- Embassies, consulates, and their foreign members not permanently resident in Germany can apply for VAT exemption on goods and services purchased in other EU member states.
- Applications are submitted in writing to the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) using specific forms, with supporting documents such as invoices.
- Exemption applies only if reciprocity agreements exist, the goods/services are for official or personal use, the invoice exceeds EUR 100, and certain exclusions (e.g., food, tobacco) apply.
- No fees are charged; applications must be submitted by December 31 of the year following the purchase.
- Processing takes 1 week to 1 month; online submission is not possible, and personal appearance is not required.
Source: service.rlp.de
Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.
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