I must have bought a lot when I traveled to the UK, but if it’s such a large amount, remember to get a tax refund, so you can save a lot of money. But the first thing we need to be clear about is whether the tax refund can be obtained on a large number of purchases. These are all things to pay attention to. The conditions for tax refund, that is, who can get tax refund
First of all, we need to understand the essence of tax refund: in the UK, the selling price of the product = the price of the product itself + 20% value-added tax, and this tax is for taxpayers in this country Services cannot be enjoyed as tourists or people who are about to leave the EU, so this tax will be refunded to you.
So, who can get a tax refund: residents of non-EU countries who come to the UK to travel, visit relatives, or visit (of course, this is mainly for Chinese tourists), or non-EU students or workers who have lived in the UK for a long time. Those who are about to leave the EU for more than 12 months are eligible for tax refund applicants.
Here is a detailed explanation:
1.
Those who stay in the UK for more than 6 months are considered long-term residents and cannot be refunded. If your visa is about to expire and you will not come back within 12 months after leaving the EU, you are eligible for a tax refund. This happens most often to international students. International students can get a tax refund when they return to their home country after graduation, but remember that they can only be refunded if they made purchases within 3 months before leaving the UK.
2.
There are also long-term tourist visas. Most people now apply for a British tourist visa for one or two years. Some parents come to the UK to stay for half a year. Remember that tax refunds are not available for things purchased in the first three months. If you want to buy luxury goods, try to buy them in the next three months;
3. Tax refunds are not available for permanent residents and British nationals. Bangli found a little trick here. If you want to buy luxury goods for a friend, you cannot get a tax refund if you buy them directly in the UK. You can buy them directly from the websites of large department stores such as Selfridges,
Harrods and send them to China. You can get tax refund directly online or go to the airport duty-free shop to buy it, which is much cheaper than at the counter. How much tax refund can you get
As mentioned before, tax refund refers to the VAT refund. The VAT rate is different in each country. The VAT in the UK is 20%, but this does not mean that you can get it. It’s 20% of the total price of the product. Why? Quick Tax Refund Calculator
The price you pay = the actual price of the product + the actual price * 20%, so the value-added tax is about 17% of the price you paid. %, however, this 17% is also deducted from the tax refund company's handling fee, and the final price you get is only about 12% of the price you paid. There is a calculator here, you can enter your shopping amount and calculate how much tax you can get back.
For example, if you buy a bag worth 1,000 pounds, you will get about 122 pounds back in the end. According to computer calculations, the more things you buy in the same store, the higher the tax refund rate. For example, if you buy 10,000 pounds of things, you can get 1,400 pounds in tax refund. What can be tax refunded
Not everything can be tax refunded. Only stores with a TAXFREE sign can provide tax refund services. Even if there is a sign, not all products can be tax refunded. It is best to consult the waiter before purchasing.
For example, large shopping malls in the UK, such as Selfridges, Harrods, and Harvey that everyone likes
Nichols, Liberty, Bicester Village, Burberry discount stores, etc. all provide tax refunds Serve.
Some places without the TAXFREE mark can also offer tax refunds. For example, TKMaxx, a big-name high-street discount chain store in the UK, can also offer tax refunds. When purchasing goods, remember to ask the waiter for a tax refund form. What items cannot be tax refunded
Second-hand items, including cars, clothing, bags, etc.;
Service fees, such as hotels, taxi fees, etc.;
No VAT Goods such as food, books, children's clothing, etc.;
Cars;
Goods worth more than ￡600 for commercial purposes;
Individual gems;
Online shopping (except for some e-commerce direct mails to China that can be refunded directly online) British tax refund process
1. Shop and fill in the tax refund form
Purchase more than When buying goods worth 50 pounds, you need to ask the merchant for a tax refund form (TaxFree
Form). The tax refund time requirement is within 3 months before leaving the country. If you stay in the UK for more than three months as a visit to relatives or visits, it is best not to purchase in advance. Purchase within three months before leaving the country, otherwise the tax refund will not be possible. .
It is best to fill out the tax refund form before going to the airport. It also needs to be signed by the store clerk and kept together with the shopping receipt.
The tax refund form provided by each merchant may be different. This depends on which tax refund agency your merchant uses. The picture above is GlobalBlue’s tax refund form, and there are also Premier and Tax.
FreeWorldwide, GB, Innova and other organizations.
The tax refund form is filled in as shown in the picture above. You can choose between cash tax refund (each transaction requires a handling fee of 2.75 pounds) and credit card tax refund (including domestic credit cards and Alipay, this has nothing to do with whether you use the card for consumption).
