Tax-Free Shopping in Bulgaria 🇧🇬

Shop tax-free in Bulgaria with vatfree.com! Bulgaria is known for its rich history, scenic landscapes, and vibrant culture. The capital city of Bulgaria is Sofia, a bustling metropolis that is a hub of commerce, culture, and entertainment.

One of the highlights of visiting Sofia is the opportunity to explore its rich history and culture. The city is home to numerous museums, galleries, and historical landmarks, such as the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world, and the National Museum of History, which houses a vast collection of artifacts and exhibits showcasing Bulgaria's rich history.

In addition to its cultural attractions, Sofia is also a great place for shopping, with numerous boutiques, shopping centers, and markets to explore. Visitors can shop for everything from traditional Bulgarian crafts and souvenirs to luxury fashion and accessories. And, of course, non-EU visitors can take advantage of tax-free shopping to save even more on their purchases.

Value Added Tax (VAT) in Bulgaria

• Local currency is Bulgarian lev (BGN)

• VAT is applied to all purchases

• Standard VAT rate: 20%

• Low VAT rate: 9% on food and some optical products. 

• Low VAT rate: 0% on medicines, pharmaceutical goods, books, magazines.
  

5 Tax-Free shopping rules

1. You must live at least 6 months out of each year in a non-EU country.

2. You must purchase goods (online or in stores) for private use to take back home to a non-EU country.

3. Upon purchasing goods, let the store know you will export the goods. The store will provide you with a tax-free form.

4. The minimum spend for VAT refund in Bulgaria is BGN 50 (Bulgarian Lev), which is approximately €25 or $30 USD. This means that you must have spent at least this amount on eligible goods in order to claim a VAT refund. 

5. You must get a Customs export validation stamp before the end of the 3rd month, after the month of purchase. So if you buy a product in February, you can declare the product for export validation till the end of May of that year. The Customs export validation (either an ink stamp on your documentation or digitally approved) is mandatory to prove export of goods. Without this proof, no VAT refund can be issued.

Where to get Customs validation?

At the last EU departure point like the airport of Sofia, Burgas or upon arrival in a non-EU country. Required documentation to show the Customs officer: 

• Passport (If you have an EU passport; other proof of residence outside the EU);

• Boarding pass;

• Purchased items;

• Purchase invoices/receipts and/or tax free forms.

Good to know

At the airport, please allow enough time for Customs approval process before your flight departs. An extra 30 minutes before check-in time is usually enough.

Make sure the goods are in an unused condition.

Make sure to visit Customs before check-in as you will probably check in your main luggage. If you plan to carry the goods in your hand luggage, visit Customs after check-in if the airport map shows this option.

Make sure to take a photo of your stamped documents after visiting Customs. Upload these photos via the vatfree.com app or after logging in to your account.. In case of loss, you will always have the digital copies in a safe place and the VAT refund process might still be able to take place.

If you are departing a Bulgarian airport but changing flights at another EU airport, and if the goods you are exporting are to be checked through to a destination outside the EU, go to Customs at the Bulgarian airport and your documentation will be export validated as if you were at the EU departure point. If your luggage is not checked through to a destination outside the EU, you need to have your documentation export validated at the EU airport where the changing flights occur. 

In smaller airports, there may be no Customs Official present, in this case, look for the Customs deposit box and instructions.