Vat refund how long does it take

If you're worried about how long it takes to get a tax refund, there are some things you can do to speed up the process. HMRC are always busier close to the self assessment tax return deadline of 31 January , and the tax credit renewals deadline of 31 July and they tend to be slower at those times.

Check our calendar of key dates and deadlines and make sure you're not caught out. We'll be able to give you an estimate of how long it will take to get your tax refund when your claim begins. Our close working relationship with HMRC means we receive regular updates on their current workload, procedures and timescales for different kinds of enquiries. There are actually lots of reasons why you might have to claim tax back from HMRC.

Most of the time, it'll be because you've been spending money in order to do your job. Travel to temporary workplaces is a common reason, but there are many more. It's not just about your expenses, either. For example, you might be owed a tax refund if:. It can also make a difference if your personal circumstances change. If you leave a job part-way through the tax year, for instance, the tax you've paid might be too high.

You might also become eligible for tax relief that you couldn't claim before. If the taxman realises that you've paid the wrong tax, he'll send you a P tax calculation to tell you. We monitor HMRC response times on a weekly basis and will keep you informed of the status of your refund throughout the process.

If you want an update at any time, just give us a call -we can sit on the phone to HMRC for you while you get on with better things! Once you've got your rebate cash, you might consider these smart tips on how to use your tax refund or perhaps you already know what you are going to use it for. Either way, it's a great feeling to claim your money back from the taxman! A payable order is one of the ways HMRC pays out tax refunds.

It's a lot like a cheque, and is either sent to you or directly to your bank. HMRC aims to send refunds out by payable order within 5 weeks, but sometimes takes a bit longer. If you get a P calculation that says you're owed tax back, you might receive a payable order for the refund along with it.

We'll then take our fee and send the rest of the money straight to you. If you've been sent a P tax calculation from HMRC, it means you've either paid too much or too little tax. What happens next depends on your situation. If you've underpaid, HMRC will explain how they'll claw the money back. In many cases, they'll take care of it automatically in installments. If they can't do that, they'll let you know what you have to do to settle up. In those cases, it'll usually involve a cheque or bank draft.

If you've paid too much tax, your P will explain what you have to do to get it back. In some cases, your tax rebate will happen automatically.

That usually takes around 2 weeks to come through. Otherwise, you might be able to claim it online. Remember, not receiving a P doesn't mean you're not owed a tax refund. All it means is the taxman doesn't know he owes you the money. Of course, with RIFT you won't need to worry about dealing with the hassle and complexity of all this. If we're already handling a travel refund claim for you, for instance, we'll take care of any other rebates you might be owed at the same time.

They must have been bought in the same shop and on the same day. At the time of purchase, the retailer will give you an VAT refund form, which must be signed by both the retailer and you.

When you leave EU territory and prior to checking your luggage, you must present both your purchases and the VAT refund form to customs. The concept of "luggage" may be extended to include the boot and the passenger compartment of the private means of transport. You must do this before the end of the third month following the month in which you made the purchase s.

If you opt for the manual procedure , French Customs will stamp and return the two sheets of your VAT refund form to you. You then send the stamped form to the retailer. You must have your VAT refund forms stamped by customs, either during your journey or at the border crossing station at the EU exit point.

You must have your VAT refund forms stamped by the customs office at the final port or road exit point in the European Union. After an inspection, the customs office of the Member State will stamp and return your forms. Retailers may also refund the VAT at the time of purchase, but this does not exempt you from carrying out the procedures described above.

In this article, you will find answers to the FAQs related to claiming a tax refund. If you have already contacted us, please find the 8-digit number of your Case ID in our first reply, and you can find the latest status of your case here. Toggle SideBar. Search for your answer Home More.

Bank letter and bank cheque. Information Title. Answer Use this field to document the answer to the question discussed in the Knowledge Article. I am sure that my form was stamped by the Customs when I left EU.

The Refund Tracker shows information based on the database of electronically validated forms. Please note that our system cannot capture the manually stamped form until we receive it by our Processing Centre. If you want to check further information, please directly contact our Customer Service. How can I get my refund? Compare shipping costs to your potential VAT refund — it may be cheaper to carry the items home with you.

Bring your paperwork and purchases, and arrive early. Assuming you left the store with your purchase, receipt, and VAT paperwork but no refund , you'll need to get the refund processed before going home. If you've bought merchandise in a European Union country, process your documents at your last stop in the EU, regardless of where you made your purchases. So if you buy sweaters in Denmark, pants in France, and shoes in Italy, and you're flying home from Greece, get your documents stamped at the airport in Athens.

If the currencies are different in the country where you made your purchase and where you process your refund — say, euros and Czech koruna — you may have to pay an extra conversion fee. And don't forget: Switzerland, Norway, and Turkey are not in the EU, so if you buy in one of those countries, get your documents stamped before you cross the border.

Be careful if you leave the EU by train. Bigger train stations handling international routes will have a customs office that can stamp your documents. But depending on your route, you may have to get off the train at the last station within the EU to get your stamp; in some cases, a customs agent might board the train.

Ask train-station staff about the customs arrangement for your particular route. Get your documents stamped at customs. At your point of departure, find the local customs office, and be prepared to stand in line.

Some customs offices are positioned before airport security; confirm the customs location before going through the security check. In smaller airports, train stations, ports, and less-trafficked border crossings, finding the right customs agent can be tough — give yourself plenty of time. At customs, an export officer will stamp your documents and may ask you to present your unused goods to verify that you are, indeed, exporting your purchase — if your purchases are inside your checked luggage, stop by customs before you check it.