Gross VAT: €83.33
Operator fee: −€16.33 to −€33.33
Net refund range: €50.00 – €67.00

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Receiving the refund Refund operators often pay out in a foreign currency or to a card, where the FX conversion can quietly shave off part of the amount. A Wise account lets you receive the refund and convert it at the mid-market rate, so a bad exchange rate does not eat into it.

You do not need this to get your refund: the refund itself is processed by the store or refund operator at no cost. This is only about how you receive and convert the money once it is paid.

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Ready to file? Two operators handle most of EU tourist VAT refunds:

Global Blue (incumbent, kiosk + app)Airvat (digital-first, FR / BE / NI)

External links to the two operators that handle most EU tourist refunds. We have no affiliate or commission relationship with either operator. Refund eligibility and amount are unaffected.

How much VAT do tourists actually get back in the EU?

Less than the headline VAT rate — because the refund operator takes a cut. EU prices are VAT-inclusive, so the tax already inside the price is price × rate ÷ (1 + rate), not price × rate. From that gross VAT the refund operator (Global Blue, Planet, Airvat and others) deducts a handling fee that typically eats 20–45% of small refunds, so what reaches your card is meaningfully below the statutory rate. The statutory rate is what you paid; the net refund is what's left after the operator's cut — enter your purchase and country below to see the gross VAT, the operator's haircut and your net refund range.

How the refund is calculated (the two-step gap)
Gross VAT in the price	price × rate ÷ (1 + rate)
Operator handling fee	−20% to −45% of the VAT
Net refund to you	gross VAT minus the operator's cut

VAT rates and per-country minimum-purchase thresholds change (several EU rates moved in 2025–2026). Always confirm your country's current rate at the official link before relying on a figure.

Primary sources: French customs — PABLO / tax-free for tourists (douane.gouv.fr) · Spanish Tax Agency — DIVA digital stamp (agenciatributaria.gob.es) · Council Directive 2006/112/EC, Article 147 (EUR-Lex)

Last updated 16 June 2026Per-country VAT data last reviewed 16 June 2026 against the European Commission rates database, AEAT (DIVA) and French customs (PABLO). Live rates can change — verify at the linked official sources.

Why net refund ≠ statutory VAT

EU VAT for non-EU tourists is reclaimable at the point of export — but Global Blue, Planet, Wevat, Airvat, and Zapptax each take a handling commission tiered by purchase value. The headline rate is what you paid; what lands in your pocket is gross VAT minus that operator fee.

France uses PABLO, an automated kiosk barcode scan. Spain uses DIVA, fully digital since 2018. Italy (OTELLO) and Poland (TAX FREE / PUESC) are also electronic; several other countries still rely on a physical customs stamp at the airport — check your country's procedure before you fly. The UK abolished tax-free shopping for tourists on 1 January 2021 and has not reinstated it.

Estimate only. Final refund is determined by the refund operator and customs authority at point of export. Not tax advice.

VAT refund questions tourists ask

How is the VAT refund calculated on a purchase?: EU shop prices already include VAT, so the tax inside the price is amount × rate ÷ (1 + rate), not amount × rate. A €120 item at 20% contains €20 of VAT (120 × 0.20 ÷ 1.20), not €24. The refund you can claim starts from that VAT-inclusive figure, then the refund operator deducts its handling fee. That two-step gap is why a calculator that just multiplies price by rate overstates what you get back.
Why is my refund so much lower than the VAT rate?: Because the headline rate (e.g. 20%) is the tax that was in the price, but you only receive it minus the refund operator's commission. On small purchases that commission can be 30–45% of the VAT, so a 20% statutory rate often nets closer to 10–13% of the price. Cash refunds at the airport desk usually cost more than card or app refunds. The fewer middlemen, the more you keep.
Can UK tourists or shoppers in Britain get a VAT refund?: No. The UK abolished its VAT Retail Export Scheme for visitors on 1 January 2021 and has not brought it back, so purchases in England, Scotland and Wales carry no tourist VAT refund. Northern Ireland follows EU goods VAT rules under the Windsor Framework. If you shop in the EU and exit through the UK, validate your EU forms before you leave the EU, not in Britain.
Do I have to be a non-EU resident to claim?: Yes. Tourist VAT refunds (Council Directive 2006/112/EC, Article 147) are only for travellers whose permanent residence is outside the EU, exporting the goods unused in personal baggage within three months of purchase. EU residents — including non-EU citizens living in the EU on a long-stay visa — do not qualify. You prove residence with a passport or non-EU residence document at validation.
Is there a minimum purchase to qualify for a refund?: Most EU countries set a minimum spend per shop per day to claim a refund, and the threshold varies a lot by country — from no minimum in Spain to triple-digit euro figures elsewhere — and some were adjusted recently. Aggregating several receipts from the same retailer on the same day usually counts toward one threshold; ask the cashier for a single tax-free form. Confirm the current figure for your country on its customs site before assuming you qualify.
How do I validate the refund at the airport?: You must get the tax-free form validated when you leave the EU, before checking the goods in. France uses PABLO self-service kiosks (scan the barcode), Spain uses the fully-digital DIVA system, and Italy (OTELLO) and Poland (PUESC) are electronic too; other countries still need a physical customs stamp. Keep the goods, receipts and forms accessible — customs can ask to see the items. Unvalidated forms are not refundable.
Should I pick a cash or card VAT refund?: Card or app refunds almost always net more than cash. Airport cash desks charge an extra cash-handling margin on top of the operator's commission, and they convert at a poor FX rate. A refund sent back to your original card avoids the cash margin, though it can take weeks. Digital-first operators that let you submit photos of stamped forms typically keep the smallest cut.