All about Tax Free in Rome: a complete guide. Tax Free shopping in Italy Premier Tax Free points in Rome

Tax Free allows shopaholics and ordinary tourists to save on purchases. Rules for receiving different countries may vary. Let's look at how to get savings at Tax Free at Fiumicino Airport in Rome and other Italian cities.

The principle of receiving Tax Free for passengers who travel

Tax Free- a system that allows travelers to save on value added tax (VAT) refunds. The tax included in the final price of the goods in each state is directed to the development of the social sphere.

The tourist takes advantage of various social programs country will not be able to, therefore has the right to a deduction.

The store where the goods are purchased must be included in the Tax Free Shopping system. The tax refund is carried out not by the retail outlet, but by the operator.

Most often, the service is purchased through Global Blue, but if you can choose an operator, give preference to the last two. This way, when you receive your refund at the airport, you will avoid long lines and tedious waiting.

You can return VAT when purchasing clothes and shoes, watches and accessories, gadgets, and jewelry. If the item was purchased online, no tax refund is available.

You can return Tax Free in Italy if the check amount is 154 euros. In this case, several goods can be included in the receipt; only the total amount matters.

In stores, when making a purchase, sellers fill out a special form - Tax free shopping check. It reflects the total purchase price, buyer details and the amount that can be refunded. To prove that you are foreign citizen, the cashier needs to show your passport.

The procedure for obtaining Tax Free using the example of Fiumicino (Rome)

You can get your tax refund when leaving Italy. Purchase receipts are valid for 3 months, you must meet this deadline.

If you do not apply for a refund within this period of time, then the checks can be thrown away, since it will not be possible to reimburse part of the VAT on them.

Returning Tax Free at Rome airport is not always easy, you need to be patient. Long lines and large crowds of people will be a real test for the human nervous system.

There are two customs offices at Fiumicino Airport. The first customs office is intended for passengers who want to apply for Tax Free and then check in their luggage.

Customs officers check the goods indicated on the receipt with the real thing. Often they simply check the presence of things; in rare cases, they can check the name of the product on the tag with the list in the receipt.

The passenger will have to put up with a long line of similar tourists who want to apply for Tax Free.

The second customs office is suitable for passengers who do not plan to check their purchases in their luggage. The line moves faster, but things are searched more thoroughly.

You can get Tax Free at Fiumicino Airport in the following order:

If purchases on which you would like a tax refund will be checked as luggage, please go to the check-in counter. Tell the employee that you want to apply for Tax Free. Get your boarding pass, but don't check your luggage yet.
Together with your luggage you go to the customs point.
The customs officer checks the correspondence of the list on the check with the real things. It is advisable to keep your purchases on the surface of your suitcase or bag so as not to waste time looking for them.
If the check is successful, the customs officer will stamp the checks. Certified documents must be taken to the Tax Free operator.
Present receipts at the operator's point. Money can be issued in cash immediately or transferred to a card. Transfer to card may take up to 5 days. If the issue is carried out on a card, save the document that the operator will issue. If for some reason the money is not received within the specified period, you need to contact the Tax Free operator by phone.

Important! Arrive at the airport in advance to have time to complete all the necessary procedures and catch your flight. Receiving Tax Free may take 1.5-2 hours. If you don’t check your purchases as luggage, you will be able to leave early.

Is the procedure different at other airports in Italy?

Receiving Tax Free at other airports is approximately the same as in Rome. Venice has a small airport, so the queue is not that long. You can pick up the money after passport control.

There are two customs offices in Bergamo. All passengers go through first customs, regardless of whether they check in luggage. Things are checked thoroughly. If the check was successful, you can collect the money before going through passport control.

In Bologna, customs is located in the arrivals area. First you need to check in for your flight, and then go through the entire airport to customs. You can get Tax Free at a currency exchange kiosk. The kiosk operates during the day, so if you are on a night flight, you will have to receive the money while at home.

You won't be able to get Tax Free cash at Naples Airport. Funds are transferred to the card. After registration and customs clearance, the passenger is directed to the cashier window, where an employee will affix the necessary stamps.

Are there any difficulties in obtaining Tax Free?

