Tax Refund Process in Hungary

In Hungary, the VAT rate for most of the products is 27%. Some foodstuff is taxed at 18%, books and medicine are taxed at 5%. The actual tax rate is indicated on the purchase receipt.

If you wish to receive a tax refund, you just have to fulfill the following conditions:

The buyer must be a resident of a non-EU country (i.e. a non-EU citizen with a short-stay visa for a maximum of three months) or an EU citizen with a permanent address outside the EU;
The total amount on one purchase receipt must be greater than 175 Euro or approximately 68,001 Hungarian forint (HUF).

What regulations apply to tax refund goods?

1) The purchased goods must be unopened and must be taken out of the country within three months from purchase (i.e. no later than the last day of the third month after the month in which the purchase took place).
2) The goods have to be taken along in the travelers’ personal luggage (hand luggage or check-in luggage). Consequently, all purchased goods being dispatched by post or being transported by intermediary agencies are not eligible for tax refund.
Remember: You are only eligible for a tax refund if you purchase the goods yourself, leave them unopened and carry them in your personal luggage.

Three Easy Steps With TAX FREE EASY:

1. Receive the tax refund form
   When you pay for your purchase at the store, please receive the TFE tax refund form. Make sure that your personal information on the form are correct and sign the form on the designated line.Please check if all invoices have been stapled or glued onto the back of the TFE tax refund form. Sending a valid invoice together with the tax refund form is a necessary precondition for receiving a tax refund.Name, nationality and passport number are the necessary information on the form. If you fill in your mobile number, we can contact you immediately in case there is a problem with your refund documents.
2. Obtain the customs stamp
   When you leave the country, please plan in enough time to go to the customs counter and receive a customs stamp on the refund form – we don’t want your trip to be delayed! According to the regulations, the customs officers are entitled to examine the purchased good. Therefore, please don’t check the luggage in before you visit the customs counter. Please present your tax refund form, together with your valid shopping receipts, passport and relevant purchased goods at the customs service counter upon departure. Please note that a tax refund form with unclear or invalid customs stamp cannot be refunded.
3. Send the tax refund form
   After the TAX FREE EASY tax return from was stamped by the customs staff, you can place the completed tax refund form together with the purchase receipts into the prepaid envelope and seal it. Please then follow the instructions on the envelope and either drop it into an ordinary mailbox at the airport or return it by mail after being back at your residence. All related costs will be borne by us.

Useful tips:

1. Customs stamp necessary
   For receiving a tax refund, it is mandatory that the refund form has a customs stamp.
   Note: If the customs counter is not open because it is too early or too late, please do not worry. There will always be a notice with contact information. You can contact the officer on duty and they will process your tax refund form.
2. Original invoice needed
   The original invoice must be attached to the tax refund form when sending the documents to our datacenter. In order to receive a tax refund, a valid and original invoice is a precondition. After having received the customs stamp, please don’t tear the invoice off the tax refund form.
3. Products must stay unopened
   In principle, at the customs counter, the customs officer will check if the product is intact and unopened. This is the case for any product, also food, medicine, candy etc. If the product has already been used or is open, the customs officer will refuse to place a customs stamp on the refund form. Without a valid customs stamp, you are not entitled to receive a tax refund.