Hello Friends,
Does somebody have any information about the elligibility for claiming the VAT refund?
One of my friend was here in Germany for 3 years on a workpermit and is leaving now for good.He has some electronic equipment which he bouught about 2.5 months back and would like to claim VAT for the same at the airport.He has done his abmeldung.
Regards,
VAH

Normally this benefit is extended only to tourists from foreign country. But here since he is leaving germany, its a special case. I would recommend to just directly call at the tax refund office in germany and check it. Following are the numbers from munich airport office:

Hauptzollamt München -Zollamt Flughafen

P.O. Box 23 20 53

ZIP-Code/City, State, Country 85329 München

e-mail address poststelle@hzam-fhf.bfinv.de

Telephone number 089 / 975 90700

Fax number 089 / 975 90706

Incase your friend is leaving back to India, remember that you have special allowance as mentioned in the following link :

http://www.cbec.gov.in/cae/customs/info-trvllrs/inres_forresin.htm

Hi,
Thanks for the info!
I called up ,and unfriendly guy picked up and just told me to come and declare what I had bought.
He was not at all interested in telling me the elligibility criterias for my case-
His command in english was restricted and I get short of german vocabulary when it comes to beaurocratic issues-

Regards,VAH

Just try it out, if he is lucky, he will get it. but I think he can get it if purchase is made with in 3 months. Some of my friends were able to get it, they were on work permit and stayed there for 1 yr. Only thing to remember, he can get refund only in Germany, outside Germany, even in Europe it is not possible.

Hi *,
Eventually he got the tax refund.One of the prerequisites was that he had to show his abmeldung and the other was that purchase date of the stuff need not be older than 3 months.

VAH