How to get tax free in Italy. How to apply and get Tax Free in Italy. Basic rules for paying Tax Free

Tax free is a form of tax relief. Its essence is that the buyer can get the value added tax (VAT) back when purchasing imported goods.

Ways to get Tax Free in Italy

It is possible to return Tax free in Italy:

• directly from the seller immediately upon purchase;
• directly from the seller after the export of the purchased abroad, by sending an invoice by mail (a customs mark on export is required!);
• through an intermediary company. There are three of them in Italy - Global Blue, Premier Tax Free or Tax Refund S.p.a. You can find out about the company with which the trading company has concluded an agreement in the store.

By choosing the first two options, you will save more than 1/5 of the cost of the goods, since the amount of Tax free in Italy, received directly from the seller, is 21%. The difficulty is that most often sellers do not take on an additional function, but enter into agreements with intermediary firms. The exception is boutiques selling rather expensive goods, such as furs and jewelry. When contacting intermediary firms, Tax free is 11% of the cost of goods, 10% is taken by the firm itself as payment for the service provided.

Rules for paying Tax free in Italy

• the country to which the Italian product is exported must not be a member of the European Union;
• the customs mark through which the goods were exported must not be overdue. The maximum time elapsed after the purchase is 3 months.

The algorithm for issuing Tax free in Italy

1. Receipt of an invoice in the store. The document must indicate: surname and name, passport details, home address, the amount to be reimbursed. The invoice can be completed by both the seller and the buyer himself. At customs, the document is presented only in completed form.

2. Stamping at customs. All international Italian airports have dedicated offices. But it happens that the traveler continues his trip to other countries of the European Union. In this case, it is possible to obtain a customs stamp in the country that is the last point of your journey.

Attention: Be prepared to present your purchases at customs. In no case should things be used before departure!

3. Receipt in Cash refund at the airport or credited to a bank card. You can send the form in an envelope by mail to the company from airport. You must indicate the number of the credit card to which the transfer will be made.

Amount to be refunded Tax free in Italy

The minimum amount for which a Tax Free refund in Italy is provided is € 154.94, including VAT. According to the rules, an amount not less than the specified one must be spent either in one or in several stores per day.

How much can I get when refunding Tax Free in Italy?

There are no restrictions on VAT refunds. But you can get € 999.50 in cash, so it’s more convenient to get the amount on the card.

Refunds for Tax free goods are also carried out in other European countries, for example, Finland.

Tax free is a form of tax relief. Its essence is that the buyer can get the value added tax (VAT) back when purchasing imported goods.

Ways to get Tax Free in Italy

It is possible to return Tax free in Italy:

• directly from the seller immediately upon purchase;
• directly from the seller after the export of the purchased abroad, by sending an invoice by mail (a customs mark on export is required!);
• through an intermediary company. There are three of them in Italy - Global Blue, Premier Tax Free or Tax Refund S.p.a. You can find out about the company with which the trading company has concluded an agreement in the store.

By choosing the first two options, you will save more than 1/5 of the cost of the goods, since the amount of Tax free in Italy, received directly from the seller, is 21%. The difficulty is that most often sellers do not take on an additional function, but enter into agreements with intermediary firms. The exception is boutiques selling rather expensive goods, such as furs and jewelry. When contacting intermediary firms, Tax free is 11% of the cost of goods, 10% is taken by the firm itself as payment for the service provided.

Rules for paying Tax free in Italy

• the country to which the Italian product is exported must not be a member of the European Union;
• the customs mark through which the goods were exported must not be overdue. The maximum time elapsed after the purchase is 3 months.

The algorithm for issuing Tax free in Italy

1. Receipt of an invoice in the store. The document must indicate: surname and name, passport details, home address, the amount to be reimbursed. The invoice can be completed by both the seller and the buyer himself. At customs, the document is presented only in completed form.

2. Stamping at customs. All international Italian airports have dedicated offices. But it happens that the traveler continues his trip to other countries of the European Union.

In this case, it is possible to obtain a customs stamp in the country that is the last point of your journey.

Attention: Be prepared to present your purchases at customs. In no case should things be used before departure!

3. Receipt in Cash refund at the airport or credited to a bank card. You can send the form in an envelope by mail to the company from airport. You must indicate the number of the credit card to which the transfer will be made.

