Italy is also a country where we do a lot of shopping, so tax refund is definitely a must at this time. The following are some tax refund strategies that the editor would like to tell you. You can see if this is the tax refund strategy you need.
Can I get a tax refund wherever I buy things?
No, not all stores can. Stores that support tax refunds have signs such as GlobalBlue, TAXFREE, or VATrefund at the door. It depends on which tax refund company the store uses.
Some stores do not have signs at the entrance. You can directly ask the store clerk if there is tax refund or tax exemption.
Global United is the largest company, so it processes tax refunds faster.
Can I get a tax refund as long as I buy something?
NONO tax refund has a minimum consumption limit: you can only enjoy the tax refund if you spend 155 euros or more in the same store that supports tax refund on the same day. Spending across stores or on different dates cannot be accumulated.
Don’t you need to go to airport customs to get tax refund in a store/city?
No, no! Very few stores will directly refund you the tax-free money after you finish your purchase. Or you can get your tax refund in advance at the tax refund office in the city. Remember, even if you get cash, you still have to stamp it at the customs and send back the tax refund form (or hand it to the staff at the tax refund office). Otherwise, customs will deduct the amount refunded to you from your credit card and impose a small fine.
1. Shopping
Two conditions must be met for tax refund:
Permanent residents of non-EU member states (study visa, work visa, etc. Overnight stay is not allowed) ;
Shopping over 155 euros in the same store on the same day.
Second, fill out the tax refund form
After checkout, the clerk will give you a tax refund application form and may ask to see your passport (electronic version or photocopy is also acceptable). Some stores require you to fill in your passport number, name, address and other information, and some stores will type it out directly on the computer.
The tax refund rate ranges from 11-15%. The higher the price of the item you buy, the higher the tax refund rate. There is a fixed formula that can be copied, and the amount of money you can refund has nothing to do with the store.
Be sure to fill in the following contents of the tax refund form. Try to use capital letters and do not use consecutive pens to avoid the tax refund office not being able to recognize the letters.
-Name (pinyin, should be exactly the same as the name on the passport);
-Passport number;
-Address, the most important is the country and country Code (there was once a store clerk who shipped goods from China to Taiwan, but couldn't get a tax refund);
——Signature, with the store's seal or the store clerk's signature, and your signature.
Finally, after you get the tax refund form, carefully check your personal information and ask for correction immediately if there are any problems. Don’t wait until you get home to check. If there is a problem with the tax refund form for shopping in other cities, it cannot be exchanged.
Note: Global Blue has a special tax refund card, and personal information can be read directly. You can apply for a Global Blue membership number/membership card through the link below before departure.
/Registration
The above two steps are completed in the store, and the next two steps are completed at the airport.
Three. Customs seal
Go through customs formalities at the airport leaving Schengen. For example, if you buy things in Italy and France and fly back from France (regardless of whether you need to change planes), all procedures will be handled at French customs.
Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, and tax refunds must be completed before leaving Switzerland.
To apply for a tax refund, you must arrive at the airport in advance. There are many people applying for tax refund at large international airports. It would be a shame if you were forced to give up your tax refund due to lack of time. For busy airports like Rome and Milan,
it is advisable to arrive 4 hours before departure.
The first step
Put all the tax refund items in a suitcase and accept customs inspection. All tax refundable items must leave the country with me.
Step 2
Some airports (such as Florence) require a boarding pass before going to customs. If the tax-refundable items are in your checked baggage, tell the check-in staff that you need to apply for tax refund first when you get your boarding pass, and then check the baggage after customs has inspected the items. At this time, the check-in staff will weigh the luggage, attach luggage tags, and then return here from customs and put the luggage directly on the conveyor belt.
Note: Departure on the same day, stamped at the customs on the same day, not in advance.
Fast track between Rome Fiumicino Airport and Milan Malpensa Airport;
You can present your e-ticket directly to the customs without getting a boarding pass in advance;
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If you purchase a tax refund form in Italy, go directly to the tax refund office to get the stamps;
In other EU countries, the tax refund form for shopping bags must be stamped at the customs before tax refund;
If the tax refund items are all hand luggage and do not need to be checked in, you can first get your boarding pass and go through the security check and apply for tax refund in the transit area. Faster with fewer people.
