Asking for VAT refund on online purchases in Europe

4/7/2016 6:37:29 PM

Unlikely

At least in the UK the retail export scheme only applies to people who either aren’t resident in the EU or in some cases is ending temporary residence AND who buy the goods in person (not mail order). It also only works if the retailer is part of the scheme.

I’m not sure what the situation is in ireland, I couldnt find any explicit prohibition on mail order when I looked for Ireland but I may have missed something. Even if there is no such provision I doubt amazon UK would participate in the Irish version of the retail export scheme.

If you are eligable for the retail export scheme I guess it may be possible to have a Buisness in Ireland buy the goods from amazon (which will give them the ability to either reclaim the VAT or not pay it in the first place) and then sell them on to you in person (which would allow the retail export scheme to be used) but I would expect the cost of setting up such an arrangement to eat up much or all of the savings.

4/7/2016 9:49:04 AM

The rules for selling online in the UK can be found on the UK Government website here; https://www.gov.uk/online-and-distance-selling-for-businesses/selling-overseas

  1. You must charge VAT to EU customers if you’d do the same for customers in the UK.
  2. If you’re selling goods to consumers and the value of the goods you sell in any EU country is above the ‘distance selling threshold’, you must register and charge VAT in that country.

Further information can be found here; https://www.gov.uk/starting-to-export/sending-goods-to-eu-countries

Basically, if you buy from the UK are in the EU then the retailer is legally required to charge you VAT at the UK rate.

4/7/2016 7:37:01 AM

No, it is not. See, you have to pay your VAT. The only refund is possible if you are NOT european, not living in europe. Then you can ask for a refund when you take the goods OUT OF EUROPE. The refund has to be processed at the customs (to make sure that yes, you do export the goods).

Amazon NEVER gets involved. You will have to reclaim the VAT either directly from the relevant tax office (Likely ireland) and/or use an agency for this.

You can get more information on the official EU website.

4/7/2016 3:20:24 AM

According to Amazon’s web site,

As a purely internet-based mail-order company, Amazon.co.uk is legally
ineligible to participate in the VAT Retail Export Scheme, which
reimburses VAT to customers when they purchase goods for personal
export outside of the EU.

See the sidebar on the same page for more information about Amazon.co.uk and various VAT issues.

Credit:stackoverflow.com‘

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Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

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