In honor of the international tourism exhibition IMTM, which will be held for the 29th year at Expo Tel Aviv between February 14-15, and in which dozens of countries from all over the world will participate, we have prepared a guide for you that will explain how you can get a tax refund from each country, how much refund you can get, and for which products the tax refund is lower?
Spain
What should be done to get a tax exemption in Spain?
Fill out the Tax Free form in the store.
After that, you receive a verified form at customs and the refund is given within 3 months from the date of purchase.
There is the possibility of an electronic VAT return procedure (DIVA) which makes the verification process faster and easier.
You can ask the shops that offer this service to provide the DIVA form, and verify it directly at the automatic terminals installed in the main ports and airports of Spain.
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
The Spanish government has removed the minimum amount of €90.16 that previously applied to tax-free shopping transactions made in the country.
This means that no matter what the value of the goods you purchase, you have the right to claim back the VAT. The new regulations came into force in July 2018.
What is the refund amount?
The VAT rate in Spain is 21% for standard products, 10% for some types of food and some optical products and 4% for pharmaceutical products and medicines in general, books, magazines and some foods.
It is important to note - there are no special exemptions for tax-free shopping in Spain, but it is important to emphasize that this service only applies to goods physically exported from the EU and not to services such as train tickets, bus trips, restaurant or hotel bills.
A tax refund will save you money, photo: AP
Georgia
What should be done to get a tax exemption in Georgia?
Ask the store for the tax refund bill when it is sealed and has an official sticker on it.
It is important to note that the personal details are shown on the account - name, surname, social security number, etc.
At the airport, you have to show the form at a special desk.
Not all stores have authorization for a tax refund, it is recommended to check in advance.
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
The minimum purchase should be more than 200 GEL (without VAT).
What is the refund amount?
The refund amount is 18% of the total purchase.
Czech Republic
What should be done to get a tax exemption in the Czech Republic?
After the purchase, ask the store for the Tax Free form, it is important to note that you received a customs stamp.
Terminal 1
For baggage items:
1) Before check-in, go to the customs desk in the main departure hall.
2) Show the tax exempt forms, receipts and unused purchases for a customs stamp.
3) Go to the nearby Foreign Exchange office, exit hall to claim the refund.
For carry-on items:
1) After security control, go to the customs counter after leaving the security area.
2) Show the tax exempt forms, receipts and unused purchases for a customs stamp.
3) Go to the nearest Interchange foreign exchange office to claim the refund.
Terminal 2
The same rules for luggage and hand luggage:
1) Before check-in, go to the customs desk in the main departure hall.
2) Show the tax exempt forms, receipts and unused purchases for a customs stamp.
3) Go to the nearby foreign exchange office, exit hall to claim the refund.
The customs desk can be found in the departure hall or after security control at the airport and also in certain shopping malls such as Fashion Arena.
You can also send the Tax Free form to Global Blue through the mailbox next to the foreign exchange office at the airport.
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
Up to 1265 CZK you get 80 CZK.
From 1265 to 7650 CZK you get 8%.
From 7650 and above you get 600 CZK.
Shopping in London, photo: Reuters
Netherlands
What do tourists have to do to get tax refunds in the Netherlands?
At the time of purchase you will receive a tax exemption form.
The tax exempt forms must be verified, the verification confirms that the products have been exported from the Netherlands, and will often be done at the airport when leaving the country.
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
€50.00.
What is the refund amount?
The Netherlands' main VAT rate is 21%, with other rates including 6% which can apply to the following items: food; books and newspapers; passenger transport; medicine; water; hotel accommodation and tourism; admission to cultural events.
Italy
What do tourists have to do to get tax refunds in Italy?
You can get the tax refund by sending the verified forms to the refund desk at the airport, or by mail (most companies provide prepaid envelopes for this purpose).
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
€154.94.
What is the refund amount?
Italy's main VAT rate is 22%, with other rates including 10%, 5% and 4% that can apply to certain transactions - a
reduced VAT of 10% on: hotels, restaurants, certain food products;
home energy;
Telephony
A reduced VAT rate of 4% on: basic food / groceries, animals; printed newspapers.
It is better to follow the instructions to get a tax refund on shopping,
Turkey
What should tourists do to get tax refunds in Turkey?
