Tax Free allows shopaholics and ordinary tourists to save on purchases. Rules for receiving in different countries may differ. Let's consider how to get savings in Tax Free at Fiumicino airport in Rome and other cities in Italy.
The principle of obtaining Tax Free for passengers traveling
Tax Free - a system that allows travelers to save on value added tax (VAT) refunds. The tax included in the final cost of goods in each state is directed to the development of the social sphere.
A tourist will not be able to take advantage of various social programs of the country, therefore he 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 outlet, but by the operator.
Most often, the service is issued in Global Blue, but if you can choose an operator, give preference to the latter two. Thus, when receiving a refund at the airport, you will avoid long queues and tedious waiting.
VAT can be refunded when buying clothes and shoes, watches and accessories, gadgets, jewelry. Tax refunds are not available if the item was purchased online.
Tax Free can be returned in Italy if the check amount is 154 euros. In this case, several goods can be included in the check, only the total amount matters.
When shopping in stores, sellers fill out a special form - Tax free shopping check. It displays the total purchase price, customer details and the amount that can be refunded. To prove that you are a foreign citizen, you need to show your passport to the cashier.
The procedure for obtaining Tax Free on the example of Fiumicino (Rome)
Tax can be refunded upon departure from Italy. Purchase receipts are valid for 3 months, you need to meet this deadline.
If during this period of time you do not apply for a refund, then the checks can be thrown away, since it will not be possible to refund part of the VAT on them.
Returning Tax Free at Rome airport is not always easy, you should be patient. Long lines and a large crowd 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 for passengers wishing to register Tax Free and then drop off their luggage.
Customs officers verify the goods indicated on the check with real things. Often, it is simply the presence of things that is checked, in rare cases they can check the name of the goods on the tag with the list in the check. 
The passenger will have to put up with a long line of the same tourists who want to issue a Tax Free.
The second customs office is suitable for passengers who do not plan to check in their purchases as baggage. The line moves faster, but the inspection of things is carried out more thoroughly.
You can get Tax Free at Fiumicino airport in the following order:
- If the purchases on which you wish to receive a tax refund will be checked in as baggage, 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 in your baggage yet.
- Together with your luggage you go to the customs point.
- The customs officer checks the compliance of the check list with real items. It is advisable to keep your purchases on the surface of a 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's office.
- Present your receipts at the operator's office. Money can be given out in cash immediately or transferred to the card. Transfer to the card can 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 make all the necessary procedures and catch your flight. Receiving Tax Free can take 1.5-2 hours. If you don't check in your purchases, you will be able to get free early.
Is the procedure different at other airports in Italy
Getting Tax Free at other airports is much 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 pass through the first customs, regardless of whether they check in their luggage. Things are checked thoroughly. If the check is successful, you can collect the money before passing through passport control.
In Bologna, customs are located in the arrivals area. First you need to check in for the flight, and then go through the entire airport to customs. You can get Tax Free at the currency exchange kiosk. The kiosk is open during the daytime, so if you get on a night flight, you will have to receive money while at home.
You cannot get Tax Free cash at Naples Airport. Funds are transferred to the card. After registration and passing through customs, the passenger goes to the checkout window, where the employee will put down the necessary stamps.
Can there be any difficulties in obtaining Tax Free
Although the procedure is straightforward, sometimes complications arise. Refunds are not available for all product categories. For example, the tax is not refundable when purchasing precious stones. You can check the list of items that can be refunded for VAT in shops or Tax Free operators.
It is also important to comply with the period during which part of the VAT can be refunded. An appeal later than 3 months later will not be considered and the money will not be received.
Many travelers know that when shopping, you can save a little and get back some moneyspent on shopping abroad. Tax Free Refunds provide for the refund of VAT on goods exported outside the country where they were purchased. However, the procedure for processing and receiving money directly when leaving the country is associated with the cost of time, nerves and vitality. You can get tax refund on purchases before your departure and reuse the funds received 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
Working days: daily, from 07.45 to 21.00
Korea Lottecard
Piazza di Spagna, 80... Working 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 groups of goods, it may differ:
- textiles, leather clothing, jewelry, sunglasses, glass products, 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. The goods purchased in the countries of the European Union must be exported outside its borders 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 with the store's check - fattura (Tax Free Shopping Check), the price of the goods, as well as the amount to be refunded, must be indicated. In addition, passport data must be entered in the appropriate fields - document number, full name. and the home address of the bearer.
