European tourism tax rebate process?

Shopping in Europe is cheaper, and you can get a tax refund of about 12%, which is equivalent to enjoying a discount. Do friends who travel to Europe for the first time know how to apply for tax refund? Let's take a look at my interesting itinerary and introduce you to the super-complete European tourists' shopping tax rebate strategy.

In fact, the tax refund is not as cumbersome as expected. Simply put, it is to let the store issue a tax refund form after shopping in the store, and some can refund the tax on the spot at the shopping place; Others need to take the tax refund form to the airport customs at the last stop of the trip, and then go to the tax refund counter to ask for a cash tax refund or a credit card tax refund. Now there are also tourists who return to domestic airports with tax refund forms stamped by the customs.

Frequently asked questions about European shopping tax rebate; European tax refund process.

1. Who can enjoy the tax refund?

Short-term Schengen visa or transit visa with a passport of a non-EU member state valid for less than 6 months. These include tourist visas, visiting relatives visas and other short-term Schengen visas. It is particularly important to note that international students and minors under 15 are not entitled to tax refund. Holders of long-term residence visas do not enjoy tax refund.

2. What items can be refunded?

You can enjoy the preferential tax refund if you buy more than a certain amount in a store with duty-free shopping (generally, food, alcohol and tobacco do not enjoy the tax refund). Ask the shop for the tax refund form and then sign it. Tax refund forms are generally made in triplicate, the first one is white, and the merchants keep it for the bottom. The other two are green customer receipts and pink store deposits, and the latter two need to be stamped by the customs. At the same time, the merchant will provide you with an envelope with the address of the merchant on it for mailing the tax refund form. Some shopping centers, such as Paris Spring, Galeries Lafayette and TheMall, an Italian discount village, can get tax refund on the spot.

3. Is there a limit on the amount of tax refund items? Is there a limit on the amount of tax refund?

Generally speaking, goods purchased in the same store can be refunded if they exceed 150 euros. If you can't buy the specified amount, you can find a friend to put the bill and invoice together, and you can also enjoy the tax refund. Remember to bring your passport when shopping, and you need to show it when you open the tax refund form. Generally, you can choose cash within 1000 euros, but if the tax refund exceeds 1000 euros, you can only return it to the credit card.

If you travel and shop in many countries, where should you choose to get the tax refund?

More than n people are struggling with this problem. Europe is all about buying and playing. Does every country that buys something have to apply for a tax refund? Of course not. If tourists are all EU countries, they can apply for a one-time tax refund in the last exit country. Then the problem comes again. What if we have to change planes in other European countries?

For example, I visited France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and finally returned from Madrid, but I had to change planes in Amsterdam. Where can I get a tax refund?

The answer is that Madrid is the best place, and Amsterdam is theoretically possible. But I don't know if there are customs and tax refund points in the transit hall, so it's better to return them in the country of departure.

5. If one of the countries you go to is not an EU country, can you get a tax refund in the end?

I can't. Many people who travel to Europe will go to Switzerland. Please note that Switzerland is a very special country. It is a Schengen country, but not an EU country. So when you buy things in Switzerland, you need to get a separate tax refund when you leave Switzerland. Another special country is Britain. Contrary to Switzerland, Britain is an EU country but not a Schengen country, but the tax refund is much more convenient. Shopping in Britain or other EU countries can be refunded in countries that leave the country at will.

6. How long does it take to get the tax refund at the airport in advance?

You can apply for tax refund at least 5 hours before boarding. International flights need to be registered three hours in advance. To be on the safe side, the tax refund should be reserved for at least one hour. Therefore, it is best to arrive at the airport four hours in advance in the peak season.

7. Which is more economical, cash refund or credit card refund?

There are different opinions on this issue on the Internet. Most people tend to bring cash and think it is safe to get the money immediately. In fact, returning cash and credit cards have their own advantages and disadvantages. Cash back often requires a handling fee, and many people return cash tax points. If time is tight, it will be too late to push cash again. The biggest drawback of returning a credit card is that it takes too long, and it often takes several months to return the card. The advantage is convenience. After the customs stamp, fill in the credit card information and put it in the mailbox of the corresponding tax refund company next to the tax refund point.

