Track your ESTV-Portal VAT returns from your own systems

What you can build on the ESTV-Portal

• Get VAT returns

  Build this

  Reads Meine Geschäfte (my cases) for one company: its VAT returns with the period and whether each is open, started or submitted.

  Takes

  Company, status (optional)

  Returns

  Company, period start, period end, status

• Get withholding tax cases

  Build this

  Reads the overview of Verrechnungssteuer (withholding tax) forms and refund requests filed online for one company, pending and completed.

  Takes

  Company, status (optional)

  Returns

  Company, form number, period, status

• List companies and permissions

  Build this

  Reads Meine Berechtigungen (my permissions): the companies your account can act for, the ESTV services for each and your role in them.

  Takes

  Nothing

  Returns

  Company, service, role

• Request a VAT deadline extension

  Build this

  Files a Fristerstreckung (deadline extension) request for the VAT returns and companies you list, using the portal's bulk extension request.

  Takes

  Companies, VAT periods, reason

  Returns

  Company, period, request status

Automate the ESTV-Portal with a workflow

A workflow runs your methods as one process, with nobody at the screen. A schedule or a call from your own system starts it, the steps run in order, and the result arrives in your inbox or in the systems you already use.

• Open VAT returns across your companies

  Build this

  Starts

  Every Monday at 7:00

  Step 1

  For each company you name, get its VAT returns from Meine Geschäfte.

  Step 2

  Keep the returns that are open or started, not submitted.

  Step 3

  Email you the list, one section per company, with each return's period.

• Withholding tax cases that changed

  Build this

  Starts

  Every weekday at 8:00

  Step 1

  For each company, get the Verrechnungssteuer cases filed online.

  Step 2

  Keep the cases whose status changed since the last run.

  Step 3

  Post company, form number, period and status to your webhook.

• Monthly check of portal permissions

  Build this

  Starts

  On the first day of each month at 9:00

  Step 1

  Read Meine Berechtigungen for every company your account can act for.

  Step 2

  Keep the companies, services or roles that changed since the last run.

  Step 3

  Email you the changes, with company, service and role.

You can run a workflow by hand on every plan, Free included. Schedules and webhook triggers come with the paid plans, from $29 a month.

Once built, one call from your code

Once you have built a method, it is one POST to /v1/runs from your backend, or a tool an AI agent calls over MCP. This is what “Get VAT returns” would look like.

curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "method": "estvportal.estv.admin.ch/get_vat_returns",
    "input": {
      "company": "Acme AG",
      "status": "open"
    }
  }'

{
  "status": "completed",
  "data": {
    "company": "Acme AG",
    "returns": [
      {
        "period_start": "2026-07-01",
        "period_end": "2026-09-30",
        "status": "open"
      },
      {
        "period_start": "2026-04-01",
        "period_end": "2026-06-30",
        "status": "started"
      }
    ],
    "count": 2
  }
}

An example with invented data, not a ready-made endpoint. The method exists in your organization once you build it, and its name, inputs and fields follow your request.

The ESTV-Portal’s own options

The ESTV documents no public API for the ESTV-Portal. MWST-Abrechnung pro imports a VAT return as an eCH-0217 XML file that your accounting software exports, but you select and file that file in the portal yourself. The portal is free, and VAT returns must be filed online.

Read on November 12, 2026: MWST online abrechnen, Onlineservices der ESTV, Verrechnungssteuer online abrechnen.

Signing in to the ESTV-Portal

The ESTV-Portal signs you in through the federal login, AGOV, which uses no password: you scan a QR code with the AGOV access app or use a physical security key. An existing CH-Login can be linked to AGOV. With Fous you sign in once through the portal's own sign-in with your own account, the login is sealed with AES-256, and a method reads and does only what your permissions allow.

Worth knowing

Access to a company arrives by post

To act for a company you enter an activation code sent by post to its seat address, valid for 90 days. An administrator can also invite you with an invitation code, valid for up to 90 days.

Filling and submitting are separate roles

A person with the Ausfüller (filler) profile can only fill in VAT returns. An Einreicher (submitter) files them and is notified when a return is ready to submit.

Only eCH-0217 version 2.0.0 is accepted

MWST-Abrechnung pro imports only the eCH-0217 E-MWST 2.0.0 format. Files in other versions or structures are not accepted, so check what your accounting software exports.

Each service keeps an administrator

Every service needs at least one Administrator, and the last one cannot remove itself. The ESTV recommends an internal employee first and tax representatives only as additional administrators.

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