VAT refunds: The importance of timely registration of official receipts

IN CLAIMING a refund of unutilized input value added tax (VAT) that is attributable to zero-rated sales, it is imperative to prove that the billing documents are duly registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) at the time of the sale transaction. In a recent case, the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) held that the absence of such proof was fatal to the VAT refund claim.