Return of Tax Free in Rome - how to make shopping more profitable. Taxi fries in Rome: a complete guide Where to get taxi fries in Rome

Italy is one of the most popular tourist destinations, including for shopping. The European tax free system allows tourists from Russia to return part of the cost of goods purchased in stores included in the TAX FREE SHOPPING system. The refundable amount depends on the value added tax (VAT) rate included in the price of the purchased item. VAT rates are set independently by each country and may vary depending on the type of goods (food, books, household appliances, etc.).

In Italy, the standard VAT rate is 22%. But this does not mean that you will receive a tax free refund of 22% of the purchase price. The VAT rate is set to the value of the goods without VAT. For example, a factory has set the price for a dress at 100 euros. When selling, value added tax is added to this price at the rate set by the state, in this case 22 euros. If we calculate the share of VAT (22 euros) in the total price (122 euros), then it will be 18%.

Do not forget that tax free operators (Global Blue and other intermediaries) withhold a commission from this amount to finance their activities. The larger the amount of purchases, the lower the share of the commission charged. There may also be fees for the return of tax free in cash, and if the issuance is not in euros (for example, in dollars due to the lack of euros), then for currency conversion.

The maximum tax free refund percentage a tourist can receive is 15.5%. In addition, there are groups of goods for which VAT rates are much lower. For example, for food products the VAT rate is from 4% to 10%. For some goods, there is no tax refund at all (cars, gasoline).

The official website of Global Blue has a calculator that will show the amount of the refund, depending on the total cost of purchases.

The minimum amount for a tax free refund in Italy is purchases of at least €154.94 in one day in one store.

Registration of tax free in the store

Shops included in the tax free system can be recognized by the corresponding signs with the tax free logo at the entrance (see photo above). To use the VAT refund, you must ask the seller (cashier) to fill out a special check (form) tax free and present your passport. An example of filling out the form is shown.

In large supermarkets, a separate office is usually created to issue such checks (forms).

The form contains the passport number, name, credit card number, if it is planned to return by bank transfer, and other necessary information (see sample).

Purchased goods are indicated either in the form or in a separate invoice, which in this case is attached to the form. All cash receipts are also attached to the form. Carefully check the correctness of filling in the data, as due to errors, problems may arise when obtaining a customs stamp and tax refund.

Issuance and return of tax free at Rimini airport

A prerequisite for receiving a tax refund by a tourist is the presence of a customs stamp in the tax free forms, confirming the fact that goods have been exported outside of Italy. To obtain a mark to the customs service, you must present:

· Fully completed tax-free forms and all sales receipts for goods for which you want to receive a tax refund.

· Purchased goods in their original packaging and without signs of use.

· Personal passport.

· Travel documents (boarding pass or ticket printout).

The sequence of actions depends on whether you are transporting checked-out purchases in hand baggage or in checked baggage.

If purchases are in checked baggage, you need to get customs marks in the tax free forms before visiting the check-in counters for the flight. The customs service office is located on the first floor of the airport to the left of the check-in desks for flights (when viewed from the main entrance). You can recognize it by the sign: "Check-in tax-free" (pictured below).

After receiving the customs stamp, you can go to the check-in desk to check in your luggage and check in for the flight, if you have not already done so through online check-in.

Then you need to go to the inspection area at the sign "Security Check" (to the left of the main entrance), from where you get to passport control.

If purchases are in hand luggage, like all air passengers, you should first go to the check-in counters to receive a boarding pass and check in your luggage, then to the security check area at the “Security Check” sign (to the left of the main entrance), and to passport control.

At the passport control on the wall you can see an inconspicuous announcement with the following content:

“TAX FREE is located after passport control on the first floor. First you go up to the second floor and then go down again to the first one along the stairs located near the bar. You go up the same stairs to the second floor for landing.

We explain the meaning of this announcement. Having risen after passport control to the second floor by stairs or by elevator, in the departure hall you need to go around the store located in the center of the hall on the left. Diagonally from the entrance to the hall is the bar mentioned in the ad, and opposite it is a staircase and an escalator leading to the first floor (pictured below).

