243: Tax-free for tourist shopping in Austria

Tourists with the following conditions can receive tax (VAT) paid on some of their purchases within Austria when leaving the country.

• Conditions for receiving the amount:
  • Tourists whose place of residence is not in below Countries:
    1. Austria
    2. Belgium
    3. Bulgaria
    4. Croatia
    5. Cyprus
    6. Czech Republic
    7. Denmark
    8. Estonia
    9. Finland
    10. France
    11. Germany
    12. Greece
    13. Hungary
    14. Northern Ireland
    15. Ireland
    16. Italy
    17. Latvia
    18. Lithuania
    19. Luxembourg
    20. Malta
    21. Netherlands
    22. Poland
    23. Portugal,
    24. Romania
    25. Slovakia
    26. Spain
    27. Sweden
  • Each individual invoice (purchase amount) must be at least 75.01 Euro.
  • Tax-free form:
    • You need to get a tax-free form from the stores, customer information desks or customer services located in the shopping centers for your purchases.
    • Required information: name, foreign residential address etc.
    • You can usually request this form no later than 48 hours after the invoice is issued.
    • Original invoices must be attached to the form.
  • Refund Process

Before going to check-in counter in the airport or before boarding the train, you need to show your purchases to customs or the digital validation points (DEV: Digital Export Validation and have your tax-free form stamped (validation process).

Then you will get your refund (up to 15% of the purchase price) at the refund offices located in air ports or train stations in cash or by credit card.

Above information is only for your overview. For more and updated information you can refer to below links:

• Vienna Airport
• DEV (Digital Export Validation)

Tax-free companies:

• Global Blue
• Planet Payment

(Updated here: on 08-11-2023)

BMF (Federal Ministry of Finance)

If you are entering or leaving the EU with 10,000 Euro or more (in Cash/Cheques without a named beneficiary/or certain gold items) by air, sea, train or road, you must declare it to customs.

Importing duty-free goods when entering from a non-EU state:

The following goods may be imported free of customs or other duties with your luggage each calendar day for personal use or consumption, use or consumption by family members, or as a gift when entering from non-EU states:

• Tobacco products (age 17 or older)
  • 200 pieces cigarettes or
  • 100 pieces cigarillos or
  • 50 pieces cigars or
  • 250 grams of smoking tobaccos or
  • An assortment of these goods
• Alcoholic beverages (age 17 or older)
  • 1 litre of alcohol and alcoholic beverages of an alcoholic strength exceeding 22% vol, or undenaturated ethyl alcohol of 80% vol or more or
  • 2 litres of alcohol and alcoholic beverages of an alcoholic strength of up to 22% vol or
  • A proportionate assortment of these goods and in addition
  • 4 litres of still wines and
  • 16 litres of beer
• Other goods
  • Up to a total value of EUR 430 for air travellers, or EUR 300 for all other travellers.
  • The allowance is reduced to EUR 150 for travellers younger than 15.
  • Import restrictions and prohibitions must, however, also be observed for these goods.
• Medicines
  • Amounts consistent with your personal needs during the trip.
  • Note: Only up to three retail packages per person of medicines purchased abroad may be imported without approval (for travellers resident in the EU).
• Note:
  • Special import restrictions and prohibitions apply to animals, plants, food products, weapons and many other goods. Further information is available at our customs information flyer, at bmf.gv.at and using our BMF app.