Amount to be refunded Tax free in Italy

The minimum amount for which a Tax Free refund in Italy is provided is € 154.94, including VAT. According to the rules, an amount not less than the specified one must be spent either in one or in several stores per day.

How much can I get when refunding Tax Free in Italy?

There are no restrictions on VAT refunds. But you can get € 999.50 in cash, so it’s more convenient to get the amount on the card.

Refunds for Tax free goods are also carried out in other European countries, for example, Spain, Germany, Finland.

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This is a form of tax relief when the buyer, under certain conditions, receives VAT on imported goods after purchasing it. In Italy, VAT is called Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto or IVA. The basic VAT rate in Italy is 21% (since autumn 2011, and before it was 20%). It was planned that from the summer of 2013 the VAT rate in Italy would be increased to 22%.

Tax Free return systems presented in Italy:

1. Global Blue (www.global-blue.com). This Swedish-headquartered organization has the largest number of VAT refund points worldwide and is the one with which stores cooperate the most. The most recognizable label.
2. PremierTaxFree (www.premiertaxfree.com). It is the second largest organization established in Ireland. Provides tax free refund services in many countries around the world.
3. TaxRefundS.p.a. (www.tax refund.it) The Italian company, however, is less known among the wide circles of tourists.
4. Innova taxfree (www.innovataxfree.com). Works only in 5 countries.
5. Tax free service(www.taxfreeservice.com). Italian company headquartered in Milan. Works only in Italy.

Of these, it is most convenient to use the services of the first three, since they have many VAT refund offices, including at Malpensa Airport.

How to get TaxFree through intermediaries?

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

a) Immediately in Milan after the shopping tour. If the store is logged in Globalblue, the refund can be collected at the Rinascente shopping center (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 21:00. At Premier Tax Free at 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.

c) When crossing the border at the airport. This is the most common way to return taxfree. Items TaxRefund And GlobalBlue located at all major airports

c) Upon arrival home in Russia.

- By bank transfer (on a credit card) by mailing checks and forms (with a customs stamp) in their company envelope, if they did not have time to send it at the Italian airport.

- Cash (in Russian banks with which intermediaries have an agreement).

Voucher in exchange for purchases

Another way, which is not actually a tax free refund, but a kind of compensation. For example, the Rinashento shopping center in Milan (which operates from GlobalBlue) offers instead of issuing Tax Free invoices to receive a voucher for the amount of the due compensation, which you can use as a means of payment in the same shopping center.

The minimum amount from which a Tax Free refund is made in Italy

In Italy, the minimum amount from which you can request a VAT refund is € 154,94 (including VAT). It follows from the official rules that such an amount should be spent during the day in any stores, not necessarily in one. But in practice, tax free registration is possible only if the purchase for such an amount was made in one store, from one seller.

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

1. Get a special invoice in the store(in Italian - fattura) (It is 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, it is necessary 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. Stamp at customs il timbro doganale ) . This is usually done at the airport after check-in for the flight. At all major airports in Italy, the customs office (Dogana) has a special office for stamping invoices. If you are traveling further within the EU countries, then the stamp is placed in the last country before leaving the EU.

   You need to be ready to demonstrate the goods to the customs officer. Therefore, all things must be with you, so do not check in your luggage until you get a stamp from customs. They must not be used. If you have an e-ticket printout in English, you can get a stamp at customs even before check-in.

3. Get cash at the point Cashrefund corresponding company at the airport, either receive credit on the card or send the forms by mail to the address of this company (if the point Cashrefund not at the airport, or for some reason it is closed or you do not have time to queue). Moreover, it is recommended to send an envelope immediately at the airport, entering your credit card number on the form.

Are there any return restrictions?TaxFree cash?

The TFS system does not provide for any restrictions on the return of value added tax. But the cash payout is limited to 999.50 euros. Also, there may not be enough cash in the points in Tax Free Refund. Or you will be offered to pay the amount, for example, in dollars. However, the exchange rate is always disadvantageous. It is better to ask for the amount to be credited to your card.

How to senda Tax Refund form by mail?

