On the picture Mr Manolis Arvanitis.
The city of peace, justice and security, is in constant evolution; new organisations, new diplomats and new services regularly popping up in The Hague. Some of these new things are already part of our system and in the last few years have become mandatory for every embassy or diplomat that has moved into town. The indispensable Diplomatic Card or ‘free tax card’, as few refer to it, has been offering tax return services to diplomats in the Netherlands for several years already and more and more diplomats are finding their own ways to obtain this precious card.
“This is logical, because we are taking a lot of work off their shoulders”, says General Manager Mr Manolis Arvanitis. Arvanitis is working for the company almost five years now and he sees a lot of changes since the beginning.
“We offer the FUEL and the VAT service in the Netherlands. This means that Diplomats and other eligible can fuel up with a multiband card at any gas station – and this is an unique service – in the Netherlands, without paying for the VAT and excises on the spot. The VAT service offers a VAT card that allows eligible persons to shop VAT free on the spot in all connected shops”.
With this service the paperwork for getting the VAT and/or excises reimbursed is no longer needed. “In the beginning the people were reluctant and careful in using the card. I can imagine this, because everything that is new, needs time to prove itself”, Arvanitis continues, “But the service shows how easy it can be done”
“When a retailer is not connected to the network of DCC, it is easy to get your VAT reimbursed. Send the VAT included invoice to us and we will pay you the VAT amount back within 48 hours after approval of your privilege”.
It was also Diplomatic Card who has taken care of the privilege for BO status which was wrongly reduced to one year. Arvanitis: “After long and intensive discussions with the tax administration, we could prove that the BO status was 10 years instead of one year. We are very happy that we could give this service to our clients, resulting a positive feedback regarding our intervention in this case. Therefore all privileged persons could receive back their excise which they did not receive for several months”.
Diplomatic Card is working closely with Diplomat Magazine, sponsoring the monthly Meet & Greet’s events at Carlton Ambassador Hotel and the Ceremonies of Merit for departing Ambassador’s, also other diplomatic events thru the year.
“We are involve in the Diplomatic life in the Hague”, says Manolis Arvanitis, “this is the only way we can hear and learn better what is going on for the Diplomats; what shops they would like to have in the network, what problems regarding VAT reimbursements they are facing etc.”.
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Mr Manolis Arvanitis, General Manager of Diplomatic Card. Photography by Kim Vermaart.
