This material was sent to us by the author Roman Grabezhovym. It tells of how a tax return - the money paid for the goods. Sometimes the savings from such repayment makes a purchase abroad is very attractive thing.
Let's start with a small example of the comparison value of the goods (ie clothing) in the EU and in Ukraine / Russia.
Loved by all group companies INDOTEX publishes prices of their products on the website in the currency of the country where the store is located. Just compare prices, parallel opening two tabs Spanish and Ukrainian site of the same Zara and ensure that approximately 40-60% cheaper products in Spain. Many fashionistas have long realized that the cost of "fly to Milan," spend a weekend and buy favorite branded items - will be at a price commensurate with just buying the same things in Ukrainian stores.
But not everyone knows that buying things in the EU, and we pay the VAT, which is not being citizens of the EU, we in fact do not have to pay. What does it mean? This means that the real need to establish a system of Tax Free is ripe for a long time, and take advantage of this, not all compatriots.
What is Tax Free?
As tells wiki, Tax free - this is the sum of the return system of value added tax (VAT). VAT returns for purchases made by foreigners in the reverse crossing the border of the country in which they were acquired. Recoveries ranged from 7 to 20% of the purchase price, depending on the amount of VAT in the country.
Here it is necessary to make a small remark, because for different groups of goods and services, even within one country can apply different tax rate. But the order of numbers is clear.
Often, passing by a shop window, you can see here are the signs:
These signs indicate that the store, buying the goods for a certain amount (which I discuss later) - you can return home to reclaim VAT.
I came across only two systems, through which you can make restitution. This Global Refund (in most cases), which produces a blue-and-white checks and Premier Tax Free with pink and green checks. Because I used only the Global Refund system, talk about it.
Briefly describe algorithm of actions for registration of Tax Free, It includes three steps:
1. Before you buy at the store, ask the adviser whether the store with the company Global Blue is working. The company's website states that it is for his more than thirty-year practice of cooperating with the 300,000 shops in more than 40 countries, including many of the world's largest retail stores and hotels, so it is very likely great. If so, ask at the cash register when paying for purchases completed check Global Refund.
2. Leaving the borders of the EU, at the airport get a window with the inscription TaxFree. Show your employee purchases, checks, your passport and get the export confirmation in the form of a print on the check Global Refund.
3. As a rule there, near the window - hanging information about the location of offices in the country you are interested in - a city, address, phone. Rewrite your preferred address and telephone number and return home - go to a partner company, which cooperates with the Global Refund and take away their money in cash.
Like everything to not be easy. But in practice, often have problems. Therefore, each of the items has its own quirks. Let's look at what's what.
First step:
- Get a refund can only non-EU citizen, and only if it came with a short visit not more than 3 months (without a residence permit) also can not be a refugee, or come to work for the long term. You are not one of them - then go further.
- When you draw at the box office store check Global Refund, do not be surprised that the amount to be paid is less than what you expected. The company Global Blue - not a charitable organization, and therefore also wants to get their piece of the pie as a percentage.
- When purchasing some goods, such as books, tobacco products (though hardly something anyone would buy cigarettes in the EU at exorbitant prices to to bring home), food (you bought in Spain jamon Iberico for € 200, and you not only that VAT is not returned, so more likely and the border will be a problem) or service (think riding in a taxi, and then get back to more 10%) - a VAT refund in most countries distributed by.
- Do not forget to bring your passport to the store. Because it is with him, and will be overwritten by your data. If you still forget - say that fill themselves. Without these data, the country and the actual address of residence - the check is not particularly help.
- Make sure that the teller to fill out the information on the check Tax Refund, even the slightest error (missing digits letter ...) may be the cause of failure to affix a stamp when returning home. If it does make a mistake, you still do not despair) Send the original bank receipt to the address (Global Blue Slovakia s.r.o. Centralised Services Center P.O. Box 363 810 00 Bratislava 1 SLOVAKIA), together with a cover letter and an indication of the most appropriate way for you to receive money, and the company will revise payment.
- Keep not only check Tax Refund, but also to a fiscal receipt from the store. As a rule the box office on their braced and put in an envelope. But there are different cases. Do not lose the envelope, nothing will come back without him.
- In most countries there is a time limit on the VAT return. In most countries (except for Switzerland and Liechtenstein with 30 days) tax-free checks are valid for three months after the month of purchase.
Second step:
We have done everything right, never wrong? Congratulations! But that's not all the nuances!
- When the plan is already in the departure airport, pledge + 30-40 minutes to check your checks at the customs post. After all, you are not the only one smart and want to just save money on purchases. Sometimes you can even get into the queue. So be prepared for this.
- After purchasing ask the consultant at the store about where to look for you at the airport branch of Global Blue. Indeed, sometimes airports are very large, such as aerport Charles de Gaulle or the German airport of Frankfurt am Main, where you can spend more than an hour at which the search either. If the consultant is not particularly competent - Google with you!
- Store Price Tags with the purchased goods. And do things very far hide. May be asked to submit their price lists or for verification. This is not always, but it's definitely worth considering.
- If a lot of things and you are going to put in their luggage - at first put down punches, and then only to checked baggage. Elementary in terms of logic, but the reverse cases seen.
- Purchased items must be marketable - that is, hardly will receive a refund with receipt, which lists sneakers, in which you actually were, breaking up of several mountain ranges and hitting a couple of times a rain.
- And finally - if you have a few countries in the journey - you will be able to issue a refund only in the latter country stay upon presentation of tickets or any other travel document if you do not leave the EU plane.
The third step:
Print is, returned home. What else?
By experience I can return to Kiev say that more or less quickly and the most important thing really was to return the money in the bank VTB-room, but unfortunately the bank ceased to provide this service. Now these services involved Pravex and Ukreximbank.
All information about addresses, phones and offices can be found on the links for global-blue.com Russia and Ukraine and other countries.
The payment usually does not happen every day, and a couple of times a week. However, as bank employees claim to say exactly how much money will be paid can not be. All information will appear on the day of payment. Payment is made in a queue. What does this mean? What if before you will be a few people who have such a return of 500-800 euros - your chances are reduced. And if you do, and a similar amount, or above, the chances decrease exponentially. Once in front of me sat a woman with whom we are talking, and during the conversation I heard the figure of 1450 euros. I was about to leave, but the question is an employee of the bank, "Who amount to be paid less than 100 euros? Served basis today, the rest come in sled.raz... "and has encouraged me through 10 minutes was standing at the box office and received their money.
Useful information
Buying tourist should not be cheaper than a certain amount and it is different for different countries. The table below shows the minimum amount of purchases (in the local currency of the country of purchase), the maximum rate of return of the purchase price and the amount of VAT in the country:
For convenience, you can use the Refund-calculator, which is on the site.
Is it worth the VAT refund of all these subtleties, tape, time, etc. - you decide! For some, the amount to be paid - 40-50 euro is not worth the candle, and some for 20 euros will be several times to come to the bank branch and stand in the queue. To each his own.