Egypt will refund VAT to non-resident visitors in Sharm El-Sheikh in tandem with COP27

Doaa A.Moneim , Monday 7 Nov 2022

The Ministry of Finance and the Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA) will refund non-resident visitors for Value Added Tax (VAT) on their purchases, in conjunction with the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) being held in the Red Sea city of Sharm El-Sheikh 6-18 November.

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According to  Ramy Youssef, the deputy minister of finance for tax policies, who is also chairman of the higher committee for follow-up on VAT refunds for foreign departures, the authority is providing signage in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish across Sharm El-Sheikh's airport, hotels and markets that instructs visitors how to obtain a refund. 

Youssef also pointed out that the ETA has created a page on its website in Arabic and English that includes the procedures and conditions for obtaining a refund.

“Non-resident visitors can refund the value added tax on his/her purchases if his/her stay period does not exceed three months, the value of purchases is not less than EGP 1,500, and his/her purchases are being kept with him/her,” Youssef explained.

Visitors must follow several steps when making a purchase in order to obtain a refund, Youssef said, explaining that the tourist must ensure that the sellers have the VAT refund label/stamp and obtain an electronic receipt containing his/her passport number.

Youssef said that the goods must also be kept in the state of purchase.

At departure, visitors seeking a refund take their passports to the airport’s tax refund office, present the purchased goods, and submit their receipts for review.

They need a bank card available to transfer the refunded tax amount.

He noted that visitors can contact the ETA's VAT hotline at 16395 and speak to an agent in English or French who will respond to all inquiries and questions regarding VAT refunds for foreign departures

The website of the Egyptian Tax Authority:

https://www.eta.gov.eg

And the official YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@tax_egypt

And the department's official Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/tax.egypt

And the department's official Twitter page:

https://twitter.com/tax_egypt

And the department's official Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/tax_egypt

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