Tax-Free Shopping in Slovakia 🇸🇰

Shop tax-free in Slovakia with vatfree.com, and experience the beautiful landscapes, castles, and rich culture. Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is a hidden gem for shopping enthusiasts. The city boasts a mix of modern shopping malls and traditional markets, offering visitors a unique shopping experience. Stroll through the pedestrianized streets of the historic Old Town and discover local boutiques selling handmade crafts and souvenirs. If you prefer a more luxurious shopping experience, head to Eurovea, one of the city's largest shopping centers, where you'll find international brands and high-end fashion. And with tax-free shopping available, you can save money while indulging in your shopping spree. Enjoy the picturesque streets and charming atmosphere of Bratislava while exploring its diverse shopping options.

Value Added Tax (VAT) in Slovakia

• Local currency is € Euro

• VAT is applied to all purchases

• Standard VAT rate: 20%

• Low VAT rate: 10% 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. There is a minimum spend for a tax refund in Slovakia. In order to be eligible for a VAT (Value Added Tax) refund, you must have spent a minimum of €175 euros. This means that you must spend at least €175 in a single transaction at a participating store to be eligible for 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 Bratislava 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 www.vatfree.com. 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 Slovakian 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 Slovakian 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.