Greece will start accepting foreign cards for paying taxes

Foreigners will soon be able to pay their tax obligations in Greece with credit and debit cards issued by foreign banksstate broadcaster ERT reported on Thursday.

The reason for this simplification is that the Independent Revenue Service (AADE) is launching procedures to remove the legal and technical hurdles that exist today. With the help of credit and debit cards issued by foreign banks, foreigners will be able to pay their tax obligations from 2023.

A tender is already underway for the supply of a system for accepting foreign cards in the AADE EFT/POS and e-POS networks of the General Secretariat of Information Systems, the deadline for submission of proposals by interested parties ends on January 5, 2023.

This measure, which is expected to be implemented by June 2023, will facilitate the tax transactions of thousands of citizens, as data show that every year foreigners who pay taxes in Greece conduct, in total, more than 150,000 transactions with the tax office. In addition, paying taxes through foreign cards will allow Greeks living abroad to settle outstanding tax issues, such as paying taxes on real estate or movable property that they inherited in Greece.

The purpose of the tender is to conclude an agreement between AADE and a legally licensed payment service provider that will accept and clear transactions on behalf of AADE using cards issued by foreign payment service providers.

Applicants must present cards with signs of international card organizations VISA, Mastercard and China Union Pay. Upon request, cards with brands of international organizations DINNERS and AMERICAN EXPRESS will be serviced. In accordance with the mark of the organization of the international payment card system, all individual types of cards (debit, credit, prepaid, virtual, business / corporate, etc.) are included.

Bids will be open on January 13, 2023 with a total contract value of €1.25 million and a duration of 1 year.

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