When you make a tax-deductible purchase in Turkey, you receive a tax-exempt form from the supplier documenting the purchases you made and the amount you pay, the forms must be filled out and submitted at the airport.
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
108 Turkish lira.
What is the refund amount?
Turkey's general VAT rate is 18%, with other rates including 8% and 1% that may apply to certain transactions. There is a reduced VAT rate of 8% on: basic food items;
Books and also a reduced VAT rate of 1% on: basic food products.
Slovenia
What should tourists do to get tax refunds in Slovenia?
A tax exemption form must be requested from the supplier from whom you bought the product.
In Slovenia, you receive a separate tax-exempt form for each purchase and you should not keep the original purchase receipt, the tax-exempt forms must be verified, the verification will be done at the airport upon your departure from the country, confirming that the products were exported from Slovenia.
In addition, you can get a tax refund only up to 3 months from the date of purchase.
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
€50.01.
What is the refund amount?
The tax rate in Slovenia is 22 percent, tax refunds can be quite significant in Slovenia, especially if you do a lot of shopping.
France
What do tourists have to do to get tax refunds from France?
1. Tourists receive a tax exemption form from the store/supplier documenting the purchases you made and the amount you paid.
The tax exempt form will be separate for each purchase.
A Tax Free form can be a government form, or can be associated with a particular company for processing sales tax returns.
2. France does not require keeping the original purchase receipt, so the tax-exempt form is sufficient to apply for a VAT refund.
3. The tax-exempt forms must be verified in order to confirm that the products were exported from France - this will often be done at the airport when leaving Israel.
You may be required to present a passport/flight ticket and/or other proof that the goods that you are buying without VAT will be exported to the eligible country.
4. Receiving a customs stamp for the TAX FREE forms by the French customs department or by private companies specializing in duty-free shopping.
It is important to note that the tax-exempt forms must be verified no later than 3 months after making the purchase.
This means that tax-free purchases can only be made in France up to 3 months before you leave the country and export the purchased goods.
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
€175.01.
What is the refund amount?
The general VAT rate of France is 20%, at the same time there are transactions for which the tax refund will be lower:
a reduced rate of 10% on: hotels; food products; transportation; restaurants. A reduced rate of 5.5% on: basic food products; Printed and digital books and periodicals; water. A reduced rate of 2.1% on: printed and digital newspapers.
It is recommended to keep the receipts from the purchase, photo: EPA
Germany
What do tourists have to do to get tax refunds from Germany?
1. When you make a purchase in Germany, you can receive a tax exemption form from the supplier documenting the purchases you made and the amount you paid.
The form is exempt from a separate tax for each purchase.
2. Germany does not require you to keep the original purchase receipt, so the tax-free form is sufficient to apply for a VAT refund.
3. The tax-exempt forms must be verified in order to confirm that the products were exported from Germany - this will often be done at the airport when leaving the country.
You may be required to present a passport/flight ticket and/or other proof that the goods that you are buying without VAT will be exported to the eligible country.
4. Receiving a customs stamp for the TAX FREE forms by the German customs department or by private companies specializing in duty-free shopping.
5. Once the tax-exempt forms have been verified, you can receive your VAT refund. If you used a refund processing company, you can receive the refund by sending the verified forms to the company's refund desk at the airport, or by mail (most companies provide (prepaid envelopes for this purpose) If you did not use a processing company, follow the instructions on the tax exempt form to receive your refund.
It is important to note - from the moment you verified the Tax Free forms, you have 4 years to submit your documents for a VAT refund.
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
€25.00.
What is the refund amount?
Germany's general VAT rate is 19%, at the same time Germany has a reduced VAT rate of 7% on the following items: some food;
water supply;
medical equipment for the disabled;
some public transport;
books;
newspapers and magazines;
entry to cultural events;
writers and composers;
agricultural supplies;
Overnight at hotel;
entry to sporting events;
Social Services;
Medical and dental care.
Austria
What do tourists have to do to get tax refunds from Austria?
The process is the same as in Germany.
What is the minimum tax-free purchase amount?
€75.01.
What is the refund amount?
The main VAT rate is 20%, when there can be transactions with a lower refund:
10% reduced rate: food; books; hotels and tourism; passenger transport; medicines.
13% reduced rate: agricultural supplies; entry to events Culture, sports and cinemas; Domestic flights Local wine production and supply
Reduced rate of 19%: Supply from the Jungholz region.
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