UK VAT Reclaim for U.S. and Global Businesses
If your company is not established in the United Kingdom but incurs expenses here, such as hotel stays, trade fairs, marketing services, or professional fees , you may be eligible to reclaim the Value Added Tax (VAT) you’ve paid.
The UK runs a dedicated refund system for foreign businesses called the “VAT Refund Scheme for Non-UK Businesses.”
Antravia manages this process end-to-end, helping you recover the VAT charged on legitimate business costs while ensuring full compliance with HMRC requirements.
What you can Reclaim
What the UK VAT Refund Scheme Covers
The refund applies to business expenses incurred in the UK by companies that:
are not registered or established in the UK,
have no fixed place of business or permanent establishment in the UK, and
are not required to register for UK VAT for the period of the claim.
Eligible claimants include U.S., EU, and international companies attending exhibitions, holding events, or working with UK suppliers.
The 13th Directive - How it works
The 13th Directive (Council Directive 86/560/EEC) allows businesses outside the EU to reclaim VAT incurred within the EU, provided:
They are not established in the EU.
The VAT was charged on goods or services used for business purposes.
The applicant’s home country offers reciprocity to EU businesses.
Applications are made directly to each EU country’s tax authority. Refund deadlines generally fall between June 30 and September 30 of the year following the expense.
Country-by-Country Overview
Antravia manages VAT recovery across multiple countries through a single digital intake.
Germany
Standard VAT rate: 19%
Eligible: Hotels (7%), exhibitions, professional services
Deadline: September 30
Notes: Documentation must be in German; originals often required
France
Standard VAT rate: 20%
Eligible: Trade fairs, hotels (10%), consulting services
Deadline: June 30
Notes: Requires local fiscal representative; detailed proof of payment
Italy
Standard VAT rate: 22%
Eligible: Exhibitions, conferences, business travel
Deadline: June 30
Notes: Reciprocity required
Netherlands
Standard VAT rate: 21%
Eligible: Hotels, transport, events, services
Deadline: June 30
Notes: English accepted; one of the fastest refund authorities
Spain
Standard VAT rate: 21%
Eligible: Trade fairs, business services, accommodation
Deadline: September 30
Notes: Reciprocity required
Belgium
Standard VAT rate: 21%
Eligible: Exhibitions, professional fees, transport
Deadline: September 30
Notes: Requires original invoices
Austria
Standard VAT rate: 20%
Eligible: Travel, conferences, consulting
Deadline: June 30
Notes: English filings accepted; digital copies allowed
Ireland
Standard VAT rate: 23%
Eligible: Hotels, car hire, professional services
Deadline: June 30
Notes: Straightforward process; accepts English
Switzerland (non-EU)
Standard VAT rate: 8.1%
Eligible: Events, hotels, services
Deadline: June 30
Notes: Separate non-EU refund scheme; handled similarly
Eligible and Non-Eligible Expenses in the UK
Travel & Accommodation
Hotels, car hire, local transport, but must relate to business travel
Events & Exhibitions
Trade fairs, congress fees, booth build, but Proof of attendance required
Professional Services
Legal, accounting, consultancy, but VAT must appear on invoice
Marketing & Promotion
Printing, advertising, design, but Supplier must charge VAT
Antravia reviews each invoice to confirm HMRC eligibility before submission - as not all expenses are usually reclaimable
How Antravia Simplifies your UK VAT Reclaim
Where Travel meets Smart Finance
Eligibility check
Upload sample invoices; Antravia estimates refund potential by region
Antravia prepares compliant forms and coordinates any required fiscal representation
Antravia files on time, liaises with each authority, and monitors claim status
Documentation & filing
Submission & tracking
Funds are remitted directly to your designated account
Refund delivery
Why Choose Antravia
Preparation of VAT65A and documentation pack
Eligibility review and country reciprocity verification
Correspondence with HMRC until refund payment
Secure storage of invoices and digital copies
Transparent pricing - contingent or blended fee options
Who can claim?
Travel & hospitality
Hotels, DMCs, agencies attending Conferences
Tech & SaaS
Attending European trade shows (Web Summit, IFA, VivaTech)
Medical & Life Sciences
Conferences, training, equipment demos
Events & Exhibitions
Global expo companies
Professional services & consulting
EU client visits, workshops
Start Your Free Eligibility Check
Ready to find out what your business can reclaim?
Upload a few sample invoices or contact our team to begin your VAT review
U.K. Tax - Blogs
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