Question 1

Can I get GST refund RFD-01 done online without visiting the office?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the entire process can be handled online. You share scanned documents on WhatsApp or email, we prepare and file everything on the GST portal, and you receive the acknowledgement and filed copies digitally. Businesses in Kathivakkam regularly complete GST refund with us without a single office visit. If a physical verification or personal hearing is required by the department, we guide you through it.

Question 2

Are there any hidden charges for GST refund RFD-01?

Accepted Answer

No. The fee quoted before we start is the fee you pay. Government fees, portal charges or statutory late fees, where they apply, are separate and disclosed to you in advance with the exact amount. We issue a proper GST invoice for our professional fee. If the scope of work changes — for example, an unexpected notice or additional periods — we tell you the revised fee before doing anything further.

Question 3

What is the time limit for filing a GST refund application?

Accepted Answer

Form RFD-01 must be filed within two years from the relevant date defined in Section 54 of the CGST Act. For export of goods, the relevant date is the date the ship or aircraft leaves India; for export of services, it is the date of receipt of foreign exchange or the invoice date, whichever is later; for inverted duty structure, it is the due date of the return for the period in which the claim arises. Missing the two-year window makes the refund time-barred, so track pending claims carefully and file early.

Question 4

What documents do I need to attach with a GST refund application?

Accepted Answer

The documents depend on the refund category. Export refunds under LUT need a statement of invoices with corresponding shipping bill numbers and dates, or FIRC and BRC for service exports. Inverted duty claims need statements of inward and outward supplies with the Rule 89(5) computation. All claims need a declaration that the tax incidence has not been passed on, and claims above Rs.2 lakh require a certificate from a chartered accountant or cost accountant in certain cases. Uploads are limited on the portal, so annexures must be prepared compactly. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a category-wise checklist.

Question 5

I export under LUT without charging tax. Can I get a refund of my input tax credit?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Exports made under a Letter of Undertaking are zero-rated, so the input tax credit accumulated on your purchases can be claimed as a refund by filing RFD-01 under the category refund of unutilised ITC on export without payment of tax. The refund is computed proportionately using the formula in Rule 89(4), based on your export turnover versus total turnover. You must upload a statement of export invoices along with shipping bills or, for services, FIRC or BRC evidencing foreign exchange receipt. Exporters in Kathivakkam can call +91 - 9600 606 444 for end-to-end filing support.

Question 6

Can I include ITC on input services in my inverted duty refund claim?

Accepted Answer

No. Under Rule 89(5) of the CGST Rules, the refund formula for inverted duty structure considers only the net input tax credit availed on inputs, meaning goods used in making the outward supply. ITC on input services and capital goods is excluded from the computation, a position upheld by the Supreme Court in the VKC Footsteps case. That excluded credit is not lost; it remains in your electronic credit ledger for set-off against future output tax. A proper working of eligible versus ineligible credit prevents deficiency memos and partial rejections.

Question 7

I export goods after paying IGST. How do I get that tax back?

Accepted Answer

For export of goods with payment of IGST, no separate RFD-01 is needed. The shipping bill filed with customs is itself treated as the refund application once you file GSTR-1 with correct shipping bill details in Table 6A and pay the tax through GSTR-3B. Customs matches the data from the GST portal with ICEGATE and credits the refund directly to your bank account. Most delays happen because of invoice mismatches between GSTR-1 and the shipping bill, or bank account validation errors, so reconcile both before filing each month.

Question 8

How do I claim a GST refund for my business in Kathivakkam?

Accepted Answer

GST refunds are claimed online by filing Form RFD-01 on the GST portal under the relevant category, such as export of goods or services, inverted duty structure, or excess balance in the electronic cash ledger. You must attach supporting documents like invoices, shipping bills or bank realisation certificates, and the application must be filed within two years of the relevant date. Once filed, the officer issues an acknowledgement in RFD-02 within fifteen days. Many businesses in Kathivakkam lose refunds to avoidable deficiencies, so call +91 - 9600 606 444 if you would like the application prepared professionally.

Question 9

Why does the restaurant inside a hotel sometimes charge 18 percent while others charge 5 percent?

Accepted Answer

Restaurant service is generally taxed at 5 percent without input tax credit. The exception is a restaurant located in specified premises, broadly a hotel where the value of any unit of accommodation exceeded Rs.7,500 per day in the preceding financial year, or which has opted in through a declaration; there the rate is 18 percent with input tax credit. From 1 April 2025 the classification works on the previous year's actual accommodation value plus the opt-in mechanism, rather than the old declared tariff concept. Hotels around Kathivakkam should evaluate annually whether the 18 percent with credit position is commercially better; call +91 - 9600 606 444 for the comparison.