If you have used the services GlobalBlue and so on. when buying goods, and could not receive VAT refund in Italy, then you can send checks and a receipt with a customs stamp (required in a company envelope, which is issued along with the invoice in the store). Moreover, there is no need to glue postage stamps on these envelopes, because. they indicate that the recipient pays the shipping costs. But the Russian Post sometimes does not send such letters, demanding to stick stamps. By the way, many airports have special boxes for collecting such envelopes, this method is more reliable.

How to ask the store forTaxFree in Italian?

In stores, before the seller at the checkout began to make a purchase, you must definitely say that you want to receive tax free. To do this, you can simply say: TaxFree, perfavore". You will be understood. Or say : Mi faccia il taxi fries, per favore.

How funds are creditedTaxFree on a credit card?

Reimbursement occurs in the currency in which your credit card is opened, within 5 days from the receipt of the form in points or within three weeks from the date of receipt of the forms by mail.

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What is Tax Free?

Tax free(English without fees) - a system for the return of the amount of value added tax (VAT). VAT is refunded on purchases made by foreign citizens. Thus, if you do not want to leave VAT to the Italian state treasury, you can get a refund in cash at our office. In Italy, the minimum amount from which a VAT refund can be claimed is € 154.94 (including VAT)

Tax-free in Italy - 22%. It's official. In fact, its value varies greatly. Shops enter into unfavorable for tourists contracts with intermediaries. As a result, a Russian citizen receives 11-13% instead of 22%. The total amount of purchases is over 155 €. They must be completed during the day and certainly in one store, less often - in one trading house. We noticed shop windows, on the glasses of which the logo of either Global Blue, or Tax Refund or Premier Tax Free is posted - you are here.

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

A passport is required for registration. For large purchases, branded equipment (for example, Apple) without a passport, a discount will not be issued.

The store must issue:

• Fattura is a special invoice that indicates: the amount of the purchase (as in the receipt) and the amount of the refund (without this figure, the customs officers will not put the necessary stamp). Sellers can fill in your personal data 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 tax free at the city offices of the return points. A list of Global Blue offices is available at globalblue.ru. The list of TAX Refund points is posted on the website. Going for money, grab:

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 money, while fixing the credit card data. You undertake, in turn, to send stamped checks to the address of the office in due time. Otherwise, the amount paid and a fine for non-fulfillment of the contract will be debited from the card.

STANDARD REFUND PROCEDURE AT ITALIAN AIRPORTS

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

Do not forget!

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

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

What's happenedTaxfree shopping

This is a form of tax relief, when the buyer, under certain conditions, can receive back VAT on imported goods. IN Italy VAT is called Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto or IVA. Main VAT rate in Italy is 22% (since the summer of 2013, and earlier it was 20%).

Taxfree payment points at Malpensa Airport

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

All pick up options tax free are divided into two types: independently directly from the seller or through intermediaries.

1. GetTaxFree directly from the seller in two ways:

1. After the export of goods abroad (by sending an invoice with a customs mark on export by mail).
2. Immediately upon purchase ("cleared" goods from VAT).

The advantage of a direct VAT refund is that you will receive the full amount of VAT - 22%, i.e. you will save a fifth of the cost of buying in Italy. The downside is that sellers rarely agree to take on 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, jewelry, when the refund amount can reach several thousand euros from one item alone.

2. Get your Tax Free refund through one of three intermediary firms: 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 cost of purchases, the rest is taken by the intermediary for their services.

Tax Free return systems introduced in Italy

1. Global Blue (www.global-blue.com). It is the Swedish-headquartered organization that has the largest number of VAT refund points around the world and with which stores have the most cooperation. The most recognizable label.
2. PremierTaxFree (www.premiertaxfree.com) is the second largest organization established in Ireland that provides tax free refund services in many countries around the world.
3. TaxRefundS.p.a. (www.tax refund.it) The Italian company, the least known.
4. Innova taxfree (www.innovataxfree.com). Works in 5 other countries.
5. Tax free service(www.taxfreeservice.com). Italian company headquartered in Milan, operates 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.

How to get options TaxFree through intermediaries

You can get 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 21:00. Maximum cash back - 999.50 Euro. At Premier Tax Free at 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.

