax Free(return) for some reason there are always fewer people than in the other two. Experienced shopping lovers in Milan know this and initially look for stores that have entered into contracts with this intermediary company. Return office hours are available at airportmalpensa.com.

Vera, Tula:

“The worst airport in terms of refunds! Active Arabs and disciplined Chinese visit Milan with the only mission - to collect more goods. Three-hour queues, noise, hassle. You wouldn't wish it on your enemy! Passengers who get lost in queues are often called over the loudspeaker, and they drop everything and run to the plane.”

Rimini. Tax Free at Aeroporto di "Federico Fellini"

Map of Federico Fellini airport.

Customs is located next to the check-in counters for planes flying to Russia. Customs officers are extremely picky: they open the boxes, check the letters on the store receipt with the letters on the product label. The inspection takes 20 (at least) minutes.

Cash collection points are located on the second floor. You need to get to them before going through passport control.

Moscow. Return Tax Free

In Moscow, refunds are made by:

• First Czech-Russian Bank;
• SMP Bank;
• Intesa;
• Promsvyazbank;
• MDM Bank.

Not all Moscow bank branches can make payments., therefore, before you go for hard-earned money, call and check the address of the desired branch. The receipts you present must be stamped by Italian customs officials.

Do not forget!

• TAX FREE checks for Italian purchases are valid for 3 months. Make sure you meet this deadline!
• For each Fattura, upon receipt of cash, a commission of 3 € is charged.

Farewell parable

At the planning meeting, the director of the holding instructs managers:
- Ask the client what he wants more: a discount or the product itself. If a discount is more important to him, offer the product for triple the price with a 50% markdown - let him be happy!

Sometimes, when picking up an item worth more than 155 €, an excited shopper does not notice that she is choosing an unnecessary item (skirt, trousers). At home she sighs in disappointment: “Why did I grab this?” The resulting benefit is zero. Don't make mistakes!

This article answers the questions: What is Tax Free? How to get a Tax Free refund in Italy? What are the difficulties in obtaining Tax Free in Italy? and etc.

What's happenedTaxFree Shopping

This is a form of tax benefit where the buyer, under certain conditions, can receive a refund of VAT on an imported product. IN Italy VAT is called Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto or IVA. Main VAT rate in Italy is 22% (since the summer of 2013, and before it was 20%).

Taxfree payment points at Malpensa airport

How can you get a VAT refund (Tax Free) in Italy?

All receiving options Tax free are divided into two types: independently directly from the seller or through intermediaries.

1. GetTaxFree You can do it yourself directly from the seller in two ways:

1. After exporting the goods abroad (by sending an invoice by mail with a customs mark about the export).
2. Immediately upon purchase (“goods cleared” of VAT).

The advantage of a direct VAT refund is that you will receive the full amount of VAT - 22%, i.e. you'll save a fifth of the cost of buying in Italy. The downside is that sellers rarely agree to take on the extra headaches, which is why they enter into agreements with intermediary firms (see below). Exception: sellers of exclusive and very expensive goods. For example, sellers of fur coats and jewelry, when the return amount can reach several thousand euros from just one item.

2. Receive a Tax Free refund through one of three intermediary companies: Global Blue, Premier Tax Free or Tax Refund S.p.a.(depending on which of them the store has an agreement with) (see below).

The advantage is that you simplify the procedure for receiving money as much as possible (see below). The downside is that you only get about 11% of the purchase price, the rest is taken by the intermediary for his services.

Tax Free return systems introduced in Italy

1. Global Blue (www.global-blue.com). It is an organization headquartered in Sweden, which has the largest number of VAT refund points around the world and with which stores cooperate the most. The most recognizable label.
2. PremierTaxFree (www.premiertaxfree.com) is the second largest organization established in Ireland, which provides tax free reimbursement services in many countries around the world.
3. TaxRefundS.p.a. (www.taxrefund.it) Italian company, least known.
4. Innova taxfree (www.innovataxfree.com). Operates in 5 more countries.
5. Taxfreeservice(www.taxfreeservice.com). An Italian company with head office in Milan, operating only in Italy.

The first three are preferable, because They have many VAT refund offices, including at Malpensa airport, through which most Russian tourists arrive.

Options for how to get TaxFree through intermediaries

You can receive a VAT refund (tax free refund) in one of the following ways:

1. Immediately in the city of Milan.

If the store is logged in GlobalBlue, then the refund can be obtained in the Rinascente shopping center itself (Piazza Duomo) on the 6th floor. Opening hours: Mon-Fri: from 09:30 to 21 hours. Sat: from 09:30 to 22 hours. Sun: from 10:00 to 21 hours. Maximum cash back - 999.50 Euro. U Premier Tax Free on via Montenapoleone, 21. Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 10.30 to 19, Sat from 13 to 19. TaxRefundS.p.a. office in Milan: CorsoV. Emanuele— Via Larga, 4 Mon-Fri from 9 to 5.

