Ecuador Expat Forum

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Joined 2011
Posts: 23

8 years ago

Sales Tax (IVA) Refunds

8 years ago

March, 2016
Since most posts are outdated: For tourists the 12% Sales Tax you paid in Ecuador is refundable at the airport with the proper (invoice - factura) documentation from the vendor.

For those who have obtained a permanent resident visa and are over 65 (tercer edad - 3rd age) the value added tax (VAT) or IVA is refunded by the SRI (Ecuadorian IRS).
This requires a visit to the SRI office the first time, but afterwards can be done using an online form, and the refunds will be deposited in your Ecuadorian bank savings (ahorros) account. You will need an official certificate from your bank to start this as well as your original C.I. (national ID card, aka CEDULA) as well as the Facturas (invoices) showing the merchants´ R.U.C.´s and the IVA collected to get started on that first visit. There are also some forms to submit. After that the internet form just requires the information to be entered.

Do not neglect to request a factura when you purchase anything, and you will need to know your Cedula number or have a copy of it with you. It is a good practice to keep the original secure since it is a bureaucratic hassle to get a replacement. That same number would be on a Drivers License, and that is also something that is better kept secure.

Tercer Edad IVA Refund limit (2015)
$2,548.8o annual limit
$212.40 monthly limit

AFTER the over-the-counter request for VAT refund, the procedure can be performed online. To do this requires only the electronic services key to access online. The SRI will send you that key by email, but you have to ask for it.

At this writing I am struggling with the internet process, but as soon as it becomes clear, I intend to post a step by step guide. Otherwise, you can go to: https://declaraciones.sri.gob.ec/devolucionTerceraEdad-internet-1.0/pages/
You will need to have Internet Explorer , Netscap , or Mozilla ; Google Chrome or FireFox will not work with the Excel form the SRI uses.

Also, you will need to set your Windows language-idiom to Spanish to get the appropriate entries in Excel because in Spanish the thousands separator is the (.) "Point or Period" & the decimal point is the (,) "Coma". (English is 1,000.00 & Spanish is 1.000,00). With the idiom change Excel makes the correct entries even if you are using an English keyboard.

William Russell

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