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GST Refund Status – How To Track GST Refunds?
In case of any excess GST paid or any input tax credit that has not been used, a person can claim a refund under Section 54 of the excess GST paid by submitting an application online. To ensure that the excess GST paid is not stopped by the government, rules for the rapid release of the GST Refund have been drafted. RFD-01 is the application to be submitted for the online processing of GST refunds.
Let us have a detailed look at GST refunds, eligible parties, the refund process and GST refund tracking.
Who All Are Eligible To Claim GST Refunds?
GST Refunds can be claimed under the following circumstances –
1. Excess GST paid as a result of a mistake
2. Supply of Goods or Services to SEZ Units and Developers
3. Considered Exports
4. Pre-deposit refund
5. Refund of accrued Input Tax Credit due to duty structure inversion
6. Tax refunds on purchases made by the UN or embassies, etc.
7. Provisional evaluation has completed.
8. Refund resulting from a decision, decree, order, or direction of the Appellate Authority, Appellate Tribunal, or any Court.
9. Refund of GST paid on items purchased in India and shipped overseas to international tourists at the time of their departure from India.
10. Refund due to the issuance of refund vouchers for taxes paid on advances for which goods or services were not provided.
11. Refund of CGST and SGST paid by treating the supply as intra-state supply that is later held to be inter-state supply, and vice versa.
How To Track The Status Of My GST Refund?
Once you have submitted your GST Refund Application, you should receive your refund within 7 business days from the date of acknowledgement. Here is how you can track your refund status on the GST portal –
1. Go to the GST Portal and sign in using your valid credentials.
2. Navigate to 'Services,' 'Refunds,' and 'Track Application Status.'
3. Either input the ARN of the refund application or select the applicable fiscal year for which the refund application was filed. The search results will be shown.
4. To view the 'Payment Advice Status,' scroll to the right. If the bank account validation fails, you can update the bank account by clicking the 'Update Bank Account' button under Bank Validation Status.
5. A page will be provided to allow you to edit the bank account information. After selecting the appropriate account number, click 'Proceed.' A warning will appear on the screen asking if you are certain you want to update the bank account for that specific ARN; click 'Proceed'.
6. A one-time password (OTP) will be issued to the registered mobile number, which must be entered to confirm filing.
7. A notice will appear at the top of the screen indicating that the bank account has been properly changed.
8. You can also check the progress of your refund without going into the portal. Simply navigate to 'Services' -> 'Refunds' -> 'Track Application Status.'
9. Enter the ARN and press the 'Search' button. The search results will include information on the applicable refund claim.
10. You can login to your GST account to examine additional information or take action.
Remember:
If the GST Officer believes that the entire or a portion of the amount claimed as a refund is inadmissible or not payable to the applicant, he shall issue a notification to the applicant in Form GST RFD 08 The applicant would be expected to respond to such a notice in Form RFD 09 within 15 days of receiving it.
Following receipt of the applicant's response, the GST Officer shall issue an order in GST Form RFD 06 either authorizing the amount of refund in whole or in part or rejecting the aforementioned refund application. The applicant would be able to access this order electronically. No refund request shall be denied unless the petitioner is given an opportunity to be heard.
Time Limits To File For GST Refund Via GST RFD 01
The relevant date would be different in different cases and the same has been mentioned below
| Reason for Claiming the GST Refund | Relevant Date |
|---|---|
| Goods are exported through Air or Sea | Date on which the Ship / Aircraft leaves India |
| Goods are exported by a land vehicle | Date on which the Goods cross the land frontier of the country |
| Goods are exported through post | Date of dispatch of goods from the Post Office |
| Supplies include services which are completed before the receipt of payment | Payment Receipt Date |
| Services are performed after the receipt of advance | Invoice Date |
| Refund claim made for excess Input Tax Credit unutilized | End of the Financial Year for which the refund claim is being made |
| Goods are supplied for deemed exports i.e. supply to SEZ or 100% EOU | Return filing date relating to such deemed exports |
| Refund arises due to an order passed in favor of the appellant | Date of such order |
| Tax was paid based on provisional assessment and now refund arises | Date on which such tax was adjusted |
| When the person claiming the refund is not the supplier | Date on which the goods are received by such person |
| All other cases | Date of Payment of Tax |
GST Refund Timelines
In the instance of a GST Refund due to Zero Rated Supplies, such as Exports, the GST officer will authorize 90% of the GST Refund on a provisional basis within 7 days.
The provisional reimbursement will be granted in Form GST RFD 04 within 7 days of the acknowledgement date. The acknowledgement is typically issued within 15 days, but in the case of a refund of integrated tax paid on zero-rated supplies, it is issued within three days.
The GST Officer will issue a GST Refund payment advisory in Form GST RFD 05, which will be electronically credited to any of the applicant's bank accounts listed in his registration particulars and stated in his application for refund.
A temporary refund will not be provided to anyone who has been prosecuted in the past 5 years before the refund period or under any existing law when the amount of tax evaded exceeds Rs. 2.5 Lakhs.
The remaining money must be refunded within 60 days. If the refund is not issued within 60 days, Section 56 interest at 6% per year is charged beginning on the 61st day. The refund order would be made in GST RFD 06, and payment advice would be issued in GST RFD 05, indicating the amount of the delayed refund, the duration of delay, and the amount of refund payable. The applicant's bank account would be electronically credited with the interest amount.
Points To Remember Regarding GST Refunds
1. If the amount of the return is less than Rs. 1,000, no refund will be provided.
2. In circumstances where the application for GST Refund is for a refund of Input Tax Credit, the applicant's electronic ledger must be debited by an amount equivalent to the refund sought.
3. Any claim for GST Refund relating to the balance in the Electronic Cash Ledger must be made through the return filed for the applicable tax period in Form GSTR 3, Form GSTR 4, or Form GSTR 7.
4. If a Casual Taxable Person or a Non-Resident Taxable Person is due a refund on account of advance tax deposited, such reimbursement will not be issued unless such person has submitted all returns for the entire time for which the certificate of registration was provided to him.
5. UN Bodies and embassies may demand a refund of the GST paid on their expenses within 6 months of the end of the quarter in which such supply was received.
6. Tourists can also get a refund of the GST they paid during their visit to India. The term "tourist" has been defined as somebody who is not ordinarily a resident of India who visits for a period of not more than six months for valid non-immigrant reasons.
FAQs
1. How many days will it take for the GST refund to be processed?
It takes 7 business days from the date of receiving the acknowledgement.
2. Who qualifies for a GST refund?
Any taxpayer who makes an additional GST payment in the form of tax, interest, penalty, fees, or any other item is eligible for a GST refund. The taxpayer must ask for a refund using FORM GST RFD-01, which is prescribed.
3. What is the form used to apply for GST refund?
One has to use form number RFD-01 to claim GST refund.
4. Where should I submit the RFD-01 form for a GST refund?
You have to apply for a refund only on the GST portal under your registered login.
5. Without logging into the GST Portal, how can I track my refund application?
To get started, go to Services > Check the Status of Your Application > Choose Refund from the drop-down menu > > Enter the ARN to track your refund application without logging into the GST Portal, click SEARCH.