With the publication of Resolution 097-2023, the National Superintendency of Customs and Tax Administration of Peru (SUNAT) has established the procedure for refunding the general sales tax (IGV) to tourists.

The establishment of this facility previously required a series of reforms and adjustments to Peruvian regulations. This regulation is preceded by Supreme Decree No. 226-2020-EF which modified the regulations of the General Sales Tax and Selective Consumption Tax Law to incorporate tax refunds for tourists – defined as foreign natural persons not domiciled in the country and who remain for no more than 60 days.

At the beginning of 2023, SUNAT published Resolution 005-2023 through which the regulation of payment vouchers and the rules on electronic issuance were modified. The administration changed the rules to allow the issuance of invoices to tourists entering the country.

This invoice can be issued at authorised establishments when goods are sold. In this case, the identification data of the purchaser will not be RUC but a passport.

SUNAT published Resolution 091/2023 in April 2023 to establish rules for the Register of Authorized Establishments (REA) to regulate the registration, permanence and exclusion of taxpayers for the right to return the IGV to tourists.

VAT Refund Procedure for Tourists

On the date of their departure from Peru, tourists who have not exceeded the authorised time of stay in the country can initiate the return procedure with the collaborating entity. Tourists can use the self-management kiosk or the mobile application, which is available inside international air or sea terminals.

The VAT refund procedure for tourists is as follows:

  1. The tourist must enter their identity document into the self-management kiosk or the mobile application. It must be the same one provided for their TAX FREE records. In the case of the mobile application, they must scan the QR code.
  2. Select the certificates that correspond to the goods that the tourist bought and is taking abroad.
  3. The system will assign the channel: red or green.
  1. If the information is validated, the system generates the return request.

The payment to the credit or debit card will be made within five calendar days from the request being registered, discounting the commission that the collaborating entity charges for this service.

Checkpoint Enabled

The checkpoint has been enabled since 2 May 2023 in the pre-boarding control area on the first floor of the Jorge Chávez International Airport.

Seeking more information on this change in Peru? Contact our team of tax experts.

Refer to this page about tax rules in different countries if you’d like to learn more.

The Electronic Invoicing Law of the Dominican Republic was published on 17 May 2023, mandating e-invoicing throughout the territory as of 18 May 2023.

The law was published in the Official Gazette, whose purpose is to regulate the mandatory use of electronic invoicing in the Dominican Republic, including the establishment of the electronic invoicing tax system and its characteristics, optimisation results and contingencies, as well as the entry periods and tax facilities that taxpayers who take advantage of this system will be granted.

The law includes a Chapter on the Criminal and Tax infractions and penalties for non-compliance and still allows using paper invoices for certain contingencies.

Scope of application for e-invoicing in the Dominican Republic

The law applies to natural and legal persons, public or private. It’s also applicable to entities without legal personality domiciled in the Dominican Republic that carry out the transfer of goods, delivery in use or provision and lease of services for consideration or free of charge.

Recognition and authorisation

All electronic invoice issuers in the country shall:

  1. Be recognised and authorised as such by the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII)
  2. Have a digital certificate for Tax Procedure, issued and signed digitally, by a certification entity authorised by the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL).

The requirement for holographic or handwritten signatures and commercial seals for electronic invoices is fulfilled by using digital signatures supported by a digital certificate.

Electronic invoices cannot be modified once signed digitally and sent to the DGII.

Validation of the electronic invoice in the Dominican Republic

The electronic invoice must comply with the standard format established by the tax authority, which will be validated by computer systems. E-invoices will only be admissible when they comply with this validation.

Electronic invoices will be sent to the authority and the electronic receiver through electronic applications connected to the internet and in an XML file.

The electronic invoice will have a Printed Representation (RI) of the E-CF which will be delivered as a physical document to non-electronic receivers in exceptions. Otherwise, it will be delivered to electronic receivers when they are in contingency so that they can prove and report purchase transactions to the authority and third parties – as well as support tax credit or consumption, and keep the indicated documents as established by current legislation.