Going down to the first floor, to the right of the stairs you will see the customs office for passengers carrying purchases in hand luggage (pictured below).

Customs control at Rimini airport

For doubters, a note is attached to the glass: “Customs control. Passengers with carry-on baggage must be stamped to receive TAX FREE.”

As in the case of purchases in luggage, customs officers are presented with tax free forms with original cash receipts, purchases in the manufacturer's packaging, personal passport and travel documents.

Only after receiving a customs stamp can you apply for a VAT refund.

VAT refund (VAT refund) at Rimini airport

Reimbursement under the tax free forms of the Global Blue operator (blue) is carried out at the office on the ground floor, located next to the customs control point for hand luggage (pictured below).

VAT refund at Rimini airport (1st floor)

Show the customs stamped form and let us know if you would like your refund to be cash or credit card.

When refunding in cash, the amount should not exceed 3000 EUR, and for each form, depending on the amount of the refund, an additional fee of 3 to 8 EUR is taken. For the amount of compensation more than 800 EUR, the commission will be 1%.

When returning to a credit card, this fee is not charged, and the maximum refund amount is increased to 5000 EUR.

If you don't have time to queue for a return, use the Global Blue prepaid envelope you received in store with the form. Enclose the form in an envelope and drop it into the blue mailbox located next to the Global Blue office (shown with a red arrow in the photo).

There are two more fallback options for getting a refund. In large cities of Russia, several banks issue VAT refunds for foreign purchases, the addresses of which are given.

In addition, the tax free form can be mailed back home. In this case, do not forget to stick postage stamps, as the envelope is prepaid only for Italy, and the Russian post will return your letter to you.

If there is no special envelope, the form is sealed in a regular envelope, on which stamps are glued and the address of the corresponding operator is indicated. For Global Blue, for example: Global Blue, P.O. BOX 363, 81000 Bratislava, Slovakia

Check that the credit card number, home address, and name are correct and legible (they must be written in capital letters).

Another TAX REFUND operator is located on the second floor of the airport to the right of the entrance to the departure hall.

VAT refund at Rimini airport (2nd floor)

The procedure there is similar to the one described above.

Another option to save money on shopping is to purchase goods in duty-free shops in the Republic of San Marino, the distance to the border with which is less than ten kilometers. In addition to economical shopping, very interesting sights and the atmosphere of the Middle Ages are waiting for you there.

Read more about attractions and how to get there in the articles:

If you are just planning your holiday in Rimini, we recommend choosing a hotel in the Marina Centro area, as the main attractions of this ancient city are within walking distance. You can see the prices and location of hotels on the map below.

Leaving Italy, many tourists bring with them not only small souvenirs, but also significantly replenish their wardrobe or purchase expensive interior items. They should know that in this country there is a VAT refund system, which is levied on various goods. Tax Free in Rome is returned from the amount of purchases made by non-residents of Italy.

Features of obtaining Tax free

The system under consideration involves a return of 4 to 22% of the total purchase amount, the specified amount varies depending on the commission of the selected Tax Free operator and the amount of VAT. Legal entities can also use this service, while the amount of the refund will be charged from the funds spent on business trips abroad.

To return Tax free to Rimen you need:

make purchases in one store for an amount exceeding 154.94 euros, while they must be paid with one check;
when choosing a store, make sure that its windows have logos of companies such as Global Blue, Premier and Refund. Then you can definitely count on Tax Free;
after making a purchase, issue a special form, upon presentation of which, at Fiumicino Airport or a special office, a certain refund amount will be issued.

In order to have time to issue a refund, it is necessary to provide a margin of time before departure, you will need to leave the hotel an hour earlier.

Ways to get Tax Free

There are two options for refunding VAT on purchases: directly on the day of departure and in advance.

Through companies

The above companies are all located in the center of Rome, in order to process a return to their office, you need to bring:

unpacked purchases with price tags;
checks for goods;
international passport;
return ticket.