Although the procedure is simple, sometimes complications arise. You can't get a refund for all product categories. For example, when purchasing precious stones tax is not refundable. You can find out the list of things on which you can return VAT in stores or from Tax Free operators.

It is also important to respect the deadline during which part of the VAT can be refunded. Applications made later than 3 months will not be considered and you will not be able to receive money.

Many travelers know that when shopping, you can save a little and get some back cash spent on purchases abroad. Tax Free refund provides for VAT refund on goods exported outside the country where they were purchased. However, the procedure for registering and receiving money directly upon leaving the country is associated with a cost of time, nerves and vitality. You can return tax on purchases before your departure and use the funds received again by contacting the office of one of three intermediary companies - Global Blue, Tax Refund S.p.a or Premier Tax Free, located in the very center of Rome.

Tax Refund S.p.a return points in Rome

Best and Fast

Via Nazionale,19
Opening days: daily, from 07.45 to 21.00

Korea Lottecard

Piazza di Spagna,80. Opening days: daily, from 09.30 to 20.00
Piazza di Spagna,38. Working days: Monday-Friday from 09.00 to 17.30, Saturday – until 12.30.
Via Lazio,10. Working days: Monday-Friday from 09.30 to 19.00, Saturday – until 13.00.

What else you need to know when returning Tax Free

1. The basic standard rate of Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto (IVA), that is, value added tax, in Italy is 22%. But for some product groups it may differ:

textiles, leather clothing, jewelry, sunglasses, glassware, wine and other alcohol – 22%;
meat products, cheeses and other food products – 10%;
various herbs such as basil, oregano or sage - 5%;
dairy products, bread, vegetables and fruits, prescription glasses – 4%.

2. Goods purchased in the countries of the European Union must be exported outside of the European Union no later than 3 months from the date of purchase recorded in the sales receipt of the store where it was purchased.

3. On the special form received along with the store receipt - fattura (Tax Free Shopping Check), the price of the product must be indicated, as well as the amount to be reimbursed. In addition, passport data must be entered in the appropriate fields - document number, full name. and the bearer's home address.

4. When passing through customs control, you will need to present the purchased goods (in the original packaging, unused), a receipt from the store and a completed invoice form. The customs officer must put an appropriate stamp on it, thereby certifying that all formalities have been completed and the goods are properly processed for export.

5. It is important to take into account that the customs stamp on purchased goods must be affixed only before leaving the EU countries. In other words, if the journey continues in the EU zone or you are planning to have a transfer there, the customs clearance mark is affixed in the last country.

6. After passing through customs, it is recommended to immediately send the store receipt and stamped invoice by mail, placing the documents in a branded postal envelope issued in the store when registering Tax Free. Mailboxes can be easily found by contacting the airport terminal staff. Documents can also be sent from your permanent place of residence, but in this case you will have to pay extra as for international postal item. It is worth considering that the tax form must be delivered to the company’s office within 21 days, counting from the date of affixing the customs stamp.

We hope that the above recommendations will greatly facilitate the return of Tax Free and make shopping in Rome much more profitable and enjoyable. At the very least, this way you can avoid long queues when refunding money at airports and save time. We will tell you how to get Tax Free directly at airports upon departure in our next article.

System Tax free in Rome implies a benefit for tourists in the form of reimbursement of a certain percentage of the amount that was spent on. More precisely, tax-free is a procedure for refunding DS tax on goods exported outside the country within whose borders the transaction took place. Not only in Rome, but also in other cities this procedure requires travelers to waste time and nerves. Return the required part of the money before departure from Eternal City and the companies Global Blue, Tax Refund S.p.a help to use the proceeds. and Premier Tax Free.

With the help of intermediaries, it is possible to significantly simplify tax free, but the tourist should understand that the operation can only be carried out with those with whom the intermediary companies have entered into a special agreement. As a rule, visitors to the city learn about the right to return interest from the logo of the partner organization operating in Rome, located on the front door.

In order to appreciate the beauty of the tax-free system in Italy, a tourist needs to spend an amount of 155 euros. It doesn’t matter what product is purchased, intermediaries in Rome are interested in other nuances: they check whether the purchases were made in the same shopping center or during the same day.

