You can claim vat back after vat registration
In case you operate a trading business in the UK or other EU country and also have imported services or goods which has already paid vat in the country of origin then you can claim vat back after vat registration. However, it is important to study all different rules necessary for vat refund before you stake your claim for any vat reclaim.
Although tourists and certain other people can claim VAT or value added tax when they return back to their country by simply showing the initial vat invoice displaying the vat rate and vat amount, businesses have to furnish a lot more details before they can be eligible for a reimbursement. If you too have imported services or goods originating from a vat control member EU country into the UK and also have already paid vat in that country then in order to avoid double taxation and reduce your costs, you should surely have a vat refund. Although you might not be in a position to directly deduct the vat amount in your next vat return, you can surely claim vat back from your country of origin provided you follow their vat rules.
If you’re not vat registered then you can certainly use the vat online services offered by HM customs and excise customs vat or visit the hmrc vat website to register your organization first. If you’re not internet savvy or have trouble in comprehending vat rules it would be better to appoint a vat agent that provides all vat services including obtaining refunds and handling vat returns. Now you can authorize your vat agent to submit your vat claims on your behalf. You can also appoint different vat agents in several countries and register them separately, especially if you import goods and services from different countries.
You need to ensure that you retain all original documents of vat paid within the original country before you claim vat back. You need to fill the vat form for vat reclaim before 9 months within the next twelve months after you have paid the initial vat amount so that you can be eligible for a a vat refund. However, this time around period varies in different countries. You need to to climb over language barriers between various EU countries while submitting your tax documents. For example, Poland stipulates that you just attach the faktura vat or tax invoice that is written in Polish language before it is sent for any reclaim. When this happens, a local vat agent will be in a better position to understand the specific laws for each country.
Once you have submitted all relevant documents to assert vat back, then you should get the vat refund within the designated time frame specified by the specific country. In great britan the timeframe is generally around 4 months when your claim is processed and approved without any requirement for additional proof. You may receive your vat refund in any EU country that you desire or even in britain provided you’ve got a valid bank account in the desired country. However, you should remember to submit proper documentation since any rejected vat claim will most likely be looked with suspicion and handled strictly by the concerned vat authorities of the country.
In case your business requires goods or services which have already paid vat in the nation of origin before reaching the shores of your country in which you have to pay vat again, you’ll be able to claim back the extra vat paid on them. A vat agent that’s amply trained in international and national vat rules will be able to help you towards claiming vat back without difficulty. For those who have just started trading internationally you’ll be able to claim vat back after vat registration and lower your costs to some large degree.