After checking all the accompanying documents, buyers are given money. When you need to leave, at the airport you should stamp the checks issued by the company at the customs office and provide your purchases.

global blue

The office is located in Piazza di Spagna. Reception hours from 10.00 to 19.30, Sunday is a day off. The largest refund amount is 2999.50 euros in cash and 14999 in the form of a transfer to a credit card.

Despite the fact that we were talking about a 22% refund, in most cases the VAT refund after purchases will be much less, almost half, since a certain amount goes to remuneration to the intermediary. The exact amount of the refund will depend on the value of the purchases, if they are expensive, then the percentage will be lower.

Premier Tax Free

A return point is available at City Refund, you need to have credit cards such as Amex, MasterCard and Visa with you. Electronic and debit cards are not accepted, cash can be issued, but a commission is charged from them. Then you will need to get a customs mark, which acts as a confirmation of the export of the purchased goods, the received form must be returned to the Premier Tax Free office within 21 days.

If this is not done, the full amount of the refund, as well as additional costs for the return of funds, will be charged to the credit card.

Registration at the airport

Having decided to issue Tax Free just before departure, you need to take into account that a large queue constantly accumulates in front of the points of issue. To get a VAT refund at Rome airport, you need to go through several stages:

Pre-obtain a special invoice from the store where the purchases were made, when filling out which you will need to indicate your address, the amount of the refund and passport data. You can fill out such a form yourself or entrust this matter to the seller, as long as it contains the buyer's signature.
After the boarding pass is issued by the cashier, you should ask him where the customs office is located to receive Tax Free.
The customs officer stamps all checks presented, and if he requests, all purchases with tags must be presented, which in no case can be torn off or cut off. If a tourist travels further in the EU countries, then the stamp on the invoices is placed in the one from which he will return home.
The issued papers must be taken to the selected company and receive Tax free in the form of cash or by transfer to the card, in the second case they can take from 3 to 5 days. Until receipt of transfers, all completed documents must be kept, if suddenly the return is not transferred during this time, then it will be possible to obtain information about the reasons by calling the phone number indicated on these papers. In the event of the closure of the Cash refund point or its absence at the airport, it will be possible to send the completed forms to his address, without forgetting to enter your credit card number in them.

The detailed options for obtaining Tax Free make it possible to make a choice in favor of a more optimal method. The final amount will be slightly less than the VAT charged on the item, as it will be subject to a processing fee and possibly a cash refund fee.

All tourists who are not residents of the Eurozone countries, Italy provides the right to receive TAX FREE. You can use this service if:

make a purchase in stores where you will see company logos on the windows: Global Blue TAX FREE (the most popular), TAX REFUND or PREMIER tax free. If you do not see them, do not hesitate to ask the seller if they issue TAX FREE.

make purchases with a single check for at least 154.94 euros. If you failed to pay for all purchases with one check, then when making several purchases on the same day in one store, you can add all checks to make up the minimum amount above.

Registration of TAX FREE:

At the checkout according to your passport, the seller will issue you a TAX FREE check. Carefully check if your details are correct: last name, first name, country of residence, address and passport number.

It is important to remember that the check for TAX FREE is valid only for 3 months!!!

Return TAX FREE:

METHOD #1: a tourist can return TAX FREE without waiting for the day of departure from the country at one of the offices of the above companies located in the center of Rome. You must have with you: checks for purchases, a passport, the purchases themselves in an unpacked form with all tags and price tags, a return ticket. The paperwork will be filled out and the money will be given to you. When leaving the country at the airport, you will need to stamp the previously issued checks at the customs office (in Italian Dogana) and present your purchases.

Addresses of points TAX FREE Global Blue in Rome:

ACCORP FOREXCHANGE. Via del Lavatore 88/a. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10.30-19.30, Sun 11.30-18.30. The maximum refund is 500 euros.
MACCORP FOREXCHANGE. Via del Caravita 6. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10.30-19.30, Sun 11.30-18.30.
MACCORP FOREXCHANGE. Piazza della Rotonda 68/b. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9.00-20.30, Sun 9.30-20.00.

