Official Letter No. 2268/CT-CS dated April 10, 2026, issued by the Tax Department clarifies the conditions for VAT refunds applicable to exported goods
by KMC Consulting Company Limited
According to Official Letter No. 2268/CT-CS, pursuant to Clause 1, Article 9 and Clause 1, Article 15 of the Law on Value-Added Tax 2024 (as amended by Law No. 90/2025/QH15), and Clause 1, Article 29 of Decree No. 181/2025/NĐ-CP, enterprises with exported goods and input VAT not yet credited of VND 300 million or more are eligible for VAT refunds on a monthly or quarterly basis.
However, VAT refunds shall not be granted for goods that are imported and then re-exported in their original condition, as no value is added in Vietnam, regardless of whether the export is conducted directly or through entrustment.
In cases where raw materials are imported for the production or processing of exported goods, VAT refunds may still be considered if all prescribed conditions are satisfied. In addition, imported goods sold into non-tariff zones are not excluded from VAT refund eligibility under Clause 1, Article 15 of the Law on VAT 2024 and Clause 1, Article 29 of Decree No. 181/2025/NĐ-CP.
Accordingly, only export activities that generate value added in Vietnam are eligible for VAT refunds.