Step 3
Send all tax refund application forms, boarding passes and passports to the staff at the customs (or tax refund office). The staff may ask to unpack and inspect some or all specific items (generally valuable items can be inspected, but some do not follow common sense), and then stamp you after completion.
Note: If the purchase amount exceeds 20,000 euros, the purchase receipt (original or copy) must be attached to the tax refund form. In addition, the tax refund form must also indicate the shopping receipt number.
Four. Applying for a tax refund
There are three ways to get a tax refund (I know you fainted after reading the above paragraph. If you hold on for a while, the money will go into your pocket).
1. Tax refund office in the city
There are tax refund points in the city. You can get the tax refund before going to the airport customs to stamp it, but remember to go to the customs to stamp it and send the tax bill back. Outbound.
When giving you a tax refund, you will be asked to provide a valid credit card number. In case you do not go to the customs to get a stamp, taxes and fines will be deducted from your credit card.
2. Tax Refund Office at the Airport
After the customs stamp, they went to the corresponding tax refund office window. The windows of each company are not necessarily together.
If it is the airport in Rome and Milan, follow the simplified procedure and complete the stamp refund procedure directly at one window.
Some tax refund companies do not have their own windows, but use the exchange windows to exchange money for tax refunds. Euros cannot be refunded at these windows, only RMB or other currencies can be refunded.
There are also some companies that do not have dedicated airport offices, so they have to send the tax refund forms in special envelopes and put them in mailboxes without stamps for other cities. (The mailbox is generally divided into two openings, put it into the opening marked TuttleDirezione). Be sure to fill in your credit card number or mobile phone number bound to Alipay on the tax form to receive your tax refund.
Shopping-Tax Refund Process
After the customs stamps it, move it to the tax refund office, and you can choose how to receive the tax refund. Generally, there are cash, credit card, and Alipay. Global Alliance and Premier support Alipay tax refund.
Here is Global Blue as an example:
1. Cash
There is a handling fee for tax refund, and each tax bill will be charged a handling fee ranging from 3 to 5 euros. ;
2. Credit card
Fill in your credit card number. If you do not have a Euro credit card, the card-issuing bank will convert the tax refund into the currency available for the card (such as US dollars or RMB). The card-issuing bank will charge a currency conversion fee.
It takes about 1-4 weeks to receive the tax refund;
3. Alipay
Be sure to correctly fill in your Alipay-bound mobile phone number when requesting a tax refund. There is no handling fee, but Alipay will charge a currency conversion fee of 3%-5%.
Real-time tax refund: There is a handling fee, but it arrives in real time;
Fee-free tax refund: It takes about 1-4 weeks to receive the tax refund.
Get tax refund
What if you are really pressed for time and don’t have time to stamp it at the customs? In fact, there is still a way to return to China. This approach is limited to Global Blue Alliance.
1. Within 3 months from the month of purchase, stamp the customs stamp of entry on the tax refund form from the local Chinese customs and present the purchased goods to the local customs.
2. The following documents must be sent to the last Italian airport to depart from, and a customs stamp is required:
1) Receive an entry stamp and fill in a complete tax refund form;
2) Copy of passport;
3) Copy of boarding pass and flight itinerary;
4) English letter explaining the reason for not obtaining customs stamp when leaving the country .
Italian Customs address inquiry website www.agenziadogane.it
Under normal circumstances, Italian Customs will be responsible for sending all stamped materials to Global Blue. After receiving the tax refund form, The processing cycle is about 3 weeks. If Italian Customs sends the materials back to you, then mail them to the Global Blue processing center yourself. It is recommended to use registered mail or traceable express delivery.
Registered letter (just write in this format):
Global Blue
Purchase order
The stamped Italian tax refund form is from Valid for 3 months from the purchase month. You must complete the delivery of tax refund materials within this deadline.
This is the remedy offered by the Blue Alliance. Because there are many institutions involved and the links are complex, success cannot be guaranteed. So it is better to do it when leaving the country. It is recommended that you contact the tax refund company’s telephone customer service or Weibo service and ask them to provide a solution.