4. When passing through customs control, you will need to present the purchased goods (in their original packaging, not used), a receipt from the store and a completed invoice form. On it, the customs officer must put the appropriate stamp, thereby certifying that all formalities have been complied with and the goods have been properly issued for export.
5. It is important to consider that the customs stamp on the purchased goods must be affixed only before leaving the EU countries. In other words, if the journey continues in the EU zone or you intend to transfer there, the customs clearance mark is affixed in the last country.
6. After passing through customs, it is recommended to send the shop receipt and the stamped invoice immediately by mail, placing the documents in a branded envelope issued in the store when registering Tax Free. Mailboxes can be found easily by contacting the airport staff. Documents can also be sent from a permanent place of residence, but in this case you will have to pay extra as for an international postage. It should be borne in mind that the tax form must be delivered to the office of the company within 21 days, counting from the date of affixing the customs seal. 
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 significant queues for refunds at airports and save time. We will tell you how to get Tax Free directly at the airports upon departure in our next article.
Thirty kilometers southeast of Rome is the small town of Fiumicino. It is unlikely that its name would be widely known to tourists if it was not for main airport Italy, bearing the name of the great genius Leonardo da Vinci.
It was built in 1961 with the aim of relieving the very compact Ciampino airport. After undergoing numerous changes, it has become a convenient and safe air harbor, through which approximately forty million passengers pass a year. Its services are used by all VIPs visiting the country, influential politicians and businessmen.
The airport territory is divided into several terminals:
T1 serves passengers with Schengen visas. T2 is for charter flights. T3 accepts international flightspassengers who go through passport control, as well as aircraft of the Italian company Alitalia. Т5 serves flights to the USA and Israel. The airport has a cargo terminal, four runways, a waiting room, escalators, baggage claim, a huge lobby, and other specialized premises, the diagram of which can always be seen on the electronic scoreboard.
The terminals offer free Wi-Fi and non-smoking rooms. In the terminal building itself, you can have a snack in a cafe, exchange currency, buy souvenirs or necessary medicines.
There are numerous ATMs at the airport where you can withdraw from a euro card. Other currencies can be obtained at exchange offices operating from 6.00 to 23.00. \u003e There is a left-luggage office on the territory of the third terminal, open from 6.30 to 23.30. The cost of this service is six euros per day.
It will be interesting and useful for parents to know that there is a mother and child room at Fiumicino airport, where you can leave your child for a certain time. There, experienced nannies will look after him, while moms and dads are busy with shopping, paperwork or other matters. Also, if necessary, passengers can be provided with qualified medical assistance.
Moving around the airport
You can travel between the airport terminals by shuttle buses, which travel free of charge. The interval between flights is 20 minutes. One of them serves terminals T1, T2 and T3, while the other circulates between T3 and T5. You should be aware that from 01.00 to 04.00 these buses arrive only when called by passengers. For this, there are intercom buttons installed at stops. Additionally, Terminal T3 can be reached by a small automatic train.
Registration procedure
All tourists are warned in advance that it is best to arrive for the registration procedure and preliminary control of tickets 2.5 - 3 hours before departure. This is due to the length of this procedure, especially when it comes to departure to the United States and Israel. But for customers who use the services of the airport's VIP lounge, there is an opportunity to go through passport and customs control, get registration documents and checks for baggage without queuing and long waiting. They offer an airport bar menu, free and unlimited Wi-Fi, and fresh newspapers and magazines.
Refund Tax-free
For tourists arriving from non-EU countries, there is a Tax-free service, which implies a return of 20% of the value of purchased goods, the price of which exceeds 155 euros. There are several intermediary firms dealing with VAT refunds. One of them is Global Blue.
If the seller of the goods has an agreement with her, the money will be returned to the client even before boarding the plane. The rest of the companies transfer money to the customer's card after their departure from Italy. The only condition is the presence of a Tax Refund check, which must be stamped by the customs.
Nearest hotels
Unfortunately, sometimes weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances force passengers to wait all night for departure. In order not to spend this time at the airport, you can use the services of hotels located near the exits from the terminals. There are only three such establishments, and these include:
Hilton Roma Airport
This is enough expensive hotel, class "4 stars", where customers are provided with a high level of service, varied cuisine and multiple additional servicesincluded in the price of accommodation, which is about 200 euros per night.