Addresses of TAX REFUND points in Rome:

Best and Fast. Via Nazionale, 19. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7.45-21.00.
ROMA Via Veneto. Via Lazio, 10. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9.30-19.00, Sat 9.30-13.00, Sun closed.
ROME Piazza di Spagna. Piazza di Spagna, 38. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9.00-17.30, Sat 9.00-12.30, Sun closed.
ROME Piazza di Spagna. Piazza di Spagna, 80. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 9.30-20.00.

Addresses of PREMIER Tax Free points in Rome:

Premier Tax Free. Via Gregoriana, 54. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9.00-18.00.
Forexchange. Via della Conciliazone, 43/A. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 8.30-20.00.
Forexchange. Termini Train Station, opposite platform 4. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7.00-20.00.
Forexchange. Via del Caravita, 6. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 9.00-20.00.
Bank of China. Via Barberini, 97/103. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8.45-16.00.

METHOD #2. TAX FREE can be returned at Fiumicino Airport (Aeroporto nazionale Leonardo da Vinci Fiumiccino). In this case, I advise you to arrive early, because very often there is a long queue at the TAX FREE pick-up points.

The procedure for obtaining TAX FREE is as follows:

go to the passenger check-in desk and take your boarding pass, tell the woman at the desk that you want to get TAX FREE, she shows you where the customs office is located (DOGANA in Italian).
after receiving your boarding pass, you take your luggage and go to the customs office. Things for which you want to return the tax, you need to prepare in advance so as not to waste time. Do not remove tags and price tags from them and do not unpack them.
the customs officer, at his discretion, may ask you to present all purchases according to the presented checks. If there are no questions, he will put a stamp on your checks.
with stamped checks, you go to the Global Blue TAX FREE, TAX REFUND or PREMIER tax free points, where you can receive money in cash immediately or on a bank card within 3-5 business days. I advise you, until the transfer of money to your card, keep the papers that the customs officer will give you. If the money does not come, you will need to call back the number indicated on the papers to obtain information.

Customs (DOGANA) at Fiumicino Airport are located:

in the center of the first floor. After passing through this customs, upon presentation of your boarding pass, you check in your luggage,
in the center of the hall behind passport control. For orientation: pass the Salvatore Ferragamo boutique, then the bar, on the right you will see the TAX FREE pick-up points of all the above companies, behind them there is a customs point. After passing through this customs, you pick up your things in the cabin of the aircraft.

TAX FREE Global Blue points at Fiumicino Airport are located:

Global Blue Italia srl. Terminal 3, next to check-in desk 326. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 09.00-21.00. TAX FREE refund to credit card only.
Global Blue Italia srl. Terminal 3 - Exit H1 (non-Schengen area). Opening hours: Mon-Sun 07.00-22.00. The maximum refund is 999.50 euros.
Global Blue Italia srl. Terminal 5. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 07.00-12.00. The maximum refund is 999.50 euros.

TAX REFUND points at Fiumicino Airport are located:

Terminal 3 (Check-in Area). Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7.00-22.00.
Terminal 3 (Departures Area). Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7.00-22.00.
Gate C20 (Departures Area). Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7.00-22.00.

PREMIER Tax Free points at the airport are located:

Terminal 3 - Gate H1. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7.00-22.00.
Terminal 5. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 7.30-24.00.

Natalia Markhinina

Refunds begin in-store when you make a purchase. If you make a one-time purchase in the same store for an amount equal to or greater than 155 euro, then you can ask at the checkout to issue you documents for Tax Free (not all stores do this, but it never hurts to ask!). Those documents must contain your name, surname, passport details, credit card number (in case you want the money to be returned to your account). Not all stores fill this out, so you can fill in all the details later with a pen yourself.
Shopping is over, it's time for you to fly home...
In theory, if you are flying home with a transfer in another European country, then the TAX FREE refund should be received there, but practice shows that everything can be done in Rome. We tell you how!
The action takes place in Terminal 3 of Fiumicino Airport.
The first thing you need to understand: are you checking in your purchases in luggage or are they traveling with you in hand luggage!