Question 10

I supply cement and steel on credit to local builders. What GST care do such B2B sales need?

Accepted Answer

Three things matter. First, issue proper B2B tax invoices with the builder's GSTIN and correct HSN codes, because your GSTR-1 feeds their credit claims and errors invite immediate calls. Second, watch consignment values, since movements above the e-way bill limits need bills generated before dispatch, and construction material loads cross the threshold easily. Third, monitor receivables: if a builder does not pay you, your own output tax has still been paid, and conversely builders who delay paying you beyond 180 days must reverse their credit, which often prompts them to settle. Hardware dealers in Kathivakkam can call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a receivables-linked compliance routine.

Question 11

We distribute free samples and run buy-one-get-one offers. How is ITC treated on these?

Accepted Answer

The two are treated very differently. Goods disposed of as gifts or free samples attract the block under Section 17(5)(h), so ITC on inputs used for genuinely free samples must be reversed. However, CBIC Circular 92/11/2019 clarifies that buy-one-get-one offers are not free supplies; they are effectively two goods sold for a single price, tax is charged on that price, and full ITC remains available. Trade discounts recorded in the invoice also do not disturb credit. Pharmaceutical distributors and FMCG dealers in Kathivakkam should therefore document promotional schemes carefully, because the same physical giveaway can be creditable or blocked depending on how the offer is structured.

Question 12

Can one invoice contain items taxed at different GST rates?

Accepted Answer

Yes, there is no requirement to issue separate invoices per rate. A single tax invoice can carry multiple line items, each with its own HSN code, taxable value, rate and tax amount, and the totals section simply aggregates the tax rate-wise. A hardware store in Kathivakkam can bill cement at 18 percent and certain tools at 5 percent on one document. What matters is that each line is classified and taxed correctly, and that mixed baskets are not collapsed into one rate. Be careful with genuine composite supplies, where one principal supply drives a single rate; that is a classification question, not an invoicing one.

Question 13

What happened to the old 12 percent and 28 percent GST slabs?

Accepted Answer

Both slabs were abolished with effect from 22 September 2025. Nearly all goods that were at 12 percent moved down to 5 percent, and the bulk of the 28 percent items moved to 18 percent, with only a small set of luxury and demerit goods shifted up to the special 40 percent rate. This means old rate charts, printed price lists and software masters created before September 2025 are unreliable. Before quoting or billing, confirm the current rate against the CBIC rate notifications for your exact HSN code, or call +91 - 9600 606 444 and we will verify it for your product list.

Question 14

How is GST charged on hotel room tariffs after the rate changes?

Accepted Answer

Hotel accommodation with a value of supply up to Rs.7,500 per unit per day attracts 5 percent GST without input tax credit, a reduction from the earlier 12 percent. Rooms priced above Rs.7,500 per day attract 18 percent with full input tax credit. The rate is determined by the actual transaction value charged for the room, so seasonal discounts can change the applicable rate on the same room across bookings. Lodges and hotels around Kathivakkam should configure billing software to test the per-day value on each invoice rather than fixing one rate for the property.

Question 15

What are the GST rates on gold, silver and diamond jewellery?

Accepted Answer

The special rates on precious metals were retained in the GST 2.0 restructuring. Gold, silver and articles of jewellery attract 3 percent GST, rough and unworked diamonds attract 0.25 percent, and jewellery making charges billed separately attract 5 percent. When a jeweller bills a customer, the metal value and making charges can appear as separate line items with their respective rates on the same tax invoice. Old gold purchased from an unregistered customer in exchange transactions does not attract GST in the customer's hands, but valuation of the net supply must be documented carefully.

Question 16

Which food items became completely tax-free under GST 2.0?

Accepted Answer

From 22 September 2025, UHT milk, pre-packaged and labelled paneer and chena, and all Indian breads including roti, chapati, paratha and khakhra attract nil GST. In the pharma space, thirty-three notified lifesaving drugs and medicines for cancer and rare diseases also moved to nil rate. Remember that selling nil-rated goods still has compliance effects: you issue a bill of supply instead of a tax invoice for such items, and input tax credit attributable to nil-rated supplies must be reversed proportionately under Rules 42 and 43. Grocery retailers in Kathivakkam commonly need help splitting mixed billing correctly.