Important addition. Since 2015, Global Blue requires that if you receive money in the city, and not upon departure to the airport, you must give tax free invoices to the Global Blue point at the airport upon departure. So it turns out that you still have to stand in line. But the advantage of receiving tax free in Milan and not at the airport remains - you get the money earlier and can have time to spend it in Italy.

2.When crossing the border at the airport.

This is the most common way to return tax free. Items TaxRefund(at least for GlobalBlue) is available at all major airports. When receiving cash currency at points in the fall of 2014, they began to take a commission of 3 euros from each tax-free form. Important! Arrive at the airport EARLY (3 hours before departure), because... There are very long queues to get tax free.

3. Upon arrival home in Russia.

1. Non-cash (on a credit card) by mailing checks and forms (with a customs stamp) in their company envelope, if you did not have time to send it at the airport in Italy.
2. Cash (in Russian banks with which intermediaries have an agreement).

Here is a list of Russian banks located in Moscow, as of December 2018, where you can receive tax free refunds. (Only for GlobalBlu).

New Moscow Bank (branches)

• Moscow, Myasnitsky Ave., 2/1, building 1.
• Moscow, Novinsky Boulevard, 8, building 2
• Moscow, Bolshoi Savvinsky lane, 2-4-6, building 10.

Energotransbank

Moscow, st. Solyanka, 3, building 3.

Lanta-Bank (branches)

• Moscow, st. Novokuznetskaya, 9, building 2
• Moscow, st. Novaya Basmannaya 35, building 1
• Moscow, Gogolevsky Boulevard, 23

For each invoice, a Russian bank charges a commission depending on the amount of compensation:

up to €50 – commission €3;

from €50 to €100 – commission €5;

from €100 to €500 - commission 5% of the amount;

over €500 – commission €25.

Commission amounts may vary, check with banks.

There is another option, which is not actually a refund of tax free fees, but a kind of compensation. For example, a shopping center (which operates withGlobalBlue) offers, instead of issuing Tax Free invoices, to receive a voucher for the amount of the refund due (this is 10% of the amounts spent on purchases), which you can use as a means of payment in the same shopping center.

Basic rules for paying Tax Free

The most important thing is that the goods must be exported from Italy to a non-EU country, and there must be a customs mark that this happened within 3 months from the date of purchase. Important addition. Since 2018, customs no longer puts a stamp, but immediately enters the fact of crossing the border into the database.

Minimum amount for Tax Free refund in Italy

Each country independently sets this amount. In Italy, the minimum amount on which you can claim a VAT refund is € 154,94 (including VAT) (by the way, in Switzerland, the amount is higher: 300 francs). It follows from the official rules that this amount should be spent during the day in any stores, not necessarily in just one. But in practice, tax free registration is only possible if a purchase for that amount was made in one store, from one seller. By the way, in the Rinascento shopping center you can make purchases in different stores for smaller amounts, and at the end of the day you can issue one general tax free account in the office Global blue on the 6th floor.

Stages of registration and receipt of Tax Free

If you decide to use the services of intermediaries, you will need to do the following:

1. Receive a special invoice from the store(in Italian - fattura) (also called Tax Free Shopping Check or Il Modulo Tax Refund ) . It must contain your passport and your home address. Sometimes sellers fill it out themselves, sometimes they ask you to fill it out. In any case, you need to check that they are filled out before presenting them at customs signed by you. The invoice also indicates the amount to be reimbursed.
2. Put a stamp at customs ( il timbro doganale ) . This is usually done at the airport after checking in for the flight. At all major airports in Italy, customs (Dogana) has a special office for stamping invoices. If you travel further within the EU countries, the stamp is placed in the last country before leaving the EU. You need to be prepared to demonstrate the goods to the customs officer. Therefore, you must have all your belongings with you, so do not check your items into your luggage until you receive a stamp from customs. They must not be used. If you have a printout of your e-ticket in English, you can get a stamp at customs before checking in. Important addition! From August 1, 2015, the procedure for returning tax free from Global Blue at Malpensa Airport has changed. Now you don’t need to stand in two lines (first at customs, then at the point of issue). You need to immediately go to the Global Blue pick-up point (which is located in the departure area, i.e. before passport control).
3. Get cash at the point Cashrefund the corresponding company at the airport, either receive credit to the card or send forms by mail to the address of this company (if point Cashrefund is not at the airport, or for some reason it is closed or you do not have time to stand in line). Moreover, it is recommended to send the envelope immediately at the airport, entering your credit card number in the form.

Frequently asked questions about Tax Free

Where to put a customs stamp on Tax Free if you are leaving another country?