Do you want to check in your purchases?

It is necessary to break all purchased items into suitcases (items must be labeled and unworn)
Next, we check in for the flight (if you checked in online, you still need to go to the airline’s counter and check in your luggage). At check-in, please state that you have TAX FREE goods in your suitcase. Your baggage will be checked in and returned to you.
WITH checked baggage you need to go to the DOGANA or CUSTOM counter, where the border guards will look at your purchases and, if everything is in order, they will stamp you on the documents that the store has made for you
After the stamps are set, luggage with purchases can be checked in
If you want to get money by transferring money to a card, then at the exit from the border guards, there is a small TAX REFUND booth, a pretty Russian-speaking girl was sitting there, who looked through documents with stamps in 3 minutes, asked for a credit card and that's it! Approximately 2 weeks later, the money comes to the account. If you want to receive money in cash, then after the border guards you need to go through all the controls, and then follow the TAX REFUND sign (which is located in zone H and is open from 7 to 22) and present documents with stamps there. The money will be returned to you immediately in cash.

Your purchases will fly with you in hand luggage

You check in, check in your luggage.
Pass all controls.
Follow the signs for Tax Refund
There, first you need to go to the booth with the inscription DOGANA or CUSTOM and demonstrate your purchases and documents for TAX FREE issued by the store. The customs officer checks everything with a serious look, puts a seal.
With documents with stamps, go to the next window and decide whether you want to receive money in cash or on a card. Everything, there is happiness!

The procedure is actually not as complicated as it might seem at first glance.

Tax free can be obtained in the city itself.

Global Blue Italia srl

Terminal 3, boarding area, check-in counter 326, Leonardo da Vinci, 00050 Fiumicino

Opening hours:

Mon-Fri: 07.00-22.00

Sat: 07.00-22.00

Sun: 07.00-22.00

Note:

0 - 25.00 EUR - 3 EUR

25.01 - 80.00 EUR - 4 EUR

80.01 - 150.00 EUR - 5 EUR

150.01 - 800.00 EUR - 8 EUR

Note: Alipay box is available

Note: At Fiumicino Airport (Terminal 3), you can get an electronic customs stamp through the OTELLO system directly at the Global Blue Return Office. To obtain an electronic customs seal, you must provide Global Blue employees with the purchased goods, passport and plane ticket (boarding pass). Keep in mind that the electronic customs seal can be received no earlier than 5 hours before flight departure.

Note: The following payment methods are available: Alipay wallet, Wechat wallet and CUP wallet.

Global Blue Italia srl

Terminal 3, departures, terminal "E" - after passport control, Leonardo da Vinci, 00050 Fiumicino

Opening hours:

Mon-Fri: 07.00-22.00

Sat: 07.00-22.00

Sun: 07.00-22.00

Note: The maximum amount to receive a cash refund is 1500 EUR / Tax Free form.

Note: The maximum amount for receiving a refund on a credit card is 4999.50 EUR / Tax Free Form

Note: Any Global Blue Tax Free forms are accepted.

Note: Subject to cash refund, a fee per "form" will apply. There is no charge if you receive a refund on a credit card. The amount of the fee charged depends on the amount of the refund.

0 - 25.00 EUR - 3 EUR

25.01 - 80.00 EUR - 4 EUR

80.01 - 150.00 EUR - 5 EUR

150.01 - 800.00 EUR - 8 EUR

800.01 - 2999.50 EUR - 1% of the reimbursement amount

Note: Alipay box is available.

Note: At Fiumicino Airport (Terminal 3), you can get an electronic customs stamp through the OTELLO system directly at the Global Blue Return Office. To obtain an electronic customs seal, you must provide Global Blue employees with the purchased goods, passport and plane ticket (boarding pass). Keep in mind that the electronic customs seal can be obtained no earlier than 5 hours before the flight departure.

Note: Reimbursement can be made to Alipay credit cards. Provide Alipay barcode for scanning. The refund will be transferred instantly.

The following payment methods are available: Alipay wallet, Wechat wallet and CUP wallet.