8. Is there a time limit for tax refund?

The answer is yes, the purchased goods must leave the country within three months, and the tax refund form must be sent back within six months after shopping. Take chestnuts as an example: for Dongdong purchased in April 16, the processing date of departure tax refund shall not exceed July 3 1 day, and the return period of tax refund form shall not be later than June 16.

9. How to handle the tax refund for returning to China?

First, the customs needs to stamp the tax refund form, and then apply for tax refund at the tax refund point at the domestic airport. You can take RMB directly and exchange it at the exchange rate of the day. The airports in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong all have tax refund points of major European tax refund companies. If you don't have time at the airport, some tax refund companies also have branches in major cities in China. Remember to check the address and office hours in official website.

What are the European shopping tax refund airports?

Charles de Gaulle Airport, France

Long queues for tax refund at Charles de Gaulle Airport are normal. Cash tax refund can only be refunded in dollars or RMB, not euros. A handling fee of 3.5 euros is charged for each document.

Frankfurt airport, Germany

Flights from Frankfurt Airport to Asia are all boarded in Area C, but the window for tax refund is in Area B, so be sure to leave enough time.

Munich airport, Germany

The location of the tax refund is remote and difficult to find, and it is easy to miss the plane. Germans are very rigid. If you don't check in first, he won't give you a tax refund. Not great at all!

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands

Tax refund is very convenient, customs clearance is very fast, and getting money is very smooth. The tax refund office also provides Chinese services. The most important thing is that the euro is refunded in cash, and a penny of handling fee is confiscated!

Heathrow Airport, UK

Goods to be refunded must always be carried in handbags, because customs officials only appear on transit transport lines. Because there is only one tax refund window in Terminal 3 and Terminal 4 of Heathrow International Airport (domestic flights mainly depart from these two terminals), it is necessary to reserve more time for customs stamping and tax collection when flights are concentrated.

Budapest airport, Hungary

You can't return euro cash, you can only choose to return credit cards. There is no Chinese service.

Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome, Italy

The tax refund point of Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Rome is C3, and the customs is fine, but it is not smooth to get the money. First, only refund the consumption in Italy; Second, the maximum refund is only 200 euros. In the end, I can only choose to retreat to Cary!

Madrid airport, Spain

The customs is next to the passport control office on the departure floor of 1 terminal, and the cash refund point is in the boarding area on the departure floor of 1 terminal. You can see it as soon as you pass the passport control point. The starting point of tax refund in Madrid is a bit high. Madrid airport provides VIP service for tourists who request cash tax refund for tax refund of more than 600 euros.

Helsinki airport, Finland

The efficiency is very high, the service attitude is very good, and the customs staff are all smiling.

Super practical skills of tax refund

1. If all the brands you want to buy can shop in the same department store, it is recommended to concentrate on shopping in the same store. In this way, it is not only easy to reach the standard of tax refund amount, but also only needs to go through the tax refund formalities once, saving time and money.

2. Go and get the boarding pass first. Customs officers will ask for boarding passes, tax refund items, store receipts and passports when stamping, and will stamp them after approval. The specific process is as follows: first, go to the boarding counter to check in, tell the staff that some items in the luggage need to be refunded, and she will give you the boarding pass, pull out the luggage with the luggage tag and give it to you to go to the customs for tax refund and stamp. After being stamped, the luggage can be directly handed over to the customs staff, who can send it to the conveyor belt.

3. If you go to several countries at the same time, especially to non-EU countries (such as Switzerland and Norway). ), you might as well concentrate your shopping spree on the last exit country, so as to avoid the trouble of tax refund back and forth.

4. If you choose to return the card, you may wish to take a photo of the tax refund voucher for evidence, so as to avoid delaying the return of the card as evidence for appeal in the future.

If you got the cash tax refund at the shopping store, please remember to send the tax refund form stamped by the customs when you leave the country. Prove that you have left the country with the goods within 3 months.

5. Get a credit card. Some shopping malls need a credit card as a guarantee to return cash on site, and they also need a credit card to return it, so when traveling to Europe, you should get a suitable credit card.