A customs stamp confirming the export of goods is placed in the last EU country, which you leave, you also receive tax free there. The exception is Switzerland. Because Since it is not part of the EU, a customs stamp must be obtained at the Swiss border. The VAT refund itself is made in the EU country that you leave last. This is how Global Blue works, at least in Italy.

How to get a Tax Free refund in Italy (before leaving the EU)?

You can receive a Tax Free refund before leaving the EU. For example, such a service is provided by Global blue. The procedure is as follows: At Global blue tax free return points you show invoices (checks) to receive tax free. In this case, you also give your credit card. It is needed so that Global blue has the opportunity to withhold from this card the amount that it pays you if it does not receive invoices with customs marks within a certain period. In essence, you are given a trust payment, in the expectation that you will fulfill the condition on your part: put a stamp at customs and send a stamped invoice to Global blue. If you do not do this, Global blue will debit your card for all the money paid to you plus a penalty.
The same option is available in some boutiques that sell luxury goods. This is even more profitable, because... without an intermediary, the refund amount is 22% (VAT rate in Italy since 2013). It looks like this: they sell you a product essentially without VAT, i.e. minus 22%. In this case, the same amount is “frozen” on your credit card. If the store receives an invoice from you with a customs stamp, then this amount on the credit card is “unfrozen.” If the store does not receive this invoice on time, then it will simply deduct this same amount from your credit card.

HowTaxFree is different fromDutyFree?

Tax-free and Duty-free are essentially the same thing - the opportunity to purchase goods without VAT. The main differences are that 1) EU citizens traveling from their country can also take advantage of this benefit, 2) the sale of Duty Free goods is “territorially” limited: airports and airplanes on international flights. (Also ferries plying between the two countries, cruise ships). 3) The goods are sold already “cleared” of VAT (the price tag shows the price without VAT, i.e. in Italy it is automatically 22% cheaper).

Why is the VAT rate in Italy 22%, but only 11% is refunded?

If we are talking about receiving VAT through one of the return systems (for example. GlobalBlue), then the difference goes to pay the intermediary’s remuneration for the services provided for VAT refund. The exact percentage depends on the purchase amount. The more expensive the purchase, the smaller the percentage the intermediary takes, and accordingly the client receives more.

How to find out exactly how much tax free is refundable?

Each invoice must indicate the exact amount to be reimbursed, taking into account all deductions, i.e. net amount to be refunded. It is stamped on the invoice in the store where the product was purchased. If this amount is not specified, then there will be no VAT refund. In addition, for example, Global blue has a progressive scale for VAT refund amounts: the more amount you spend, the greater the percentage of this amount will be refunded to you. There is a calculator on their website that can be used to calculate the approximate refund amount.

Are there any restrictions on returns?TaxFree cash?

The TFS system does not provide any restrictions on value added tax refunds. But cash payout is limited to 999.50 euros. Also, Tax Free Refund locations may not have enough cash. Or you will be asked to pay an amount, for example, in dollars. However, the course is very unfavorable. It’s better to ask for the amount to be credited to your card.

How to sendTax Refund form by mail?

If you used the services GlobalBlue and so on. when purchasing goods and were unable to receive VAT refund in Italy, then you can send checks and a receipt with a customs stamp in a company envelope, which is issued along with the invoice. Moreover, there is no need to put postage stamps on these envelopes, because They indicate that the cost of shipping is paid by the recipient. But Russian Post sometimes does not send such letters, requiring stamps to be affixed. By the way, many airports have special boxes for collecting such envelopes; this method is more reliable.

Customs only puts a stamp, you must send the stamped invoice.

Instead of a tax free invoice (form), the store issued a “long check”. What to do?

Indeed, instead of an “invoice” they can issue a “long check”, which is a full-fledged alternative to a tax free invoice. Its main difference from other checks is that it must contain your data: full name, passport number, and also your signature. This data can be entered manually afterwards. The “long check” is stamped by customs. After this, it can be presented to the tax free refund point or sent (necessarily in a FIRM envelope to the address indicated on this envelope. In the check, also indicate the number of the credit card to which the tax free refund will be transferred to you. There is no need to send additional forms.

How to ask in a store forTaxFree in Italian?

In stores, before the salesperson at the checkout begins to process your purchase, you must say that you want to receive tax free. To do this you can simply say: “ TaxFree, perfavor" They will understand you. Or tell me : Mi faccia il Tax Free, per favore. (Mi faccia il tax free, per favore).

How does the refund work?TaxFree on a credit card?

Refunds will be made in the currency in which you hold the credit card within 5 days of receiving the form at the locations or within three weeks of receiving the forms by mail. Important addition! Since 2015, Global Blue began transferring amounts to the card not in euros, but in dollars at a very unfavorable rate. So if possible, try to get tax free cash in euros (if you made purchases in euros).

Olesya Maranova, stylist-shopper in Moscow and Milan