The General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII) will be the competent authority for validating and certifying the content and integrity of the electronic invoice.

Dominican Republic: Electronic Invoicing Tax System

The Electronic Invoicing Tax System is administered by the DGII and will be used to validate and accredit all electronic tax receipts resulting from electronic invoices. It will also validate legal forms or electronic tax documents that modify them and that serve as support to back up expenses and tax credits.

The DGII is also responsible for ensuring the integrity of information that is sent instantly for validation and the accreditation of electronic tax receipts (E-CF).

Issuance, conservation, types and sequence of electronic tax receipts

The three forms of Issuance of Electronic Tax Receipts (E-CF) are as follows:

  1. Self-developed systems: The DGII will authorise taxpayers who wish to join electronic invoicing through its own development system, if they meet the requirements established for the issuance and receipt of E-CF
  2. Electronic invoicing service providers: The taxpayer may implement an electronic invoicing system through a service provider that has been certified in compliance with the current regulations established by the DGII
  3. Free billing: The DGII will have a free technological facility for issuing electronic tax receipts, aimed at taxpayers who meet the criteria defined for the use of this tool and dictated by the means established by the DGII

Online validation

The electronic tax receipts sent to the DGII will be validated online through the information system, according to the schemes published by the technical documentation and complementary standards that define their structure and behaviour.

Once they’ve been compared and validated against the criteria, the DGII will respond by delivering a response number identified as “trackID” with which the E-CF issuer can consult the document’s status.

Types of electronic tax receipt (E-CF) or electronic tax documents

There are 10 types of electronic tax receipts or documents as part of the law. These include:

  1. Electronic Tax Credit Invoice
  2. Electronic Consumption Bill
  3. Electronic Debit Note
  4. Electronic Credit Note
  5. Electronic Voucher for Special Regimes
  6. Electronic Government Receipt
  7. Electronic Proof of Purchase
  8. Electronic Receipt for Small Expenses
  9. Electronic Receipt for Foreign Payments
  10. Electronic Proof for Exports

Sequence of electronic tax receipts

All E-CFs must have an electronic tax receipt number (E-NCF), authorised by the DGII, which consists of an alphanumeric sequence.

The number and type of electronic tax receipt numbers will be authorised according to the economic activity registered in the National Taxpayer Registry (RNC), operational volume, and level of compliance of the taxpayer – as well as the risk profile of the taxpayer, in accordance with the parameters established by the DGII.

Duties of Electronic Issuers

The duties required of electronic issues, in order, consist of:

  1. Sign all E-CFs issued with a valid Digital Certificate
  2. Receive all E-CFs from their suppliers that are validly issued
  3. Comply with the technical requirements that the DGII provides
  4. To exhibit all the information that the DGII requires
  5. Keep the E-CF in accordance with the provisions of the Tax Code

Standard format for the structure

The standard format for the structure of E-CFs is as follows:

  1. Document identification data
  2. Data relating to the Electronic Issuer
  3. Data relating to the Electronic Receiving Buyer
  4. Data relating to the good or service traded
  5. Data relating to the value of the transaction
  6. Tax data
  7. Date and time of the digital signature
  8. Digital signature

Taxpayers must indicate data that modifies or affects electronic tax receipts of credit and debit notes.

Implementation schedule for e-invoicing in the Dominican Republic

  1. Large national taxpayers: 12 months from the law’s entry into force (18 May 2024).
  2. Large local and medium-sized taxpayers: 24 months from the law’s entry into force (18 May 2025).
  3. Small, micro and unclassified taxpayers: 36 months from the law’s entry into force (18 May 2026).

The DGII will publish the list of taxpayers required by law to issue E-CF. With the approval of the DGII, taxpayers may agree to extend the deadline for compliance with electronic invoicing regulations.

Voluntary period and incentives

A voluntary period is provided for all taxpayers who wish to be issuers of electronic invoices before implement the previous calendar. The DGII is providing incentives consisting of tax credits for MIPYMES and Large National Taxpayers.

Looking for further information on e-invoicing in the Dominican Republic? Contact our expert team.

Argentina has recently expanded its perception VAT (Value Added Tax) collection regime to ensure efficient tax administration. It has included selling food and other products for human consumption, beverages, personal hygiene, and cleaning items under its scope.

The Argentinian Federal Administration of Public Revenue (AFIP) established this through Resolution No. 5329/2023 in early February 2023.

The new resolution aims to further expand the regime known as “Régimen de Percepción del Impuesto al Valor Agregado” to the categories related to food and other products for human consumption, beverages, personal hygiene, and cleaning items.

Taxpayers who issue invoices concerning these provisions must ensure compliance with the document data requirements, used as evidence of the collection for the final VAT calculation. This will be further discussed in this article.

Scope of the VAT Collection Regime

The VAT Collection Regime in Argentina is a scheme by which the seller, designated as “Collection Agent”, charges the buyer an amount additional to the sale price. As a result, the supplier will charge the fee on top of the purchase value, which includes the price and the VAT.

This new regime obliges VAT-taxable persons to act as collection agents when selling food products for human consumption, beverages, personal hygiene and cleaning items. A few exceptions include meats, fruits and bread made exclusively from wheat flour, among others. Taxable people registered for VAT purposes will also be subject to this regime when acquiring said products.

Applicable rates

 The collection regime will only apply when each transaction amount exceeds ARS 3000.

The fee amount is determined by applying 3% to the net price of the operation resulting from the invoice or equivalent document.

This percentage will be 1.50% in the case of operations taxed with a rate equivalent to 50% of the general VAT tax rate.

Reporting and invoices as proof of perception

The information and payment of the perceptions carried out under this regime will be reported through the Withholding Control System (SICORE), using code 602.

The resolution also establishes that the only valid document to prove the payment of the perceptions will be the invoice or equivalent document (issued under the current invoicing regulations). The document will record the amount received in a discriminated manner and with express mention of this regime.

Those taxable persons using “Fiscal Controllers” documents of “New Technology” to comply with the provisions of the preceding paragraph must use the section “Other Taxes” on the document.

 Implementation date

The collection regime will be applicable for taxable events perfected as of 1 April 2023. As a result, sellers of food and other products for human consumption, beverages, personal hygiene and cleaning items will charge the buyer an additional 3% or 1.5% as appropriate on the sale price according to the applicable fee.

Need to ensure VAT compliance in Argentina? Get in touch with our tax experts.

Update: 25 October 2023 by Maria del Carmen

Mexico releases Carta Porte Version 3.0

On 25 September 2023, the Tax Authority in Mexico (SAT) published Version 3.0 of the Carta Porte Supplement on its portal with some adjustments.

The use of Version 2.0 of the Carta Porte became mandatory as of 1 January 2022 in accordance with the Fourth Resolution of modifications to the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution of 2021.

However, the authority established 1 January to 31 December 2023 as a grace period to correctly issue said supplement, without sanctions or fines for non-compliance with any requirement.

Main changes of Carta Porte V3.0

One of the adjustments announced is the introduction of seven catalogues:

There was also the introduction of fields for foreign trade operations, such as:

The Customs Document replaces the Pedimento Section with the addition of fields to identify the type, Tax ID of the Importer and ID custom document.

Through the anticipated version of the 8th RMRMF, the SAT has modified Rule 2.7.1.7 relating to the requirements of the printed representations of the CFDI, indicating that in the case of the CFDI to which the Carta Porte is incorporated, the structure of the supplement allows the printed representation of the CFDI and the Carta Porte to be displayed separately.

Likewise, Rules 2.7.7.1.1. and 2.7.7.1.2 for the CFDI of the income type and the transfer type to which the Carta Porte is incorporated, respectively, will serve to prove the legal stay and/or possession of the goods and merchandise of foreign origin during their transfer in national territory, providing the number of the customs request or custom document in said receipt in terms of the applicable customs provisions.

Transition and mandatory terms for Carta Porte 3.0

  1. Carta Porte Version 3.0, published on 25 September 2023 on the SAT Portal, must be used as of November 25, 2023
  2. Taxpayers obliged to issue CFDIs to which the Bill of Lading complement is incorporated, may continue to issue the complement in Version 2.0, until 31 December 2023.
  3. From 1 January 2024, the only valid version of the Bill of Lading supplement will be 3.0

Printed representation

The printed representation introduces a new two-dimensional barcode that will accompany the printed representation of the Carta Porte.

Technical documentation about the latest changes to Carta Porte is available at:

·       Estándar de Carta Porte (pdf)
·       Esquema de Carta Porte (xsd)
·       Secuencia de cadena original Carta Porte (xslt)
·       Matriz de errores (xls)
·       Esquema de los catálogos (xsd)

It is important to note that the authority has not yet updated Filling Guide of said complement, so we must be attentive to these regulations.

Want to learn about other tax requirements in Mexico? Read our Mexico tax rules.

For historical information on the initiative, read our dedicated Carta Porte 2.0 blog.

 

Key information about the Carta Porte Supplement

Update: 31 July 2023 by Maria del Carmen

Updates to the Scope and Definitions of the Carta Porte Supplement

Mexico’s Carta Porte supplement was introduced in May 2021 to ensure the traceability of products moved within the country. Use of the supplement became mandatory on 1 January 2022 but there have been many changes and additions to its requirements.

Taxpayers in scope of the Carta Porte

Section 2.7.7 of the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution (RMF) 2023 regulates the Carta Porte Supplement which specifies that the following must issue a CFDI of Income to which they must incorporate the Carta Porte supplement:

Owners of goods transporting its own assets via its own transport methods in national territory, including the use of towing cranes and vehicles for the transport of funds and values, can provide proof of transport through the printed or digital representation of the CFDI of Transfer issued by themselves, to which they must incorporate the Carta Porte supplement.

Transport of imported goods

For those within the scope mentioned above, the RMF indicates that the carrier must prove the legal stay and/or possession of foreign goods and merchandise during their transport in national territory. This can be done using the CFDI of Income or Transfer as appropriate, to which the Carta Porte supplement is incorporated if the CFDI contains the import request number.

Types of transport in scope of the Carta Porte

The current RMF includes a specific section for Maritime Transport and Motor Transport, which also establishes the rules for exported goods.

It also establishes specific rules for:

Exceptions to the Carta Porte obligation

The exceptions are applicable to:

These taxpayers must prove transport with the printed or digital representation of either the CFDI of Income or Transfer as appropriate without Carta Porte. The CFDI must include the product and service key according to the CFDI Filling Instructions to which the Carta Porte supplement is incorporated. Transport of medicines is not included in this exception, among others.

There is also an exception for the provision of parcel or courier services and consolidated transport of goods, following the corresponding rules.

Looking for a helping hand with VAT compliance in Mexico? Contact our team of experts.

 

Update: 15 June 2021 by Ramón Frias

Understanding Mexico’s Carta Porte Supplement

On 1 May 2021, the Mexican tax administration (SAT) released one of the most important updates to the electronic invoicing system of the country since 2017.

The update was about the new Bill of Lading Supplement (locally known as Suplemento de Carta Porte) that should be added as an annex to the electronic invoice (CFDI) of Transfer (CFDI de Traslado) or to the CFDI of Revenues (CFDI de Ingresos) that are issued for hauling services.

This supplement is based on the provisions of Articles 29 and 29-A of the Fiscal Code of Mexico, and the rule 2.7.1.9 of the Miscellaneous Fiscal Resolution. The articles of the tax code grant the tax administration the power to define the documents to be used for supporting the legal transportation goods inside that country via specific rules. The mentioned rule describes the specific requirements of the Supplement of Carta Porte.

Why has Mexico introduced the Carta Porte supplement?

Latin American countries have a serious problem with tax evasion, usually made possible by smuggling goods without paying the corresponding taxes. According to the information provided by the SAT, 60% of the goods transported in Mexico have an illegal origin.