An important addition. Since 2015, Global Blue requires that if you receive money in the city, and not when you fly 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 getting 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 taxfree. Items TaxRefund(at least for GlobalBlue) is available at all major airports. When receiving cash currency in points, since the autumn 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). there are very long queues to get tax free.

3. Upon arrival home in Russia.

1. By bank transfer (on a credit card) by mailing checks and forms (with a customs stamp) in their company envelope, if they did not have time to send it at the Italian airport.
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 get a tax free refund. (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 rates may vary, check with banks.

There is another option, which is not actually a tax free refund, but a kind of compensation. For example, a shopping mall (which operates fromGlobalBlue) 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

Most importantly, the goods must be exported from Italy to a country outside the EU, and there must be a customs mark that this happened within 3 months from the date of purchase. An important addition. Since 2018, the customs no longer puts a stamp, but immediately enters the fact of crossing the border into the database.

The minimum amount from which a Tax Free refund is made in Italy

Each country independently sets this amount. In Italy, the minimum amount from which you can request 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 such an amount should be spent during the day in any stores, not necessarily in one. But in practice, tax free registration is possible only if the purchase for such an amount was made in one store, from one seller. By the way, in the Rinashento shopping center you can shop 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. Get a special invoice in 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, it is necessary 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. Stamp at customs il timbro doganale ) . This is usually done at the airport after check-in for the flight. At all major airports in Italy, the customs office (Dogana) has a special office for stamping invoices. If you are traveling further within the EU countries, then the stamp is placed in the last country before leaving the EU. You need to be ready to demonstrate the goods to the customs officer. Therefore, all things must be with you, so do not check in your luggage until you get a stamp from customs. They must not be used. If you have an e-ticket printout in English, you can get a stamp at customs even before check-in. Important addition! From August 1, 2015, the procedure for returning tax free from Global Blue at Malpensa Airport has changed. Now you do not need to stand in two queues (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 corresponding company at the airport, either receive credit on the card or send the forms by mail to the address of this company (if the point Cashrefund not at the airport, or for some reason it is closed or you do not have time to queue). Moreover, it is recommended to send an envelope immediately at the airport, entering your credit card number on the form.

Frequently asked questions about Tax Free

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

Customs stamp on the export of goods is placed in the last EU country, which you leave, you also get tax free there. The exception is Switzerland. Because Since it is not part of the EU, then you need to get a customs stamp at the Swiss border. The VAT refund itself is made in the EU country that you left 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 get a tax free refund even before leaving the EU. For example, Global blue provides such a service. The procedure is as follows: At Global blue tax free refund points you show invoices (receipts) for receiving tax free. In doing so, you also give your credit card. It is needed in order for Global blue to be able to withhold from this card the amount that it pays you if it does not receive invoices with customs stamps within a certain period of time. In fact, 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 charge your card all the money paid to you plus a fine.
The same option is available at some boutiques that sell luxury goods. This is even more beneficial, because. without an intermediary, the refund amount is 22% (VAT in Italy since 2013). It looks like this: they sell you goods without VAT, i.e. minus 22%. At the same time, 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 write off this very amount from your credit card.

HowTaxFree is different fromdutyFree?

Tax-free and Duty-free are, in fact, the same thing - the ability to purchase goods without VAT. The main differences are that 1) EU citizens leaving their country can also take advantage of this benefit, 2) the sale of Duty Free goods is "territorially" limited: airports and aircraft making international flights. (Also ferries between the two countries, cruise ships). 3) Goods are sold already “cleared” from 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 reimbursed?

If we are talking about receiving VAT through one of the return systems (eg. GlobalBlue), then the difference is used to pay the remuneration to the intermediary for the VAT refund services provided. In this case, the exact percentage depends on the amount of the purchase. The more expensive the purchase, the lower the percentage the intermediary takes for himself, respectively, 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, already taking into account all deductions, i.e. the net amount to be returned. It is affixed in the store where the product was purchased, on the invoice. 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 refunds: the more you spend, the greater the percentage of this amount will be refunded to you. They have a calculator on their website that can help you calculate an approximate refund amount.

Are there any return restrictions?TaxFree cash?

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

How to senda Tax Refund form by mail?

