OT: How to get VAT return in Germany?
#1
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OT: How to get VAT return in Germany?
I know in most stores in France and England, I am given a 'VAT return' form for non-residents in a store where I've just purchased something...
I would presume it to be the same in Germany. But I was just given the receipt as the store has never heard of giving VAT returns in any forms...
So I have a couple of receipts stapled together!
Is this the proper way ? And do I just show these at the airport VAT return? Somehow it doesn't sound right....
Thx !
I would presume it to be the same in Germany. But I was just given the receipt as the store has never heard of giving VAT returns in any forms...
So I have a couple of receipts stapled together!
Is this the proper way ? And do I just show these at the airport VAT return? Somehow it doesn't sound right....
Thx !
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
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GlobalRefund
It is very easy to get VAT back for purchases made in shops which are connected to the 'GlobalRefund' system. The logo is displayed in the shop or you can ask for 'GlobalRefund Check'.
The form must be completed and stamped by the shop with the receipt stapled. You'll have to go to customs for the stamps. Then go to the GlobalRefund office at the airport and you'll get the VAT back, minus a handling fee.
Another system in Germany are the green forms "Ausfuhr- und Abnehmerbescheinigung für Umsatzsteuerzwecke bei Ausfuhren im nichtkommerziellen Reiseverkehr". Problem is that you have to 'export' the purchases and document it with a stamp from customs, but to receive the VAT, you'll have to reenter the country (e.g. on your next trip) and go to exactly the same shop where you purchased the stuff.
Hope this helps!
This should do the trick.
The form must be completed and stamped by the shop with the receipt stapled. You'll have to go to customs for the stamps. Then go to the GlobalRefund office at the airport and you'll get the VAT back, minus a handling fee.
Another system in Germany are the green forms "Ausfuhr- und Abnehmerbescheinigung für Umsatzsteuerzwecke bei Ausfuhren im nichtkommerziellen Reiseverkehr". Problem is that you have to 'export' the purchases and document it with a stamp from customs, but to receive the VAT, you'll have to reenter the country (e.g. on your next trip) and go to exactly the same shop where you purchased the stuff.
Hope this helps!
This should do the trick.
#3
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
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The vendor must issue you a MWSt return form:
http://www.zoll.de/e0_downloads/b0_v...cheinigung.pdf
which you need to get certified by German customs after you checked in for your flight outside the EU.
In MUC you need to checkin, tag your luggage to the final destination, show it to customs, get the required stamp on the required form, and then give your luggage to LH.
http://www.munich-airport.de/EN/Area...ew1/index.html
The german site is more detailed:
http://www.munich-airport.de/DE/Area...lug/index.html
The stamped form then needs to be returned to the original vendor, who will give you the cash back and claim the money back on his next VAT tax return. Some vendors wire you the money to a german bank account if you send the papers to them by mail.
The above is the correct way to get the 16/19% VAT back. German shops also have the global refund tax free check system, where you only get 10% back as the agency handles all the paperwork afterwards.
http://www.globalrefund.com/
http://www.zoll.de/e0_downloads/b0_v...cheinigung.pdf
which you need to get certified by German customs after you checked in for your flight outside the EU.
In MUC you need to checkin, tag your luggage to the final destination, show it to customs, get the required stamp on the required form, and then give your luggage to LH.
http://www.munich-airport.de/EN/Area...ew1/index.html
The german site is more detailed:
http://www.munich-airport.de/DE/Area...lug/index.html
The stamped form then needs to be returned to the original vendor, who will give you the cash back and claim the money back on his next VAT tax return. Some vendors wire you the money to a german bank account if you send the papers to them by mail.
The above is the correct way to get the 16/19% VAT back. German shops also have the global refund tax free check system, where you only get 10% back as the agency handles all the paperwork afterwards.
http://www.globalrefund.com/
#4
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Cheers, Stefan
#5
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Posts: 1,413
It is - just ask for the "tax free" forms in the store, which will very likely be the standard Global Refund checks. Seems like you had a salesperson unfamiliar with the form/procedures.
In my experience most stores in Germany will issue you VAT refund forms in one way or another, and unlike in other countries they've even done it when I've spent less than 100EUR on something.
In my experience most stores in Germany will issue you VAT refund forms in one way or another, and unlike in other countries they've even done it when I've spent less than 100EUR on something.
#7
Join Date: Oct 2004
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wow, just opened another thread and found this one!