Therefore, the purpose of enforcing the use of the Carta Porte supplement, whether as an annex to the CFDI of Transfers or the CFDI of Revenues, is to ensure the traceability of the products moved inside the Mexican territory by requiring the provision of additional information about the origin, location, precise destination and routes of transport of the products transferred by roads, rail, water or air in Mexico.

Once this change comes into effect, transporters of goods by road, rail, water or air must have a copy of the Supplement of Carta Porte in the vehicle that proves lawful compliance with this mandate.

Who is required to issue the Carta Porte supplement?

When will the supplement become mandatory and when should it be issued?

The Carta Porte as a supplement of the CFDI of Transfers or the CFDI of Revenues

As we know, the new regulations require the Carta Porte supplement to be added to the CFDI of Transfers or to the CFDI of Revenues, depending on who is transporting the goods.

The Carta Porte supplement will be added to the CFDI of Transfers when the transport of goods is made by the owner (i.e. internal distributions between warehouses and stores, consignment, etc.) or when the seller assumes the shipment of the products to the purchaser.

The Carta Porte supplement will also be added to CFDI of Transfers when the shipping of the goods is made by an intermediary or by an agent of transport as explained before. In such cases the current regulations provide that the CFDI should have zero as a value of the products and the RFC key to be used is the generic key established for transactions carried out with the public. In the field for description, the object of the transfer should be specified.

When the Carta Porte supplement is issued as part of the CFDI of Revenues (CFDI de Ingresos) as a result of the goods being transported by a haulage company, the haulage company should issue the CFDI of Revenues with the Carta Porte supplement. However, different to the previous case where the CFDI had a value of zero, the value to be included in the CFDI of Revenues will be the price of transportation services charged by the haulage company to the client.

It is important to mention that Carta Porte supplement does not substitute other documents necessary to prove the legitimate origin or ownership of products. Other additional documents will be required for this purpose.

Documents accompanying the Carta Porte supplement

While the Carta Porte supplement provides clear information about the transportation of goods being transferred, that document alone does not prove the lawful status of the goods being hauled. That status should be proven by whoever is providing the transportation, with the corresponding documents proving the origin of those hauled products, such as import documents, CFDI of Pagos, registrations and licenses etc.

In the case of transportation of petroleum products, the lawful status of the product will be proven with the printed representation of the supplement established for that type of products (the Complemento de Hidrocarburos y Petroliferos).

Structure of the Carta Porte supplement

According to the technical documentation released by the SAT, the information provided via the Carta Porte supplement will be conveyed via a number of fields (around 215) that will contain optional and mandatory information about the product being transported, type of packaging used, weight, quantity, insurance, the permit of transportation provided to the hauling company by the Secretary of Public transportation, plate and registration of the motor vehicle used, driver, as well as information about the recipient of the products being transported within Mexico.

The information of those fields will be filled via direct input by the taxpayers or in some cases via the specific choices available in a set of catalogs established by the SAT.

Such catalogs can be grouped as follows:

Other catalogs included in this supplement are those related to the type of transport and trailers used to transfer the products by land, packaging, the types of permits, the municipalities, neighborhoods, and locations, among others.

Penalties and sanctions

Once the use of the Carta Porte supplement becomes mandatory, noncompliance with this requirement will have several immediate consequences for the violators.

Additional clarifications about the scope of the Carta Porte supplement:

When the SAT released the new Miscellaneous Fiscal Resolution for 2021 there were several doubts about the scope of this mandate. This was because for the case of land transportation, the rule established that the use of the supplement would be required only when the goods were transported via federal roads. That original release of the Miscellaneous Fiscal Resolution also established compliance with this mandate would be required to owners of national goods that are part of their assets when they haul those assets in Mexico.

To remove those misunderstandings and limitations, the SAT has recently released a new modification specifying that the mandate will be required for all movement of goods, regardless of the road used. The new resolution also excluded the reference to “national goods that are part of their assets”, so that it is clear now that it applies to any goods being transferred, regardless of its origin.

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