If you have used the services GlobalBlue and so on. when buying goods, and could not 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 glue postage stamps on these envelopes, because. they indicate that the recipient pays the shipping costs. But the Russian Post sometimes does not send such letters, demanding to stick stamps. 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 an invoice (blank) of tax free, the store issued a “long check”. What to do?

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

How to ask the store forTaxFree in Italian?

In stores, before the seller at the checkout began to make a purchase, you must definitely say that you want to receive tax free. To do this, you can simply say: TaxFree, perfavore". You will be understood. Or say : Mi faccia il Tax Free, per favore. (Mi faccia il taxi fries, per favore).

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

Reimbursement occurs in the currency in which your credit card is opened, within 5 days from the receipt of the form in points or within three weeks from the date of receipt of the forms by mail. Important addition! Since 2015, Global Blue began to transfer the amount 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

A complete guide to tax free refunds from purchases in Italy in 2018-2019.

When leaving Italy, do not forget about the opportunity to return the “tax free”. You can do this at the return points located on the territory of the main airports, in the cities of Italy, and even upon returning to your homeland.

Tax free - what is it

"Tax-free" - a system that allows you to refund the amount of VAT included in the price of the goods for those travelers who do not live in the European Union.

What does it mean? When shopping in Italian stores, you can count on a return of a certain percentage of the amount spent on purchases.

Photo:

How much can be returned

The official tax-free rate in Italy is 22%.

But in reality, this figure can be very different.

The reason lies in the contracts that the store owner enters into with an intermediary company. As a result, the actual amount of tax free for a tourist is some 11-15%.

Minimum purchase amount

The main condition for obtaining tax free is to make purchases for a total amount of at least 155 euro.

An important nuance: be sure to complete them throughout one day in one store.
Much less often, these frameworks expand to one trading house.

Where do they give tax free

In Italy, over 18 thousand outlets provide tax free. But how do you know which store works with this system and which does not?

Pay attention to the windows and shop windows. If you see the logo of the organization Global Blue, Tax Refund or Planet (Premier Tax Free) - go boldly. Tax free is here.

Photo:

How to ask about tax free

First you need to select products. When you collect everything you wanted, go to the checkout. Tell the cashier: "Tax free, per favor"(translated: "Tax fries, please").

This must be said before the processing of your purchases begins. Remember this when the check is already “struck” for you - you will be left without “tax free”.

Documents for return tax free

Of course, you will need a passport. Without it, you will be denied a discount, since an electronic accounting system has now been introduced. It will also allow you to return tax free at major airports without a customs stamp.

In each store you need to get:

• an invoice (fattura), where the amount of your purchase will be recorded (the same as indicated on the check) and the amount for tax free (without it, customs will not be able to supply you with the necessary stamp).

In the process of issuing an invoice, your personal data is filled in by the seller. Also you can do it yourself.

Gallery of Victor Emmanuel II - one of the first arcades in Europe. Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton and other famous brands are located here Photo: Pixabay

Which organizations provide VAT refunds

Tax free companies are engaged in such organizations:

• Global Blue;
• tax refund;
• Planet (former Premier Tax Free, merged with Planet Payment in 2018).

Ways to return tax free

There are three ways to get VAT back on purchases made in Italy:

1. On the territory of the airport of Rome, Naples, Milan, Pisa, Bologna, Verona, Rimini.
2. In the city itself (before you leave the country).
3. Upon returning home through some banks.

Tax free refund at Italian airports

"Tax free" is returned at the airport before boarding the plane. Perhaps this is the easiest way. Yes, there is a chance that you will spend several hours in line. But at the same time, you do not have to rely on the work of postal services and local banks.

As a rule, VAT refund points from different operating companies are located in the common hall or in duty free. The zone for issuing cash (Global Refund) is indicated by a corresponding sign. Therefore, it will be easy to find it.

In Rome, "tax free" can be issued at Fiumicino Airport. In Milan, it is better to do it on the territory of Malpensa. These airports have introduced the OTELLO electronic system, which can eliminate the need for a customs stamp.

