Basic tax refund process

Step 1 Shopping in stores

Key points: Please pay attention to shopping in stores with shopping tax refund signs

Only in stores with shopping malls In stores with tax refund signs, you can enjoy professional tax refund services provided by clerks. When the consumption amount reaches the tax refund amount, the store clerk will ask you to provide your passport and fill in the store's tax refund form. You need to fill in your detailed address, passport number and other relevant information on the tax refund form. Each item purchased must be recorded on the tax refund form. At the same time, the store will write down the tax refund amount you can get on the tax refund form. At that time, you will receive a tax refund form/an invoice/an envelope from the tax refund company. You only need to bind the tax refund form and the invoice together in a special envelope. (Do not seal the envelope. This tax refund form will need to be taken out and stamped by the customs when you finally leave the country)

Most businesses will ask consumers to provide their passports when filling in the documents, so before leaving the country Remember to bring your passport with you when shopping!

When filling out the tax refund form in the store, consumers are usually allowed to choose the method of tax refund. You can choose to refund cash, refund Alipay, or choose to refund the amount to a designated credit card account. (Alipay refunds are determined by tax refund agencies in each country. This time, there is no Alipay option for tax refund in Vienna, only cash and credit card).

Step 2 Customs stamp

Key point: Before checking in at the airport, you must first apply for tax refund.

When you reach the last stop of your trip within the EU and prepare to leave the EU by plane, you must go through the relevant tax refund procedures at the customs counter before the airport security check.

Before leaving the country, the customs will randomly check the purchased items against the tax refund form (to prevent you from refunding tax on behalf of other people who are not entitled to tax refund), and require you to present your air ticket, purchased items, shopping receipts, tax refund application form and passport , confirm whether the items on the tax refund form are authentic, and ask the customs official to stamp the tax refund application form. (Things marked in red are required)

Take the tax refund products to the customs counter for stamping procedures and accept product inspection. It must be unopened. Although not every customs office will have time to inspect the goods you purchased in detail, they will generally ask you something like "Customs will ask you whether the tax refund items are new and unused." Just answer "YES" . You may be asked to show what you purchased on the spot, and after customs inspection, the customs officers will sign and stamp the tax refund form. (I was not asked to open the items for inspection before in Italy and this time in Prague, but some friends have encountered some that need to be inspected, so I strongly recommend that you don’t check them in yet and put them in a convenient place for inspection. However, the customs of both countries have asked Whether my items were new or unused, I answered yes. The fact is that I had never opened or used them. I had a friend who carried a new bag directly on her back. Later, when customs wanted to check her bag, she said it was just that. I had this on my body. When I met this customs official, he was relatively easy to talk to, so I reminded him and told her not to take it apart for use next time, so he stamped it. So everyone weighs their own risks. I throw away the big outer packaging box of the bag. There is only one dust bag left. This should be irrelevant and it is considered a new product, otherwise the box will not fit in it.)

Each country has a certain time limit for obtaining customs stamps for tax refund documents. Generally, it is Within 3 months after the tax refund documents are issued. When shopping, you must consider the time of departure to avoid exceeding the validity period and losing the right to obtain a consumption tax refund (stamping can be done within 3 months from the date of purchase).

When you are ready to leave after your trip, you must submit the purchased goods and the tax refund form to the border customs for inspection before leaving the country, and stamp them with an official seal as proof that the goods have been exported. If the purchased items are carried with you, it is best to place them on the top shelf of your luggage for easy inspection. For goods to be checked in, you must declare at check-in that there are goods for tax refund in your luggage. After attaching the consignment tag, send the luggage to the customs for inspection procedures, and the customs will stamp the inspection stamp on the tax refund form.

The customs stamp is very important. Without the customs stamp, tax refund will not be possible.

The customs stamp is very important. Without the customs stamp, tax refund will not be possible.

The customs stamp is very important. Without the customs stamp, tax refund will not be possible.

Step 3 Refund the tax

With the valid tax refund form signed and stamped by the customs, you can go to the tax refund service counter of a large international tax refund company at major European airports, according to your choice Tax refund methods to refund taxes

1. Cash refund

If you choose a cash refund, take the verified tax refund form and go to the tax refund window of the corresponding tax refund agency to queue up to receive cash (find Travelex or Change direction), leave at least 1 hour in your schedule to obtain the customs stamp and tax refund. Why did I say to leave 1 hour? Please see the real-life photos below. There are pictures and the truth.

You can choose the tax refund currency, usually US dollars and local currency. Some airports will have RMB. Generally speaking, local currency is the most cost-effective. There is a handling fee of 3 euros for each tax refund form when handling cash tax refund. Cash tax refunds are not available for large-ticket items or certain brands, and can only be refunded to credit cards.