Question 17

My shop's landlord in Kathivakkam is not GST registered. Do I pay GST on the rent myself?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you are registered. With effect from 10 October 2024, renting of any immovable property other than a residential dwelling by an unregistered person to a registered person was notified under reverse charge, so a registered tenant must pay 18 percent on the rent in cash through GSTR-3B and can claim ITC subject to the usual conditions. Composition taxpayers were subsequently excluded from this entry with effect from 16 January 2025. You must also raise a monthly self-invoice since the landlord is unregistered. Many shop and godown tenants in Kathivakkam remain unaware of this recent entry; call +91 - 9600 606 444 to regularise past months.

Question 18

What GST do hotels charge on room tariffs after the 2025 rate changes?

Accepted Answer

From 22 September 2025, hotel accommodation with a value of supply up to Rs.7,500 per unit per day attracts 5 percent GST without input tax credit, and accommodation above Rs.7,500 attracts 18 percent with input tax credit. The earlier 12 percent slab for mid-range rooms was abolished in the rate rationalisation. Tax applies on the actual transaction value charged, so a discounted rate below Rs.7,500 falls in the 5 percent bracket even if the printed tariff is higher. Hotels should reconfigure billing software slab-wise and watch the ITC restriction on the 5 percent category, which changes costing materially.

Question 19

What documents are required for GST refund RFD-01 in Kathivakkam?

Accepted Answer

For GST refund RFD-01 you will generally need: Export invoices and shipping bills, for export refund claims, FIRC or bank realisation certificates for export proceeds, Copy of LUT filed in RFD-11, for exports without payment of tax, GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filed copies for the claim period, GSTR-2B and purchase invoices supporting input tax credit. The exact list depends on your constitution — proprietorship, partnership, LLP or company — and on the specifics of your case. Send what you have on WhatsApp to +91 - 9600 606 444 and we will confirm within the same working day exactly what else is needed, so nothing is rejected later for a missing paper.

Question 20

Which GST office handles Kathivakkam businesses?

Accepted Answer

Businesses in Kathivakkam (PIN 600057) generally fall under the CGST Chennai North Commissionerate, with state-jurisdiction cases handled by the Tamil Nadu Commercial Taxes Department. Your exact division and range can be confirmed from your GSTIN on the GST portal. We regularly appear before this jurisdiction for registrations, clarifications and hearings, so we know the local practice and documentation preferences.

Question 21

How long does GST refund RFD-01 take in Kathivakkam?

Accepted Answer

Application filed in 3-5 working days; sanction typically within 60 days. That assumes your documents are complete and there is no departmental query. We start the same day we receive your papers and tell you the realistic completion date upfront rather than an optimistic one. Where the GST portal or the officer causes delay — clarifications, physical verification or system issues — we track it daily and keep you informed on WhatsApp.

Aspect	With ChennaiGST	DIY / Unattended
Goods in transit	E-way bills generated correctly and matched to invoices, so consignments pass roadside inspections without detention or penalty.	A defective or missing e-way bill can mean detention at a checkpoint, with penalties that dwarf the tax on the consignment.
Refund claims	RFD-01 filed with complete statements and annexures, tracked from ARN to bank credit, with any deficiency memo answered promptly.	Incomplete claims bounce back as deficiency memos while the refund sits unclaimed for months and working capital stays blocked.
Keeping up with changes	Rate changes, portal updates and new thresholds such as the Rs.5 crore e-invoice limit are tracked by us and applied to your case proactively.	Changes are discovered after the fact — often through a rejected filing, a blocked e-way bill or a departmental letter.
Annual return preparation	Monthly reconciliations roll naturally into GSTR-9, filed comfortably before 31 December with figures already agreed through the year.	Twelve months of unmatched data reconstructed in December, with differences discovered too late to be corrected cleanly.
Supplier defaults	Suppliers who stop uploading invoices are identified within the period and pursued before their default becomes your blocked credit.	Missing supplier invoices surface only when credit is denied, by which time recovering the amount from the vendor is difficult.
Registration and amendments	Query-resistant applications prepared correctly the first time, with supporting documents matched to what proper officers actually verify.	Repeated clarification memos and resubmissions, with weeks lost because a rent agreement or premises photograph did not meet expectations.

Local GST Refund RFD-01 Support near 4th Street, Kathivakkam

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Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for 4th Street, Kathivakkam

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Our GST Refund Process

Eligibility and computation

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RFD-01 filing

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Documents Required for GST Refund RFD-01

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With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

The Current Law on This Service — relevant to Kathivakkam businesses

Budget hotel rooms taxed and costly hospital rooms brought to 5 per cent

Supreme Court upholds the pre-import condition for IGST exemption under advance authorisation

Ladies hostel run from rented premises, with food, held taxable

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