This article outlines the countries supported for VAT refunds through VAT4U and provides key information about claim submission methods, VAT rules, and recovery processes. You’ll also learn how VAT4U stays up-to-date with VAT regulations and how our system ensures accuracy and transparency for your claims.

The following list of EU and non-EU countries are supported for VAT refunds:

EU Countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

Non-EU Countries: Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Iceland, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Great Britain

VAT4U ensures that all VAT rules for supported countries are continuously updated. These rules include:

To maintain accuracy and compliance, we have:

While VAT4U works to keep its system accurate and up-to-date, users remain responsible for verifying compliance and ensuring that VAT rules align with their specific needs.

The following table outlines how VAT claims are processed, from generating reports to fully automated submissions, depending on the country's specific VAT flow.

The methods for submitting VAT claims vary by country and are categorized as follows:

➕ : Supported Countries for Expenses VAT Rules Coverage
The plus sign in the table indicates that the country’s VAT rules for expenses are fully covered. It is separate from claim submission categories (D, F1, F2, M). Additional countries can be supported if needed.

📊 D: Claim Creation + VAT4U Standard Report
The system generates a detailed report that includes all necessary data for accounting and VAT filing teams.

🤖 F1: Claim Creation + Automated Submission
The system directly connects to the tax portal, logging in with user credentials or certificates to automatically submit the claim data and attachments. This method ensures a seamless, hands-off submission process.

📝 F2: Claim Creation + Ready-to-Submit Protocol Files
The system generates claim data and attachments in the required format for the tax portal, allowing the user to log in and upload the files easily. For 13th Directive claims, a single click generates a complete PDF/XML file ready for submission.

Ⓜ️ M: Claim Creation + Report for Manual Protocol Preparation
The VAT4U system creates an Excel report with attachments, but the user must manually format and submit the claim data according to the portal’s requirements. The F1 or F2 method can be enabled for a more automated process when necessary.

This system ensures a streamlined and flexible process for VAT refund claims, tailored to the specific requirements of each country.

Regardless to claim submission method, you always do the same thing until you create your VAT claim:

When you create the claim, depending on the VAT flow and countries of Establishment and Refund, you will use one of the following methods to submit your claims.

This section explains how Method D works in VAT4U — the standard report method used for domestic expenses and foreign VAT registrations across every supported country. You'll learn what the report contains, how the process moves from claim creation to a filing-ready output, where the method applies, and what stays your responsibility.

A detailed, structured report containing all the data your accounting and VAT filing teams need.

Used for Domestic VAT and foreign VAT registrations, where filing happens through your own VAT return rather than a refund portal.

Method D is the baseline flow in VAT4U. Rather than submitting on your behalf, the platform produces a clean, validated dataset that your team carries into the relevant VAT return.

Method D is the universal method for the domestic expenses and foreign VAT registrations flow. It is available for every country VAT4U supports.

Specific case of Spain: the Standard Report for Spain includes SII (Suministro Inmediato de Información) data, reflecting Spain's real-time reporting requirements.

This section explains how Method F1 works in VAT4U — the fully automated submission method. Where it is available, VAT4U connects directly to the national tax portal and files the claim for you. You'll learn how the hands-off flow works, where it applies, and what you still need to do.

F1 is the most automated of the four methods. The system connects to the tax portal, logging in with your credentials or certificate, and submits the claim data and attachments without manual upload.

Depending on the level TAX administration automation, VAT4U will use Robotic Process Automation to file your claim via Web portal of TAX Administration, or it will initiate direct XML based data exchange.

In the claim submission tab you can see the exact method used in the submission and provide necessary details for tax portal connection.

VAT4U will ask either for Username and Password for Portal authentication, or Digital certificate for machine to machine communication depending on the applicable authentication method. Rest assured that your credentials are stored in the encrypted database and sent over HTTPS connection to ensure end to end security.

Once you provide the necessary details, VAT4U will run a background process to file the claim.

Note that handoff is not possible for direct machine to machine interfaces with XML based submission on 8th directive flows (e.g. Dutch, Polish and German established companies claiming from other EU countries).

Method F1 is available in the following jurisdictions, by claim type.

This section explains how Method F2 works in VAT4U — the ready-to-submit protocol files method. VAT4U produces the claim data and attachments in the exact format the tax portal expects; you log in to the TAX portal and upload them. You'll learn how the flow works, the single-click 13th Directive output, and where it applies.
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F2 sits between full automation and manual preparation. VAT4U does the formatting work; you keep your hands on the final submission.

For 13th Directive claims, output is usually a PDF file that should be printed and submitted via post to Country of Refund, together with the supporting evidence - expense documents.

Method F2 is available in the following jurisdictions, by claim type.

This section explains how Method M works in VAT4U — the report method for manual protocol preparation. VAT4U produces an Excel report and the available attachments; you format and submit the claim according to the portal's requirements. You'll learn how the flow works, where it applies, and when a more automated method can be enabled instead.

Method M is the most hands-on of the four. VAT4U assembles the data and attachments; the final formatting and submission are completed by you.

Method M is applicable for countries where no higher level of automation is available.