Styleforum › Forums › General › General Chat › Getting Tax Refund at Airport?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Getting Tax Refund at Airport?

post #1 of 13
12/26/10 at 5:40pm
Thread Starter 
So I am leaving Paris tomorrow and am unsure how to get my tax refund back. Can someone explain the process please?
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 13
12/26/10 at 7:35pm
I get mine direct deposited to my bank account.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 13
12/26/10 at 7:39pm
Do you mean sale tax from items that you bought in the US?

I don't think US has that kind of law for giving sale tax to tourists or anybody.

Am I missing something?
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 13
12/26/10 at 7:52pm
tax refund??? or vat???
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 13
12/26/10 at 10:39pm
There will be a small office in the terminal where you go to apply for your VAT refund. Note, generally you MUST have the items in your possession, not just the receipts. They can and will refuse you if you've packed the items and just show up with receipts. There are various options to get the money, such as getting it credited to your credit card.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 13
12/26/10 at 11:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bartolo View Post
There will be a small office in the terminal where you go to apply for your VAT refund. Note, generally you MUST have the items in your possession, not just the receipts. They can and will refuse you if you've packed the items and just show up with receipts.

There are various options to get the money, such as getting it credited to your credit card.

Correct, so go before you check in any bags. Arrive early because that fucking line is always really long. Getting the credit on your card is always preferable to me, because getting cash means you have to stand in another long line not to mention getting shafted on the x-rate
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 13
12/29/10 at 11:12pm
I think you guys missed a step

1) buy goods
2) ask for "tax free" receipt at the store
3) fill out tax free receipts (name,address, etc)
4) bring the goods and receipts to the VAT office at the airport from which you are departing the EU
5) Present receipts (and goods if requested)
6) Get your refund in cash or on credit card

Note: you only get part of your VAT back, the rest goes to processing fees by the VAT refund company
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 13
12/30/10 at 1:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by FidelCashflow View Post
I think you guys missed a step

1) buy goods
2) ask for "tax free" receipt at the store
3) fill out tax free receipts (name,address, etc)
4) bring the goods and receipts to the VAT office at the airport from which you are departing the EU
5) Present receipts (and goods if requested)
6) Get your refund in cash or on credit card

Note: you only get part of your VAT back, the rest goes to processing fees by the VAT refund company

I don't think that's necessary. Some stores just give out regular receipts. As long as you have
1) the original receipt,
2) the item,
3) your passport,
you should be fine. I did it for my mom.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 13
12/30/10 at 3:00am
Good lord this sounds like a pain in the ass.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 13
12/30/10 at 11:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdenResident View Post
I don't think that's necessary. Some stores just give out regular receipts. As long as you have

It depends. I think the country is what matters but if you go to a store with the tax free sticker in the window and ask them for tax free they'll know what to do. Also some places don't need to see the items. When I left Singapore and Denmark they didnt ask to see anything. In fact, I've never been asked to show anything leaving the EU.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rambo View Post
Good lord this sounds like a pain in the ass.

Its not. Its annoying but you can only get it for purchases over like 100 Euro so filling out a form to get a fairly substantial amount of money back is worth it. I mean, you're already going to be waiting at the airport.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 13
1/1/11 at 3:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by edinatlanta View Post
Also some places don't need to see the items. When I left Singapore and Denmark they didnt ask to see anything. In fact, I've never been asked to show anything leaving the EU.

My understanding is that the guy at the counter has the right to see the item if he asks, but usually they don't bother because they know it's a huge hassle to open your suitcase pull it out, and put it all back when there's a long lineup. I've went through the UK several times and on 2 or 3 occassions they asked to see it, the rest of the time they just said "you have it with you, right?" and moved along to the next person.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 13
1/3/11 at 11:56pm
The store gives you a form at the point of sale, which a store rep signs. You fill out your info (passport #, etc) and present it to the VAT counter with your plane ticket as proof that you are leaving the country. The guy at the counter stamps the form, and you can either get a refund at the airport, or mail the form in the pre-addressed envelope that the store gave you, and get a cc refund a few weeks later. I see you departed Paris a week ago. Hope you had fun.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 13
1/4/11 at 1:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by FidelCashflow View Post
My understanding is that the guy at the counter has the right to see the item if he asks, but usually they don't bother because they know it's a huge hassle to open your suitcase pull it out, and put it all back when there's a long lineup. I've went through the UK several times and on 2 or 3 occassions they asked to see it, the rest of the time they just said "you have it with you, right?" and moved along to the next person.
They'll probably ask to see the higher value items. Last time we were in Paris our highest value purchase was a purse, and the agent asked to see that. My wife of course already had it slung over her shoulder so that was not a hassle
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: General Chat
Styleforum › Forums › General › General Chat › Getting Tax Refund at Airport?