It’s nice to be treated special just for being a foreigner in Ecuador.
In fact, for those that know about the program, foreigners don’t even have to pay the sales tax on items made in Ecuador.
It’s true, the Ecuador government is now refunding foreign “tourists” the sales tax they paid on items made-in-Ecuador and on hotel stays when the invoice amounts over $50.
The sales or VAT tax in Ecuador is 12% and that is the amount that is refunded.
All you have to do to receive your refund is save your receipts (facturas) and fill out the brief form you can pick up on a little stand just outside of the check in lines for international flights in Guayaquil and Quito.
Also, you’ll want to bring an envelope and a copy of your passport.
Then present your goods at the SRI-CAE counter in the check in luggage lounge in Quito or Guayaquil or if no one is attending deposit the envelope with your invoices, copy of passport and form in the mailbox located in the pre-boarding (departure) lounges in the international airports in Quito and Guayaquil.
The refund accreditation is carried out only through a credit card that must be under the name of the applicant.
There are no limits to the refunded amount, so if you’re not sure if an item you bought qualifies for the refund, just deposit the invoice anyway and see what happens.
Afterward, you can check the status of your refund using your passport number through the official Ecuador SRI website sri.gob.ec.
To learn more about this program fill in the blanks below, thanks: