GST REFUNDS- EXPORT OF SERVICES

After the implementation of GST in India, several exporters have had difficulties in claiming GST refunds. This has led to large amounts of working capital being locked up until refunds are correctly applied for and received. In this article, we answer some questions on getting GST refunds for service exporters.

• Application to be filed in the Form GST RFD 01
• Annexure 1 in form GST RFD 01 should be accompanied by any of the following evidence:

1. A statement containing the number and date of invoices and the relevant Bank Realization Certificates or Foreign Inward Remittance Certificates, as the case may be, in a case where the refund is on account of the export of services;

• Annexure 2 issued by Chartered Accountant or Cost Accountant if the amount of refund claimed exceeds Rs. 2,00,000
• Refund amount to be debited to electronic credit ledger.
• Formula for Calculating Refund Amount

Refund Amount = (Turnover of zero-rated supply of services) x Net ITC ÷ Adjusted Total Turnover
Where,

• Refund Amount Means Maximum refund admissible.
• Net ITC means input tax credit availed on inputs and input services during the relevant period
• “Turnover of zero-rated supply of services” means the value of zero-rated supply of services made without payment of tax under bond or letter of undertaking.  Zero-rated supply of services is the aggregate of the payments received during the relevant period for zero-rated supply of services and zero-rated supply of services where supply has been completed for which payment had been received in advance in any period prior to the relevant period reduced by advances received for zero-rated supply of services for which the supply of services has not been completed during the relevant period
• “Adjusted Total turnover” means the turnover in a State or a Union territory, as defined under clause (112) of section 2, excluding –

1. the value of exempt supplies other than zero-rated supplies and
2. the turnover of supplies in respect of which refund is claimed under sub-rules (4A) or (4B) or both, if any, (4A and 4B dealt with the turnover on which refund is already claimed)

• Turnover in a State or a Union territory means the aggregate value of all taxable supplies (excluding the value of inward supplies on which tax is payable by a person on reverse charge basis) and exempt supplies made within a State or Union territory by a taxable person, exports of goods or services or both and inter-State supplies of goods or services or both made from the State or Union territory by the said taxable person but excludes central tax, State tax, Union territory.

Acknowledgment

• Where the application relates to a claim for refund from the electronic cash ledger, an acknowledgement in FORM GST RFD-02 shall be   made available to the applicant through the common portal electronically, clearly indicating the date of filing of the claim for refund and the time period specified in sub-section (7) of section 54 shall be counted from such date of filing.
• If there are any deficiencies noticed, the proper officer shall communicate the deficiencies to the applicant in FORM GST RFD-03 through the common portal electronically, requiring him to file a fresh refund application after rectification of such deficiencies.
• The proper officer shall issue a payment advice in FORM GST RFD-05 for the amount sanctioned under sub-rule (2) and the same shall be electronically credited to any of the bank accounts of the applicant mentioned in his registration particulars and as specified in the application for refund.

Order Sanctioning the Refund

• Where, upon examination of the application, the proper officer is satisfied that a refund under sub-section (5) of section 54 is due and payable to the applicant, he shall make an order in FORM GST RFD-06 sanctioning the amount of refund to which the applicant is entitled, mentioning therein the amount, if any, refunded to him on a provisional basis under sub-section (6) of section 54, amount adjusted against any outstanding demand under the Act or under any existing law and the balance amount refundable.
• Where the proper officer or the Commissioner is of the opinion that the amount of refund is liable to be withheld under the provisions of sub-section (10) or, as the case may be, sub-section (11) of section 54, he shall pass an order in Part B of FORM GST RFD-07 informing him the reasons for withholding of such refund.
• Where the proper officer is satisfied, for reasons to be recorded in writing, that the whole or any part of the amount claimed as refund is not admissible or is not payable to the applicant, he shall issue a notice in FORM GST RFD-08 to the applicant, requiring him to furnish a reply in FORM GST RFD-09 within a period of fifteen days of the receipt of such notice and after considering the reply, make an order in FORM GST RFD-06 sanctioning the amount of refund in whole or part, or rejecting the said refund claim and the said order shall be made available to the applicant electronically and the provisions of sub-rule (1) shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to the extent refund is allowed: Provided that no application for refund shall be rejected without giving the applicant an opportunity of being heard.