Tax free in Rome can be issued at the request of the client during the payment process at the checkout. In addition to the check, the buyer receives fattura. This document contains information about the total amount and the amount planned for reimbursement through tax free. When buying branded items or parting with a large sum, providing information from your passport is a must in Rome.

In order to use tax free in Rome by visiting one of the offices of the selected intermediary company, you need to have a whole package of documents with you:

goods purchased in Rome in original packaging that have not been used;
receipt received at the store;
fattura;
international passport;
credit card;
ticket to reverse direction with a fixed departure date from Rome.

Buyers do not have the opportunity to appreciate the benefits of tax free without using their own credit card. It is a guarantee for the company, which helps to return a percentage of the transaction in case the export of goods from Rome occurs improperly. An example is the absence of a customs stamp on the invoice or the return of official paper to the company’s office late. In such a development, the tax free amount is debited from the card and another 15% on top is the debit payment (cannot be disputed or refunded).

Global Blue Tax Free locations in Rome

Glodal Blue Lounge Roma

Piazza di Spagna, 29

Schedule: Monday to Saturday (10:00-19:30).
Maximum return to the card within the tax-free system: 14999.50 euros.
Tax free cash refund limit: 2999.50.

If the transaction is carried out in cash, the intermediary company in Rome will charge an additional fee, determined taking into account the purchase amount:

no more than 25 € – 3 euros;
25-80€ – 4 euros;
80-500€ – 5 euros;
500-2999.50€ – 1% of the refund amount.

There is no fee when returning tax free in Rome to your card.

Maccorp Forexchange

Via del Lavator, 88/a;
Via del Caravita, 6;
Piazza Rotunda, 68/b – taxi free in Rome, right opposite the Pantheon.

Schedule: Monday to Saturday (10:30-19:30); on Sundays (11:30-18:30).

Via Cola di Rienzo, 173, ground floor

Schedule: Monday to Saturday (10:00-20:00); on Sundays (10:30-20:00).

The amount limit for one buyer in Rome is 500 euros. When receiving interest in cash, each submitted tax free form is paid (3 euros).
Shopping at Castel Romano Designer Outlet - a chance to travel from Rome for 15 euros!

Premier Tax Free locations in Rome

Forexchange

Termini Station, Piazza dei Cinquecento

Tax free office in Rome next to the station premises. Available any day of the week from 07:00 to 20:00.

Forexchange

Via del Caravita, 6

Schedule in Rome: Monday to Saturday (10:30-19:30); on Sundays (11:30-18:30).

Premier tax free

Via Gregoriana, 54

Schedule: Monday to Friday (09:00-18:00).

Best and Fast

Via Nazionale, 19

Available any day of the week from 07:45 to 21:00.

Korea Lottecard

Plaza de España, 80. Available any day of the week from 09:30 to 20:00.

Plaza de España, 38. Open Monday to Friday (09:00-17:30); on Saturday closing is set at 12.30.

Via Lazio, 10. Open Monday to Friday (09:30-19:00), closing on Saturday at 13:00.

1. The standard DS tax in Rome and other Italian cities is exactly 22%. The value may differ depending on the product group:

alcoholic beverages, jewelry, glass products, leather
clothing, textiles, sunglasses – 22%;
cheeses, meat products – 10%
herbs, including sage, oregano and basil - 5%;
dairy products, vegetables, bread, fruits and prescription glasses – 4%.

2. If you purchase goods in EU countries, tax free rules state that you need to export them no later than three months from the date indicated on the receipt.

3. The fattura form required for tax free contains the amount spent and the total amount payable for goods purchased in Rome. There are special fields for entering passport data, home address, and full name.

4. To implement tax free, the buyer must show customs officers all goods purchased in Rome (packaging must be original, use is prohibited), fattura and receipt. Having received the documents, employees affix a stamp indicating compliance with the formalities.

5. Placing a customs stamp is an operation performed when leaving the territory of the EU countries. If you are planning a trip from Rome to cities in states that are members of the European Union, the mark is placed in the last of them.

6. After customs control was successfully completed in Rome, it is recommended to send a check and stamped invoice by mail. The documents are placed in an envelope issued by store employees during the tax free registration process. You have the right to submit documents to Rome from your permanent place of residence, but there is an additional fee. When using tax free, it is important to deliver the form to the office within 21 days.

