What is VAT refund for tourists?

A VAT, or Value Added Tax, refund in Europe is fairly similar to a tax-free holiday in the States, except it's only available to foreign tourists. A VAT is a surplus charge, often in excess of 25% of the total purchase that is added to most sales in countries inside of the European Union.



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Spending on food and hotels often isn't eligible for VAT refunds. You usually have to be a visitor to get a VAT refund. The address on your passport matters here. You might qualify as a visitor if you're living in the country temporarily but have a permanent home somewhere else.

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For an immediate VAT refund, you should present all your documents at the tax refund desk at the airport, the port or the train station from which you are departing. Otherwise, you must send the documents by post to a tax refund office such as Detaxe SAS, Global Blue France or Detaxe.com.

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The United States Government does not refund sales tax to foreign visitors. Sales tax charged in the United States is paid to individual states, not the Federal government - the same way that Value Added Tax (VAT) is paid in many countries.

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To get paid, either take your approved form to the VAT refund desk at the airport, or send it to the retailer or refund provider with evidence of where you're travelling to.

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