Need Expert Help with Mehrwertsteuerrückerstattung
Hi,
i thought as this is germany related it is the right place to post it here. if not, mods please move it to the accurate forum.
well i need the help of some experts here,
i bought a Mobilephone from someone in germany, and my friend is gonna take that out of germany , so we want to get the tax back at the airport.
does anybody knows a way, or the right procedure how we can handle this?
as the person who is carrying it out of germany , is not the person on the invoice how should we lable it ?
here is the scenario
The mobile phone was bought at a Eplus shop in germany.
it was bought bei Riegel Ruedi , invoice name is riegel ruedi
he did sell the phone to me
my friend peter pan will now take the phone to china for me
now how can we get back the tax , as normally the name on the invoice has to be matching the travellings persons name.
would it be sufficient if Riegel Ruedi wrote a PRIVATRECHNUNG to me with my chinese adress and peter pan would only be the transporter who claims the tax back in "meinem auftrag" ?
i think that , if riegel ruedi sells the thing to me, it shouldnt matter if the invoice name is not matching the person who is exporting it, if there is a eidesstattliche erklaerung /or a document which is proving that it will be exported and was sold to a citizien outside of the EU ?
folks we are talking about 19% here thats 300 Euro tax back. please help.
dp
Hi,
i thought as this is germany related it is the right place to post it here. if not, mods please move it to the accurate forum.
well i need the help of some experts here,
i bought a Mobilephone from someone in germany, and my friend is gonna take that out of germany , so we want to get the tax back at the airport.
does anybody knows a way, or the right procedure how we can handle this?
as the person who is carrying it out of germany , is not the person on the invoice how should we lable it ?
here is the scenario
The mobile phone was bought at a Eplus shop in germany.
it was bought bei Riegel Ruedi , invoice name is riegel ruedi
he did sell the phone to me
my friend peter pan will now take the phone to china for me
now how can we get back the tax , as normally the name on the invoice has to be matching the travellings persons name.
would it be sufficient if Riegel Ruedi wrote a PRIVATRECHNUNG to me with my chinese adress and peter pan would only be the transporter who claims the tax back in "meinem auftrag" ?
i think that , if riegel ruedi sells the thing to me, it shouldnt matter if the invoice name is not matching the person who is exporting it, if there is a eidesstattliche erklaerung /or a document which is proving that it will be exported and was sold to a citizien outside of the EU ?
folks we are talking about 19% here thats 300 Euro tax back. please help.
dp
#8
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
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dear dp,
rr can't write an invoice for you. He has to go back to the vendor and fill the form I mentioned above. Then when he/she leaves the country he has to show the phone and his passport (that has a non EU address in it) along with the same day BP to the customs officer and get a certification of export. This cert he then carries back to the vendor to get the refund.
If he doesn't have the required passport, you need to go to the german consulate in china and get a certification from them by showing your docs.
http://www.peking.diplo.de/Vertretun...st__seite.html
Oh, BTW, you have to do this within 90days of the original purchase.
RR writing an invoice doesn't work, unless he has a USt number for his business.
rr can't write an invoice for you. He has to go back to the vendor and fill the form I mentioned above. Then when he/she leaves the country he has to show the phone and his passport (that has a non EU address in it) along with the same day BP to the customs officer and get a certification of export. This cert he then carries back to the vendor to get the refund.
If he doesn't have the required passport, you need to go to the german consulate in china and get a certification from them by showing your docs.
http://www.peking.diplo.de/Vertretun...st__seite.html
Oh, BTW, you have to do this within 90days of the original purchase.
RR writing an invoice doesn't work, unless he has a USt number for his business.
#9
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: Darth Vader of AMEX, A ladys best friend of Hilton, Pt78 of SPG, *G ,*S, ANA VIP
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well
dear dp,
rr can't write an invoice for you. He has to go back to the vendor and fill the form I mentioned above. Then when he/she leaves the country he has to show the phone and his passport (that has a non EU address in it) along with the same day BP to the customs officer and get a certification of export. This cert he then carries back to the vendor to get the refund.
If he doesn't have the required passport, you need to go to the german consulate in china and get a certification from them by showing your docs.
http://www.peking.diplo.de/Vertretun...st__seite.html
Oh, BTW, you have to do this within 90days of the original purchase.
RR writing an invoice doesn't work, unless he has a USt number for his business.
rr can't write an invoice for you. He has to go back to the vendor and fill the form I mentioned above. Then when he/she leaves the country he has to show the phone and his passport (that has a non EU address in it) along with the same day BP to the customs officer and get a certification of export. This cert he then carries back to the vendor to get the refund.
If he doesn't have the required passport, you need to go to the german consulate in china and get a certification from them by showing your docs.
http://www.peking.diplo.de/Vertretun...st__seite.html
Oh, BTW, you have to do this within 90days of the original purchase.
