Expedite VAT refunds using electronic methods.

According to a representative from the General Department of Taxation, by the end of this year, 90% of value-added tax (VAT) refund applications will be processed electronically, at level 4.

As of July 24th, 2,398 businesses have received training and guidance on using the electronic tax refund service and have registered to use the electronic tax refund service on the General Department of Taxation's electronic portal. To date, the tax sector has received and processed more than 1,000 electronic VAT refund applications from 919 export businesses and investment projects, with a total VAT refund amount exceeding VND 5,900 billion via electronic means.

During the pilot phase involving 13 tax departments, the percentage of VAT refund applications processed electronically was 9.9% in April 2017 and 15.5% in May 2017. After the completion of the electronic VAT refund system in all 63 provinces and cities, the number of applications submitted electronically increased gradually each month, specifically to 25.8% in June 2017 and 33.5% in July 2017.

Ms. Le Thi Duy Hai, Director of the Tax Declaration and Accounting Department (General Department of Taxation), stated: Based on feedback from businesses, they generally recognize the advantages of electronic tax refunds. Besides the quick submission of documents and clear support and guidance when preparing electronic refund applications, businesses have received complete and timely notifications from the tax authorities via the General Department of Taxation's electronic portal, including confirmation of document receipt, appointment for results, the processing status (whether pre-refund or pre-audit), and the electronic refund decision.

Previously, Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung had requested the Tax Department to strive to achieve over 90% of taxpayers, refund applications, and refund amounts processed electronically by the end of 2017 for VAT refunds on exports and investment projects; and to conduct pilot studies on electronic tax refunds for other cases to lay the groundwork for widespread implementation of electronic tax refunds for remaining cases in 2018.

Accordingly, the General Department of Taxation will strive to ensure that by December 31st, 100% of businesses eligible for VAT refunds in export and investment cases register to use the electronic refund service. By the end of the fourth quarter of 2007, at least 90% of VAT refund applications will be processed electronically, accounting for 90% or more of the total VAT refund amount for export and investment cases compared to the total number of applications and total VAT refund amount processed electronically.

From now until the end of the year, the General Department of Taxation will continue to review and compile a list of taxpayers who have filed tax returns electronically and paid taxes electronically to the tax authorities through the General Department of Taxation's electronic portal, and who are eligible for VAT refunds in export cases and investment projects that have not yet received training. Training will be organized for businesses on the process and application of submitting tax refund applications and receiving results from the tax authorities electronically, supporting businesses to process tax refunds electronically from their first application.

According to the News Report