Analysis of the pros and cons of cash refund:

Pros: You can get the tax refund cash quickly, and as the Chinese saying goes, it is easy to make money.

Disadvantages: Cash refund is required for each order. Please note that each order is based on the number of tax refund forms issued to you by the clerk. A handling fee of 3 Euros will be deducted for each order, and then the tax refund will be processed according to the tax refund form. You will receive a cash refund in national currency. To illustrate, Vienna is a Euro country, and the tax refund amount is shown in Euros on the tax refund form. However, when the tax refund was processed in Prague, Prague used Czech koruna, the currency of its own country. What should you do if you want to obtain this Euro refund? This is a math problem

First, the tax refund agency will convert your euro tax refund amount, such as 20 euros - 3 euros handling fee, and then the remaining 17 euros will first be converted into their airport exchange rate at a ratio of 1:22.4 I converted it into Czech koruna for you (the normal ratio of euro to koruna is: 1:26.4). It’s not over yet. The question has not been finished yet. Chinese banks cannot exchange Czech koruna currency, which means that they have deducted the money. Your exchange rate difference will refund your krona, and you cannot exchange it when you take it home. Unless you come to the Czech Republic next time, it will become useless paper. If you want RMB, you must exchange it for RMB here again.

Exchange rate conversion; Euro - Krona - Soft currency, switch between 3 currencies, you decide whether you want to use it or not! The difference is not big if the amount is small, but the difference is big if the amount is large, at least a quarter of it will be eaten away. (Everyone says you can buy anywhere in the Czech Republic, but the lessons of blood and tears tell everyone that Vienna is the best place to buy. All luxury goods in the Eurozone are priced in euros on the official websites of Western European countries such as France/Italy. It’s the same. You can buy it in Italy and France, but these luxury goods in the Czech Republic are priced in krona. When converted into euros, a few hundred dollars is more expensive than a few thousand or more, 1-2 thousand. Don’t ask me how I know that. I just buy them expensive. Brothers and sisters, don’t miss the shopping in Vienna~)

Of course, if you buy things from the Czech Republic, the tax refund exchange rate will be less than the exchange of euros for kronor, but the cash tax refund of 3 euros The handling fee is still the same.

Exchange rate conversion: Krona-Softmei currency. (I didn’t check this exchange rate because I chose the next credit card and Alipay tax refund)

2. Refund to the credit card account

First of all, you must fill in the credit card information completely and correctly on the tax refund form or Alipay account (usually mobile phone number). During exit security inspection, submit the purchased goods and tax refund form to the customs for inspection. After the customs verifies that they are correct, they will stamp the tax refund form and put it into the special envelope of the tax refund company provided by the store, and put it into the airport's special tax refund mailbox. Seal it to prevent loss and put it in the corresponding mailbox, because consumers do not have the receipt to keep. If there is a problem in the future, they must rely on the saved photos to complain to the tax refund company. Before mailing, confirm again whether the credit card number is filled in correctly and whether all the signature places are included. Already signed. Different companies have their own mailboxes. If you are unsure, ask the staff to help check. The envelopes attached to the tax refund forms have already paid postage, so you can just throw them in.

(Only credit card and Alipay refund methods can be delivered directly to the tax refund mailbox. Cash refunds do not need to be delivered. Cash refunds are processed directly at the tax refund counter manually)

On 3 Within a month, the store will deposit the refunded tax into your account. You can find the details of the tax refund on your credit card statement. If you are worried that you have applied for a tax refund but have not received the amount, it is recommended that you write down the number on the receipt and the address on the return envelope for future inquiries.

Analysis of the pros and cons of credit card tax refunds:

Pros: The handling fee for cash refunds is waived and will be directly converted into RMB and refunded to your card (although there are also inevitable exchange rate losses) , but after checking the Italian tax refund before, I feel that the exchange rate is still within an acceptable range, and there are definitely no airport pitfalls)

Disadvantages: The refund cycle is relatively long, and there is a risk of non-refund. (Based on previous experience and friend’s tax refund experience in Italy last year, all taxes were refunded)

So in the end, it is strongly recommended that everyone take photos to obtain the tax refund form stamped by the customs, and clearly take photos of the tax refund. The tracking number and customs stamp will provide evidence to appeal to the tax refund company if the tax refund is not received in the future.

3. Return to the country for tax refund (not recommended)

If you take a morning or night flight back to the country, the tax refund window will not be open at this time. If you are from a big city, you can If you choose to return to your home country for tax refund, two tax refund companies, Global Blue and PREMIER TAXFREE, have tax refund points in the country (both require phone reservations in advance). If the tax refund amount is less than 150 euros, you can get it in cash. If the tax refund amount is more than 150 euros, you can only get the tax refund by credit card. Round off the amount on the tax refund check.