In Russia, Value Added Tax (VAT) was introduced in 1992. The scope of VAT covers the supply of goods, work and services used or performed in the territory of the Russian Federation.
The Authority responsible for VAT is the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Taxes and Levies (Federal Tax Service).
20%
A Standard VAT rate of 20% applies to most goods and services in Russia. A Reduced VAT Rate of 10% applies to food, children’s clothes, books, medical equipment and some services. There is also a Special VAT Rate of 16.67% applicable to e-services.
There is no registration threshold above which registration would be necessary. Companies should register when there is any taxable activity. Nevertheless there is a possibility to request exemption from VAT if the company’s turnover is below RUB 2 million in the proceeding 3 years.
Generally the registration procedure should take only 5 days; however it usually takes longer.
According to article 169 of the Tax Code, the following information should be recorded on an invoice:
Only in case the goods in question are originated from a foreign country:
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The basic filing frequency is quarterly. Both submission and payment deadlines falls on the 25th day of the following month after the reporting period.
Submission of the VAT returns should be done electronically through the assigned tax office’s website.
It is not obligatory for any company (either local or foreign) to have a representative at the Russian Tax Authority, because in general each taxable person should be responsible for its tax matters.
Nevertheless it is possible to appoint a Tax Agent or Representative who can act on behalf of the taxable person.
July 2022:VAT rate cut on accommodation services
April 2019: VAT Rule Changes for Non-Resident Suppliers of Digital Services
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