If the airport has an OTELLO system, the tax free procedure is as follows:

1. Fill out the VAT refund forms in advance.
2. Upon arrival at the airport, before checking in for the flight, go to the office of the organization that appears on the checks (keep them with you). Often this is Global Blue ("Global Blue"). Less often - TaxRefund ("Tax Refund").
3. Checks will be scanned at the office. If everything is in order, the OTELLO system will give a "green corridor" and cash will be given immediately. If the refund amount exceeds 3000 euros, they will be transferred to the card.
4. Got a "red corridor"? Then proceed to customs. There, the purchases will be examined, compared with checks and given a "green corridor".
5. Having received a “go-ahead” from the customs, return to the office of the organization marked on the check. There you will be given cash.

An electronic customs seal can be obtained no earlier than 5 hours before the flight departure.

At other airports, you first need to put a customs stamp:

• Get your boarding pass.
• Go to the customs office (dogana) with this ticket. Prepare your passport, checks and VAT refund forms. Do not hide goods purchased in Italy far away in your luggage. Labels, labels can not be removed from them.
• The customs officer will carefully check the purchases with checks and put a stamp.
• Find the points of the organizations "Global Blue", "Tax Refund". Present there your checks with stamps.
• Get cash or leave your bank credit card number. The entire due amount will be transferred to it within 3-5 days.

Please also note that for the cashing of each Tax Refund Check in Global Blue, a commission will be charged depending on the amount of the refund from 3 to 8 euros, if the refund amount does not exceed 800 euros, and 1% of the amount, if the refund amount is from 800 to 3000 euros. Transfer to the card is free.

If you have your checks stamped in the branded envelope that was issued with the return form, you can drop the envelope in a special box on the airport premises, or even mail it back upon return, adding the necessary stamps. In this case, the money will go to the card you specified.

Taxi free refund at Rome airports

Rome. Fiumicino airport

There are several points at Rome Fiumicino Airport where VAT can be refunded.

You can get an electronic customs stamp through the O.T.E.L.L.O system and immediately apply for tax free at the Global Blue office in Terminal 3, next to the registration desk 330. There are also return points of other operating companies.

Global Blue opening hours:
Mon-Sun: 07:00 – 22:00

Please note that the queue may be long.

There are also VAT refund points in the "clean zone" before passport control, 100 meters from the hand luggage check area. There may not be a queue at all. But here it will no longer be possible to put customs stamps if necessary.

If you got in after hours, ask the customs office to stamp you with the forms for goods issued in the store.

There are 2 customs offices in the airport building. Passengers who check in goods purchased in Italy as baggage go through the first one. There can be long lines here. However, there is a plus - purchases are examined superficially.

The second is located behind the Salvatore Ferragamo store. Here pass the "luggageless", who have only hand luggage. The queue is usually short. But get ready for the fact that things will be examined more meticulously.

Stamped documents in a branded envelope can be placed in the Global Blue mailbox near the customs office.

Rome. Ciampino Airport

From Ciampio Airport, almost all flights operate within Europe, and since there is no VAT refund for EU residents, there are no refund points at this airport either. You can put stamps at customs and issue tax free upon arrival home.

Taxi free refund at Milan airports

Milan. Malpensa airport

You can return tax free through the OTELLO electronic system in the first terminal. Global Blue offices are located at exit A - Schengen area, and on the 2nd floor at the counter of the customs control zone No. 12. Instead of a customs stamp, there is an “electronic visa”, so go straight to the operator’s office.

The first office is open from 6:30 to 23:30, the second - from 5:00 to 23:30.

You can also return VAT using the Global Blue forms in terminal No. 2, in Forexchange Maccorp exchangers. The maximum cash refund amount is 2999.50 euros per tourist, and when transferring to a card - 1500 euros from the form.

Opening hours of the exchanger in the "non-sterile zone": from 06:15 to 18:45, on Saturday until 17:45.

Opening hours of the exchanger in the "sterile zone": from 05:15 to 20:45, on Saturday until 18:45.

Planet (Premier Tax Free) recommends going to the second floor to the customs area 12 of the first terminal if the purchased goods are in the luggage you will check in, and to the "sterile area" to gate B on the first floor if you have only hand luggage.

Planet (Premier Tax Free) opening hours in the "non-sterile zone" from 05:00 to 00:00, in the "sterile zone" at gate B from 07:00 to 00:00, in the "sterile zone" at gate D09 from 5:00: 00 to 20:30.

Commission - from 3 to 11 euros, depending on the amount of the refund.