Hilton Garden Inn Rome Airport
The hotel also belongs to the "4 stars" class and has approximately the same range of services as the option described above. The room rate per night is approximately 130 euros.
Welcome Airport Hotel
Refers to budget establishments "2 stars", where you can inexpensively, but quite comfortably spend the night, waiting for departure.
To save money, you can go to Fiumicino, where you can find a hotel, where you can stay between 30 and 70 euros per night.
How to get from the airport to the center
The journey from Leonardo da Vinci Airport to Rome does not take long and does not present any difficulties, as there are many types of transport available to passengers.
Bus routes
Perhaps the most easily accessible means of transportation is the Cotral bus. But there are two significant drawbacks, which include inconvenience when transporting bulky baggage and the lack of night flights.
Railway transport
The most economical way to travel is rail link... The disadvantages of this option include the low speed of this type of transport and problems with the transportation of bulky baggage.
Taxi
It is a convenient but expensive form of transport. Its cost, according to the municipal tariff, is 40 euros. This includes baggage transportation. The number of passengers should not be more than four people.
When using the services of local taxi drivers, you need to be prepared for what he can call more high pricecounting on the inexperience of the tourist. But the correct indication of the real price puts everything in its place, although it slightly reduces the driver's mood.
Transfer
This is the most convenient way transfer from the airport to Rome, which has practically no drawbacks. First of all, passengers traveling with children pay attention to it. Having discussed this detail in advance, the client receives a car with seats equipped for little ones, and a spacious luggage compartment, where a large carry-on baggage, a stroller and so on can fit. You can also order a car equipped with an additional air conditioning system. And for tourists from Russia, a Russian-speaking driver is provided, who can tell a lot of interesting things about Italy, its traditions and local attractions.
Global Blue Italia srl
Terminal 3 Boarding Area, Reception 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 obtain an electronic customs stamp through the OTELLO system directly at the Global Blue Return Office. In order to receive an electronic customs stamp, it is necessary to provide Global Blue employees with the purchased goods, passport and plane ticket (boarding pass). Please note that the electronic customs stamp can be received no earlier than 5 hours before 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 for a cash refund is 1500 EUR / Tax Free form.
Note: The maximum amount to receive 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 receiving cash refunds, there will be a fee for each "form". No fee will be charged if a credit card refund is received. The amount 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 compensation amount
Note: Alipay box is available.
Note:At Fiumicino Airport (Terminal 3), you can obtain an electronic customs stamp through the OTELLO system directly at the Global Blue Return Office. In order to receive an electronic customs stamp, it is necessary to provide Global Blue employees with the purchased goods, passport and plane ticket (boarding pass). Please note that the electronic customs stamp can be received no earlier than 5 hours before the flight departure.
Note: Refunds may be paid at credit cards Alipay. Provide Alipay with barcode to scan. The refund will be transferred instantly.
The following payment methods are available: Alipay wallet, Wechat wallet and CUP wallet.
Tax-Free is a system of return of a certain percentage from purchases made abroad, now known all over the world. This percentage is VAT, and in Italy it is 22%. But, before you rejoice, you should know about some of the nuances and conditions of this money back, which, by the way, can be very strict.
The first thing to remember when counting on Tax-Free in Italy is that not all shops work with this system. Everything is explained by elementary benefits - not every store owner agrees to give part of the profit back to the buyer, even if it will attract much more tourists exactly to his store. Information about Tax-free is most often available right at the entrance to the store, or at the checkout.
The second important point will be the minimum purchase amount for a Tax-Free refund. In Italy this amount is 154 euros on each score. Even if the purchase amount is less than a few euro cents, the refund automatically becomes impossible.
Also, with each purchase, you must have with you the passport for filling special formtax-free... It is issued immediately in the store, but you can fill it out at a convenient time for you. One has only to remember that the validity period of the form with the check is 3 months, after which the amount of your Tax-free expires.
IMPORTANT: A form filled out with errors or incompletely completed form is considered invalid!
Tax-Free Refund
You can get back that same 22% of a purchase made in Italy in several ways, which are not all about. russian tourists know. It is not always necessary to stand in a long queue at the airport; there are also more efficient ways.
In the shop
Tourists who value their own time can apply for a VAT refund right in the store, for this you just need to make sure that the department you choose offers such a service. It is enough to look at the signs at the cash register of the store and see on it one of the logos of the so-called Tax-free companies.