Italy grants all tourists who are not residents of Eurozone countries 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 don't see them, don't hesitate to ask the seller if they issue TAX FREE.

make purchases with one receipt for an amount of at least 154.94 euros. If you were unable to pay for all your purchases with one check, then when making several purchases on the same day in one store, you can add up all the checks to create the minimum amount above.

Registration of TAX FREE:

At the checkout, using your passport, the seller will issue you a TAX FREE check. Please carefully check that your information is correct: last name, first name, country of residence, address and passport number.

It is important to remember that the TAX FREE check 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-mentioned companies located in the center of Rome. You must have with you: receipts for purchases, a passport, the purchases themselves unpacked with all tags and price tags, return ticket. They will fill out the paperwork and give you the money. When leaving the country at the airport, you will need to stamp previously issued checks at the customs point (Dogan in Italian) and present your purchases.

Addresses of TAX FREE Global Blue points in Rome:

ACCORD 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 No. 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 issuing points.

The procedure for obtaining TAX FREE is as follows:

go to the passenger check-in counter and take your boarding pass, tell the woman at the counter that you want to get TAX FREE, she shows you where the customs point is (DOGANA in Italian).
after receiving boarding pass you take your luggage and approach the customs point. Things for which you want a tax refund need to be prepared in advance so as not to waste time. Do not remove tags and price tags from them, and it is better not to unpack them.
The customs officer, at his discretion, may ask you to present all purchases according to the receipts provided. If there are no questions, he will stamp your checks.
with stamped checks, you go to Global Blue TAX FREE, TAX REFUND or PREMIER tax free points, where you can receive money in cash immediately or on bank card within 3-5 working days. I advise you to keep the papers that the customs officer gives you until the money is transferred to your card. If the money does not arrive, you will need to call the phone number indicated on the papers to obtain information.

Customs (DOGANA) at Fiumicino Airport are:

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

TAX FREE Global Blue points at Fiumicino Airport are located:

Global Blue Italia srl. Terminal 3, next to registration desk 326. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 09.00-21.00. TAX FREE refund to credit card only.
Global Blue Italia srl. Terminal 3 - Gate 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

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

Features of receiving Tax free

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

To return Tax Free to Rimen you need to:

make purchases in one store for an amount exceeding 154.94 euros, and 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 a certain refund amount will be issued at Fiumicino airport or a special office.

In order to have time to issue a refund, you need to provide enough time before departure; you will need to leave the hotel an hour earlier.

Ways to get Tax free

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

Through companies

The above-mentioned 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;
receipts for goods;
international passport;
return ticket.

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

Global Blue

The office is located in Piazza di Spagna. Reception hours are from 10.00 to 19.30, closed on Sunday. The largest refund amount is 2999.50 euros in cash and 14999 as a transfer to a credit card.

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

Premier Tax Free

There is a return point at City Refund, you need to have it with you credit cards such as Amex, MasterCard and Visa. Electronic and debit cards are not accepted, cash can be issued, but a fee is charged. Then you will need to receive a customs stamp, which serves as 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, then full amount return, as well as additional return costs, will be charged to the credit card.

Registration at the airport

If you decide to apply for Tax Free just before departure, you need to take into account that there is always a large queue in front of the delivery points. To receive a VAT refund at Rome airport you need to go through several steps:

First obtain a special invoice from the store where the purchases were made, when filling it out you will need to indicate your address, the amount of compensation and passport details. You can fill out this form yourself or entrust this matter to the seller, the main thing is that it contains the buyer’s signature.
After the cashier issues your boarding pass, you should ask him where the customs point is located to receive Tax Free.
The customs officer stamps all receipts presented, and if he requests it, you will need to present all purchases with tags, which in no case should be torn off or cut off. If a tourist travels further across the EU countries, then the stamp on the invoices is placed in the one from which he will return home.
The completed papers must be taken to the selected company and received Tax free in the form of cash or by transfer to a card; in the second case, they can take from 3 to 5 days. Until receipt of credits, all completed documents must be kept, if suddenly the refund 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. If the Cash refund point is closed or is not available at the airport, you can send completed forms to his address, not forgetting to enter your credit card number in them.

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