Milan. Bergamo airport

Bergamo is much smaller than Malpensa. And yet there are also 2 customs. At each of them, passengers are checked, regardless of whether they are going to check in luggage or not. The first one is right next to the registration desks.

If you do not arouse any suspicions with the customs officer, the checks will be stamped - and you will calmly receive a VAT refund. If the employee has any doubts, he will have to go through passport control in a separate customs window. And only after that checks will be stamped.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

• Check in your baggage. If the things indicated on the checks are in suitcases, do not hand them over.
• Get your boarding passes.
• Inform at the registration desk that you wish to apply for tax free.
• A customs officer will be invited to you, who will open the window and stamp the checks. Suitcases are taken immediately next door after checks are stamped.
• You can pick up tax free using the Global Blue forms at the Maccorp exchange desk. One is located in the corridor between the arrivals and departures halls (06:15 - 19:45), the second is in the "sterile zone", on the second floor, after the customs control zone, to the left of the duty free shop (05:15 - 20:45 ). There is another one in the arrivals hall, not far from the exit (07:15 - 21:45).

Milan. Linate airport

There are 2 points at Linate Airport where you can get "tax free" using the Global Blue forms:

• Maccorp Forexchange. Location - arrivals area (07:45 - 22:15).
• Maccorp Forexchange. Located in the international departures hall (05:45 – 20:45).

Planet (Premiere Tax Free) also lists one exchanger in the "sterile zone", open from 5:30 to 21:00.

The procedure for reimbursement of part of the funds spent on purchases is no different from that in Bergamo. First, the customs officer checks the goods and stamps checks. After that, presenting the latter at the point of issue of "tax free", you get cash.

Tax free return steps in Italian cities

"Tax free" can be issued before returning home. To do this, you need to contact one of the offices of intermediary companies in Rome, Milan and other cities. It makes sense to return VAT before departure if you want to spend this money on purchases.

On the streets of Italy Photo:

You need to have with you:

• product;
• invoice;
• passport;
• return ticket;
• bank credit.

After checking the checks, you will be paid the due amount, while fixing the details of your personal credit card. What is it for? After receiving the money, you must send checks with customs stamps to the postal address of the organization within 21 days. It is better to do this at the airport, before departure.

If the operating company does not receive the documents on time, both the amount issued and the fine for refusing to comply with the terms of the contract will be withdrawn from the credit card. This money will be returned to the card when the "tax free" documents are delivered. But the amount of the fine (for Global Blue - 15% of the refund amount) is not refundable.

For large purchases, tax free can be issued by the store itself, without an intermediary company, but in this case, you also need to take care of delivering checks stamped by customs officers to them. With this, you can get a maximum return percentage of 22%.

Tax free return points in Rome

The Global Blue office in Rome is located at Piazza di Spagna, 29, open from 10:00 to 19:30, except Sunday.

There is also an office at Via del Tritone, 61. It is open from 09:30 to 23:00, but the maximum refund amount here is up to 500 euros per tourist.

You can also go to the shopping centers of the largest shopping mall chain COIN for VAT refunds using the Global Blue forms. In Rome, the Global Blue counter is located at Via Cola di Rienzo 173, on the ground floor of the mall.

The Planet (Premier Tax Free) office is located on Via Gregoriana, 54, open from Monday to Friday, from 09:00 to 17:30.

In Rome, tax free return points are also located at Maccorp Forexchange currency exchange offices. In most cases, the amount of cash compensation should not exceed 500 euros. Exchangers are located at the following addresses:

• on the corner at the Trevi Fountain, Via del Lavatore 88/a (from 10:30 to 19:30, Sunday from 11:30 to 18:30);
• on the picturesque Via del Caravita 6 (from 10:30 to 19:30, on Sundays from 11:30 to 18:30), the maximum refund is 500 euros;
• opposite the Pantheon, Piazza della Rotonda 68/b (9:00 - 20:30, Sunday from 9:30 to 20:00)
• Termini railway station, area 500, agenzia 365 (from 7:15 to 21:45).

Tax free return points in Milan

There are also a number of tax free points in Milan.