IMPORTANT: In total, there are 3 companies in Italy that are responsible for Tax-free registration and refund. These are: Global Blue (head office in Sweden), Premier Tax Free (Irish company) and Tax Refund (Italian company). As a rule, tourists turn to Global Blue, which is not always correct - they have the longest lines.
But, even if you issued Tax-free immediately upon purchase, you only saved your own and other people's time at the airport, in order to get your money back, you will have to stand in line and go through the standard procedure of checking with the customs officer.
Return Tax-free completely and immediately in the shop it is possible only for a certain category of goods - exclusive clothing, branded perfume, jewelry and fur coats. In this case, you will receive a special form in your hands, which will indicate that the goods are "exempt" from VAT.
In the city
After filling out the form in the store, you can also return the money in special offices of intermediaries - companies under whose logo the forms were issued to you. IN last years the number of such offices is increasing, and now they represent a fully formed network in Italy.
Today the offices of Tax-free companies are located in the following Italian cities:
- Florence
- Milan
- Venice
- Bologna
- Rimini
- Catania
Going to one of these offices, you must have your passport, receipts for absolutely all purchases along with completed Tax-free forms, as well as a copy of the return ticket (or better - the original). You will need a ticket so that the company has information about the date of your departure, which they will transmit to the airport.
After that, you will only have to stand in a queue (sometimes quite long) and submit documents to the window for consideration of the application. The whole procedure will take no more than half an hour, if the line does not start from the street.
IMPORTANT: All Tax-free companies dispersed across cities charge a commission for their services, which can be up to 50% of the refund amount... That is, the total tax-free amount will not be 22%, but only 11%, it is definitely not worth being surprised and causing scandals in offices. The exact amount of the commission will depend on the total purchase amount.
Global Blue office at the airport
In an Aeroport
The classic algorithm for returning Tax-free directly on the day of departure back home will begin immediately after the check-in procedure. Once you have received your boarding pass, you will need to queue at customs.
If the customs officer is satisfied with the presentation of the things declared in the forms, and the documents themselves do not have any violations, it remains to take a queue at the counter of the Tax-free company that issued you the form.
After standing in line and submitting a stamped form to the operator, you will hear an offer to return the money in cash or by bank transfer to the card. If you choose the second option, the money will be transferred to you within 14 working days.
IMPORTANT: The stage with the queue to the Tax-free counter at the airport is the longest. Only one waiting time can take 3 hours or more, depending on the number of people in the queue and the workload of the airport itself. In order not to be late for your flight, it is best to arrive at the airport a few hours early.
Upon arrival in Russia
If there is no desire to stand in line at the airport or in city offices of tax-free return companies, you can arrange everything upon arrival in Russia. The main condition is that all checks and forms must in any case have stamp on the passage of the Italian customs.
After arrival, within 3 months from the date of purchase, you can contact one of the banks that work with European Tax-free companies. It will be enough to bring the blanks with checks to the bank branch and wait for a response to the request. This is done for a long time - replies from the Tax-free company come within 2 hours.
IMPORTANT: It is worth remembering that it will not always be possible to return the money in cash - some Russian banks do not specifically provide such a service in order to charge the client a larger percentage of the commission for a wire transfer.
Queue at the Tax-free counter at the airport
- When going through customs clearance on your return flight, you must make sure that all Tax-free receipts are kept, and that purchased goods are packedand there are no obvious signs of use. If any of these conditions are not met, the refund is considered illegal.
- All goods for which a Tax-free refund is made must be carried in hand luggage ... Exceptions are bulky items and goods that are prohibited from being carried on board an aircraft. If your item falls under this exception, you need to prepare for a full baggage screening, which may take several hours.
- Highly recommended make copies all receipts and completed Tax-free forms immediately upon receipt. It won't take a lot of time and money, but then it can save you from unpleasant situations.
- For minors, some Italian shops may refuse in tax-free registration - this is done for reasons elementary security... To avoid such situations, you just have to have one of your parents with you, or an official accompanying person who is already 18 years old.
- When buying any equipment Apple (including iPhones) in Italy Tax-free returns only on return flight and only on cashless basis... This is the policy of the company, which applies to all countries where there are points of sale of popular equipment.
- In the European Union, books, magazines and other printing products VAT is not a subject to a tax, so don't even try to find out how you can get Tax-free back when buying in bookstores.
- Few people know about this, but in Italy Tax-free can be returned even from purchases of exported food. The return on milk and fruits is 4%, on other products - 10%.
