How do I reclaim VAT on my purchases?

Publication date 02-09-2025 | Last update 02-12-2025 | Information page

Do you live outside the EU? And did you make purchases during your stay in the EU that you are taking with you in your luggage to a country outside the EU? Then you can request a refund of the VAT you paid on goods bought from retailers (shops) or suppliers in the EU.

You can request a refund of Dutch VAT if the total amount you paid for the goods is at least €50. This amount includes VAT.

To get your VAT refunded, you can use a tax refund agent. The retailer (shop) or supplier can tell you more about this. But you can also request the VAT refund yourself.

To get your VAT refunded, you should inform the retailer (shop) when you make your purchase. The retailer has to do an eligibility check. Depending on the retailer, you can use a tax refund agent. Or you can request the VAT refund directly with the retailer.

Please note! Please note

Starting January 1, 2026, travellers from outside the EU who wish to reclaim VAT for goods purchased in the Netherlands can use the mobile app ‘NL Customs VAT’.

From this date on, this will be the easiest way to validate your Dutch VAT refund request. You do not need paper forms and you do not have to wait in line.

Download the app 'NL Customs VAT' before arrival at the Dutch airport or in yoour Dutch port of departure. This will save you time.

Reclaim VAT with our app NL Customs VAT

To reclaim Dutch VAT, you can use the app 'NL Customs VAT'. This app only works for goods purchased in the Netherlands. See how you can reclaim VAT for goods purchased in another EU country.

Download the 'NL Customs VAT' app

How to reclaim VAT with the app?

Agree in advance with the Dutch retailer or supplier that they will refund the VAT to you.
Ask the retailer or supplier to register the invoice (receipt) for your purchase digitally, with your name and passport number. This must be done immediately upon purchase.
Download the app 'NL Customs VAT' in the app-store.
Create an account in the app. You need your passport for this.
You will now see your purchases listed in the 'NL Customs VAT' app.

At the Dutch airport or port, follow these steps:

Open the 'NL Customs VAT' app.
Go to the area near the Customs desk.
Provide the requested information in the app.
Enable 'Bluetooth' and 'Location'/'Location Services' on your mobile device.
Request validation for your VAT refund in the app. The app will tell you whether the validation is approved or whether you must first report to the Customs desk with your purchases.
Once your application has been validated in the app, you can ask your money back from the shop or its VAT refund agent.

Reclaiming VAT for EU purchases that were not digitally registered

Agree in advance with the retailer or supplier to refund the VAT. Ask the retailer or supplier to provide an invoice with your name and place of residence.
When leaving the EU, request that Customs stamp (validate) your invoice or tax‑free form at the Customs service desk at the Dutch airport or ferry terminal. Customs will verify, among other things, whether you reside outside the EU, whether you can present the goods, and whether you are personally exporting them. The invoice must be dated within three months of the purchase month.
Send the stamped invoice to the retailer, supplier, or to your tax refund agent.
The retailer, supplier, or tax refund intermediary will refund the VAT to you.

Reclaim your VAT within three months of the date of purchase

You can reclaim VAT only for goods you take to a country outside the EU. Do this within three months after the month you bought the goods. Customs will check the purchase date.

Please note! Example

You live outside the EU and bought goods in the EU in January.
You want to take these goods with you to a country outside the EU.
If you leave the EU within 3 months after the month of purchase, you can reclaim the VAT.
This means you can get the VAT back if you leave the EU and apply for the refund before 30 April.

Frequently asked questions about reclaiming VAT

Is the use of the 'NL Customs VAT' app mandatory?

The NL Customs VAT app is not mandatory. If your store has registered your invoice digitally, go to the Customs desk to have your VAT refund validated. Bring your passport and your travel documents. You must be able to show the goods. Validation is done digitally, so you will not receive a stamp.

Why does the app tell me to report to the customs desk first?

If the app asks you to, go to the Customs desk with your purchases. Customs will do an extra check, for example to see if the goods are actually present.

How does it work with purchases made before January 1, 2026?

The term of 3 months after the month of purchase to reclaim VAT always applies.

Reclaim requests for goods purchased before January 1, 2026 which were not digitally registered can be validated with a paper invoice at the customs service desk.

Example

You live outside the EU and you purchase goods within the EU in December 2025.

You want to take these goods with you to a country outside the EU. If you leave the EU within 3 months after the month of purchase, i.e. 3 months after December 2025, you can reclaim the VAT on the goods with your paper invoice at the customs service desk. This means you can reclaim VAT if you leave the EU and apply for VAT refund before March 31, 2026.

Do I get a customs-stamp on my invoice?

From January 1, 2026, validation of VAT reclaim requests for goods purchased in the Netherlands will be processed only digitally. You will no longer receive a stamp on your invoice. You can see the validation in the NL Customs VAT app.

Can I still reclaim VAT in 2026 for purchases that were not digitally registered?

Yes. Reclaim requests for purchases made in the Netherlands before January 1, 2026 that were not digitally registered can be validated with a stamp on your paper invoice at the customs service desk. You must request validation no later than three months after the month of purchase in 2025.

Check the Dutch overview list of Customs offices to find out where you can have your paper invoice validated.

Can I reclaim VAT for goods that were not purchased in the Netherlands?

Yes. It is possible to reclaim VAT for goods that were purchased in a different EU country. Please note that this does not work with the NL Customs VAT app. To reclaim VAT for these goods, follow the steps as described under “How do I reclaim VAT for purchases made outside the Netherlands that were not digitally registered”.

Can Dutch Customs mediate if I do not get the VAT refunded?

No. Dutch Customs can not mediate for you if the retailer or supplier does not pay you back the VAT. Customs only validates your VAT refund request. The Tax Administration cannot mediate for you either.

I am moving to a country outside the EU. Can I reclaim VAT?

You can reclaim VAT if you are moving to a country outside the EU. This is possible only if you move within three months after the month you bought the goods and you claim the VAT within that period.

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