Global Blue offices are located at:

• Via S.Spirito 5 (open from 10:00 to 19:30, except Sunday)
• Via Montenapoleone, 23 (open from 10:00 to 19:30, except Sundays)

There is also a pick-up point in The Brian & Barry building at Via Durini 28, on the second floor (open from 12:20 to 19:00, except Mondays), and in the Coin shopping center, Piazza 5 Giornate 1/a, on the 6th floor (open from 10:00 to 20:00, on Saturday until 20:30). In such points, the maximum cash refund amount is 500 euros.

In addition, in Milan, "tax free" is issued at the Rinascente department store on Piazza Duomo. The Global Blue return office is located there on the 6th floor. Open from 09:30 to 21:00 with a maximum cash refund of €999.50 per traveler.

The Planet organization (formerly Premier Tax Free) has settled on the famous Montenapoleone street, in building 21, at the intersection with Gesù street (10:30-19:00).

And Tax Refund company can be found here - Via Bigli, 10.

You can also issue a refund in Forexchange exchangers:

• at Piazza Duomo 17;
• at Milan Central Station on the 1st floor;
• in Galleria del Corso, 1.

VAT refund steps from purchases in Italy at home (Ukraine, Russia)

Taxi fries are also received after returning home. But we recommend leaving this option as a last resort, for example, if the office of the company indicated on your tax free forms did not work at the airport, or it simply did not exist. Please note that the tax free refund voucher is valid for no more than 3 months from the date of purchase, and the bank may not accept documents if there are 2 weeks left before its expiration date.

In Russia, there are not so many banks involved in VAT refunds. Some have had their licenses revoked (“First Czech-Russian Bank”, “Master Bank”), other banks have simply suspended the provision of this service (“VTB-24”, “SMP Bank”). From July 2, 2018, Intenza Bank also stopped making VAT refunds.

You can find out the addresses and phone numbers of bank branches in Russia, Ukraine and other countries where VAT is refunded on purchases on the official website of Global Blue global-blue.com.

In Russia in 2018, you can get a VAT refund on Global Blue vouchers in the following banks:

• "Energotransbank";
• "Lanta-Bank";
• "New Moscow Bank";

Petersburg:

• Bank "Slavia";
• "Energotransbank";
• "Lanta-Bank";

Kaliningrad

• "Energotransbank"

• Bank "Slavia"

If Planet (Premier Tax Free) is indicated on the invoice, you can try to return VAT to Domodedovo at Dom-bank exchange offices.

In Ukraine, as of September 2018, only one organization is engaged in issuing tax free - Global Blue, which cooperates only with Pravex-Bank. You can get a refund in the branches of Kyiv, Odessa, Lvov, Uzhgorod, Kharkov, Dnipro. Details on the bank's website.

Not every branch of the listed banks will be able to pay you funds. Before you go to get money, call the main office and ask for the address of the branch where you will receive "tax free", and also make an appointment if necessary.

To return tax free in a Ukrainian or Russian bank, take with you:

• citizen's passport;
• international passport;
• check for purchased goods;
• tax free voucher with obligatory customs stamp.

You can receive money on a first-come, first-served basis. The authorization process may take more than one day. In "Pravex-Bank" preliminary registration by phone is provided.

Always check the fees for cashing out each tax free voucher, and for a cashless transfer to a card.

Please note: despite the fact that the purchases were in euros, Global Blue will transfer money to the card in dollars at an unfavorable conversion rate, and you will additionally lose on converting into the national currency.

In some cases, it may be more beneficial to receive a cash refund, despite the cashing fee for each invoice, which may vary depending on the amount of the refund and the bank.

If you do not have the opportunity to return tax free through a bank branch, you can send an envelope with the necessary documents to the address of the operating company. Don't forget to stick all the necessary stamps. If you don’t have a branded envelope, for example, the store just printed out a long check in which you fill in the appropriate fields, a regular registered letter will do.

Before sending documents, always take a photo of them, and make sure that the text on the photo is legible. By numbers of forms, you can resettle the stages of processing your documents.

If you did everything correctly, you can hope for a VAT refund on the card you specified within a month after the documents are received by the operating company. In order not to waste time and not worry about delivery, try to send documents at the airport of departure abroad. Even in those small airports where there are no offices of tax free companies, there is most likely a special box in which you can put your envelope with VAT refund documents.