GST
GST refund
If you export under an LUT, buy at higher GST rates than you sell at, or have surplus money in your cash ledger, you can claim a GST refund. We work out the eligible amount under the rules, prepare the statements and certificates, file Form GST RFD-01 and answer the officer's queries. The amount and timing of the refund are the officer's decision; our job is a complete, well-supported claim.
- Eligible amount worked out under the GST rules
- Statements and CA certificate prepared
- RFD-01 filed and the officer's queries answered
- Help with IGST export refunds held up at customs
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- 100% online, anywhere in India
- Since 2017
Price
Refund application
₹4,999+ ₹900 GST
5–7 working days to file, after we have your documents
- Eligibility and refund category checked
- Refund amount worked out under the rules
- Statements of invoices and supporting documents
- CA certificate or declaration on unjust enrichment, where needed
- Application filed in Form GST RFD-01
- Corrected application if a deficiency memo (RFD-03) is issued
- Reply to a notice proposing rejection (RFD-08)
Fees are before 18% GST. There is no government fee for a refund application. Claims across several categories, and appeals against a rejected claim, are quoted separately.
Who needs GST refund
- Exporters of goods or services under an LUT with unused input tax credit
- Manufacturers and traders whose input tax rate is higher than their output rate (inverted duty)
- Businesses with surplus money in the electronic cash ledger
- Suppliers to SEZ units and developers
- Taxpayers who paid the wrong tax, such as IGST instead of CGST and SGST
Documents you'll need
For every claim
- Access to the GST portal
- Sales and purchase registers for the claim period
- GSTR-1, GSTR-3B and GSTR-2B for the period
- Bank account details as shown on the GST registration
Depending on the type
- Shipping bills and export invoices, for goods
- Foreign inward remittance certificates or e-BRCs, for services
- SEZ officer's endorsement on invoices, for SEZ supplies
- Input and output tax rates by HSN, for inverted duty
- Payment challans and the cash ledger, for excess cash balance
You upload these from your order page after you pay. Scans or clear phone photos are fine.
How it works
- 1
Check eligibility
We confirm the refund category, the time limit for your claim and the periods it can cover.
- 2
Work out the amount
We reconcile GSTR-1, GSTR-3B and GSTR-2B with your books and apply the formula in the rules to arrive at the eligible amount.
- 3
Prepare the claim
We prepare the statements of invoices, supporting documents and, where the claim needs one, the CA certificate or declaration.
- 4
File RFD-01
We file the application on the portal, verified by the authorised signatory with an OTP or DSC, and send you the acknowledgement.
- 5
Follow the claim
We respond to any deficiency memo or notice, and tell you when the officer passes the refund order.
Refunds you can claim
The common claims are for unused input tax credit on exports and SEZ supplies made under an LUT, unused credit from an inverted duty structure (where the tax rate on inputs is higher than on output), surplus balance in the electronic cash ledger, and tax paid under the wrong head, such as IGST instead of CGST and SGST. Most are filed in Form GST RFD-01, generally within two years from the relevant date, which the law defines for each type of refund.
IGST paid on exported goods works differently. The shipping bill itself is treated as the refund application, and customs processes it once the export details in GSTR-1 match the shipping bill. When these refunds are held up, it's usually because of a mismatch, which we can trace and help correct.
How a claim is processed
The officer either acknowledges a complete application or issues a deficiency memo (RFD-03), after which a corrected application is filed. For exports and SEZ supplies, the officer can sanction 90% of the claim provisionally while the rest is verified. The law asks the officer to pass the final order within 60 days of a complete application.
If the officer thinks part of the claim isn't admissible, they issue a notice (RFD-08) and you reply before an order is passed. The amount sanctioned and the time it takes are the officer's decision; our job is to make the claim complete and well supported, so there's less to question.
Inverted duty refunds
An inverted duty refund is limited by a formula in the rules. Broadly, you get back the credit on inputs in proportion to the turnover taxed at the lower rate, less the tax payable on that turnover. Credit on input services and capital goods isn't refunded under this head.
Refund isn't available where the output is nil-rated or fully exempt, or for goods and services the government has notified as ineligible. Because the result depends on how turnover and credit are classified, we work it out from your returns and books before filing.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to claim a refund?
Generally two years from the relevant date, which the law defines differently for each type of refund. We check it at the start, since a late claim is rejected.
How long does a refund take?
The law asks the officer to decide within 60 days of a complete application, and for exports a provisional refund of 90% can be sanctioned earlier. In practice it depends on the officer and on how complete the claim is.
Do I need a CA certificate?
For some refunds, such as excess tax paid, a claim above ₹2 lakh needs a CA's certificate that the tax hasn't been passed on to anyone else, and a smaller claim needs a declaration. Refunds of unused credit on exports and inverted duty don't need either. We prepare what your claim needs.
My IGST refund on exported goods is stuck. Can you help?
Yes. These refunds are processed by customs from the shipping bill and are usually held up by a mismatch between the shipping bill and GSTR-1, or an error in the export details. We find the cause and help you correct it, and quote once we've seen the shipping bills involved.
Can I get back money lying in my electronic cash ledger?
Yes. A surplus balance in the cash ledger can be refunded through Form GST RFD-01 under its own category, once any tax, interest or other dues have been paid from it.
What does the fee cover?
One refund application, for one category and one period or a run of consecutive periods clubbed together. If the claim spans several categories or a very large number of invoices, we quote before starting.