RR writing an invoice doesn't work, unless he has a USt number for his business.
the probem is that the person who bought is, it not exporting the item.
person A bougth it and got the invoice one month ago. it will be exported next month so within the 3 month time period.
the question is, how can this be done, i think that if person A who bought it in germany, is selling it to me, than it is a EXPORT .
if you export something than you get the tax back. person B who is bringing it to me to shanghai is just the transporter, so the question is if a tax refund is allowed even if someone else is bringing the goods out of germany.
from my other post
The mobile phone was bought at a Eplus shop in germany.
it was bought bei Riegel Ruedi , invoice name is riegel ruedi
he did sell the phone to me
my friend peter pan will now take the phone to china for me
thats the tricky part. a normal cash refund is not difficult.
hope you can help !
dp
#10
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
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VAT works on getting the refund from the government. The vendor who sold the phone sent the tax component to the government, so only he can ask it back and give you the money.
So get the MWSt form above filled out by the vendor, take it to the consulate in Shanghai and get it signed by them showing your details. There is no other way.
R Rudi would have to charge VAT to P pan when 'selling' the phone to him and get the original ePlus MWSt back from the government using his USt account. Then P pan exports and certifies it, and RR pays him the MWSt back, then submits the paperwork to the government to get the MWSt back he charged to PPan. Not possible, unless RR was already registered as GeBr/GmBh etc.
So get the MWSt form above filled out by the vendor, take it to the consulate in Shanghai and get it signed by them showing your details. There is no other way.
R Rudi would have to charge VAT to P pan when 'selling' the phone to him and get the original ePlus MWSt back from the government using his USt account. Then P pan exports and certifies it, and RR pays him the MWSt back, then submits the paperwork to the government to get the MWSt back he charged to PPan. Not possible, unless RR was already registered as GeBr/GmBh etc.
#11
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,161
To bring this to some LH like thread. All german domestic flights contain a 16-19% MWSt component if purchased/issued in Germany. Is there any way to claim exemption?
#12
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: Darth Vader of AMEX, A ladys best friend of Hilton, Pt78 of SPG, *G ,*S, ANA VIP
Posts: 3,928
yep
VAT works on getting the refund from the government. The vendor who sold the phone sent the tax component to the government, so only he can ask it back and give you the money.
So get the MWSt form above filled out by the vendor, take it to the consulate in Shanghai and get it signed by them showing your details. There is no other way.
R Rudi would have to charge VAT to P pan when 'selling' the phone to him and get the original ePlus MWSt back from the government using his USt account. Then P pan exports and certifies it, and RR pays him the MWSt back, then submits the paperwork to the government to get the MWSt back he charged to PPan. Not possible, unless RR was already registered as GeBr/GmBh etc.
So get the MWSt form above filled out by the vendor, take it to the consulate in Shanghai and get it signed by them showing your details. There is no other way.
R Rudi would have to charge VAT to P pan when 'selling' the phone to him and get the original ePlus MWSt back from the government using his USt account. Then P pan exports and certifies it, and RR pays him the MWSt back, then submits the paperwork to the government to get the MWSt back he charged to PPan. Not possible, unless RR was already registered as GeBr/GmBh etc.
he can get the MWSt form filled by the vendor no problem , can i really go to the consulate and get a stamp from there?
i mean the name on the MWSt form will still be RRs name, or can they fill it out with my name?
dp
#13
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#14
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#15
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the probem is that the person who bought is, it not exporting the item.
person A bougth it and got the invoice one month ago. it will be exported next month so within the 3 month time period.
the question is, how can this be done, i think that if person A who bought it in germany, is selling it to me, than it is a EXPORT .
if you export something than you get the tax back. person B who is bringing it to me to shanghai is just the transporter, so the question is if a tax refund is allowed even if someone else is bringing the goods out of germany.
from my other post
The mobile phone was bought at a Eplus shop in germany.
it was bought bei Riegel Ruedi , invoice name is riegel ruedi
he did sell the phone to me
my friend peter pan will now take the phone to china for me
thats the tricky part. a normal cash refund is not difficult.
hope you can help !
dp
person A bougth it and got the invoice one month ago. it will be exported next month so within the 3 month time period.
the question is, how can this be done, i think that if person A who bought it in germany, is selling it to me, than it is a EXPORT .
if you export something than you get the tax back. person B who is bringing it to me to shanghai is just the transporter, so the question is if a tax refund is allowed even if someone else is bringing the goods out of germany.
from my other post
The mobile phone was bought at a Eplus shop in germany.
it was bought bei Riegel Ruedi , invoice name is riegel ruedi
he did sell the phone to me
my friend peter pan will now take the phone to china for me
thats the tricky part. a normal cash refund is not difficult.
hope you can help !
dp