The State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, has greenlighted new legislation allowing foreigners the right to claim back VAT on purchases made in the country.
Only citizens outside of the Eurasian Economic Union are able to do so, and will need to splash 10,000 rubles (about $170) including VAT in one day to make a valid claim.
The goods must be exported through official checkpoints, a list of which will be soon released by the government. To start with, the system is going to be tested in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Sochi.
The VAT refund does not apply to excisable goods. The standard VAT rate in Russia is 18 percent.