Customs & Practical
Can I claim a VAT refund?
Quick answer
Non-EU visitors can reclaim VAT on purchases over 200 PLN from shops in the Tax Free scheme. Get the export confirmed at the airport on departure to claim your refund. Standard VAT is 23%.
If you live outside the EU, you can reclaim the VAT on shopping you take home, through the Tax Free for Travellers scheme. Poland's standard VAT rate is 23 percent, so on larger purchases the refund is worth claiming.
How it works
- Shop in a Tax Free store and spend at least 200 PLN with one seller on one document.
- Ask for a Tax Free document at the till, now usually issued electronically, and keep the receipt.
- Confirm the export when you leave the EU. At the airport, the electronic system registers your departure; officers can inspect the goods, so pack them where you can reach them and do not use them first.
- Get the refund back to your card or in cash, through the shop or its refund operator, within the scheme's deadlines.
Who cannot use it
Residents of EU countries are not eligible, since the goods are not leaving the EU. The scheme is for visitors whose permanent home is outside the EU.
Sources
- Tax Free: information for travellers , Ministry of Finance (PUESC)
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