2. Go to the airport to apply for tax refund
The tax refund process at each airport is different. The tax refund process at many international airports in Europe is to first let customs officers inspect the tax refund items, stamp them and then enter the security check. Then go to a tax refund company to handle the tax refund.
At London Heathrow Airport, all tax refund matters can be handled before security check.
There is nothing wrong with both modes. The key is that everyone remembers to arrive at the airport in advance and reserve enough time for tax refund. Especially during summer vacation, winter vacation and National Day, there are many people waiting in line for tax refund. , especially during the time period when there are flights from China, it is really crowded. Bangli has encountered people who had no time to refund their tax due to time constraints. So here is a special reminder, be sure to arrive early! Arrive early!
What you must know is that as long as there are tax refund areas for Chinese flights at airports around the world, the queues will be long, and there need to be enough Wait patiently. Remember to sort out the goods that require tax refund so that you can check them during tax refund.
After arriving at the airport, you can see the VATRefund sign and wait in line.
3. Documents required for tax refund
Passport
Air ticket
Tax refund form
Shopping receipt
Items for tax refund (don’t check in your luggage early. When applying for tax refund, the customs will check whether the goods you purchased are consistent with the ones on the receipt and tax refund form. If you cannot present the goods, the tax refund will not be possible. Processing) 4.
Cash or bank card tax refund
Of course it is best if you have cash tax refund. This operation is actually the most reliable, and you can get the money on the spot;
< p>If you do not have a cash tax refund, you can only choose a bank card tax refund. If it is a GlobalBlue tax refund form, you can directly operate it on site and the money will be refunded to your card in a few working days; if it is not GlobalBlue's tax refund form may ask you to drop the tax refund form into the mailbox next to it. This involves a slight risk. If you fill it out incorrectly and cannot confirm it on the spot, the money will not be refunded. About tax refund for luxury goods
Customs regulations require that jewelry, watches and electronic products exceeding 250 pounds must be treated as hand luggage, so there are tax refund points outside and inside the security check at Heathrow Airport, and luggage that needs to be checked in must be checked in at the security check. You can apply for tax refund outside, while your hand luggage must go through security check and apply for tax refund inside.
The specific operation is to carry the valuables to be refunded through the security check and go to the VAT Refund office in the terminal. Show your tax refund information and the service staff will check the back cover. Then take the tax refund form to TRAVELEX, a money exchange agency with a blue sign, and they will return the cash based on the tax refund form. However, before tax refund, TRAVELEX people may have to call the jewelry store to confirm.
Except for Heathrow Airport, generally small airports may stamp the tax refund form outside customs and then go to TRAVELEX to get the money back. If there is no one to serve you, just put the completed tax refund form into the tax refund envelope and put it in the tax refund mailbox.
London Heathrow Airport Tax Refund Point
Terminal 1 is closed.
T2 has tax refund points inside and outside customs, and accepts tax refunds worldwide. Working hours are 5:00am-22:00;
There are two T3 stores (inside and outside the customs), which accept tax refunds for goods purchased from any country in Europe. Working hours: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week .
T4 is also located inside and outside the customs. It accepts tax refunds worldwide and its working hours are from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. There is also a tax refund mailbox.
T5*** has three tax refund points, which accept tax refunds from all over the world, and you can get tax refunds in cash. Working hours are from 6 a.m. (6:30 except customs) to 10 p.m.
Everyone needs to note that airport tax refund cannot be made in advance. If you are taking an early morning flight, it is best to go through the tax refund procedures at the shopping point on the day of shopping, otherwise your contribution to the British economy will be in vain. Other tax refund locations in the UK
In addition to the airport tax refund, some large shopping areas also have tax refund points. However, other tax refund points have stricter inspections than the airport tax refund office, and generally only tax refunds are available for goods purchased locally in the UK. , remember to carry tax refund items, air tickets and passports, and tax refund forms from the UK (European ones are not acceptable). The specific addresses are:
1. London Westfield Tax Refund Point
Downtown Refund Point, Unit C302A, Ariel Way London, W12
7GF, only supports local tax refund. Working hours are 10:30 am to 9 pm from Monday to Saturday, and 12 am to 5 pm on Sunday.
2. London Oxford Street Tax Refund Point
The address is DowntownRefundPoint, 339OxfordSt, W1C
2JB. It only accepts local tax refund forms. The working hours are complicated, but there are 6-hour lunch break from Monday to Sunday from 8 am to 12 noon and from 6 pm to 8 pm.
3. Edinburgh Tax Refund Point
Downtown Refund Point, 3Princess, 3PrincesSt, Edinburgh, EH2
2QP, this office only accepts local tax refund forms. Working hours are from Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, and on Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
4. Bicester Shopping Village Tax Refund Point
ChangeGroup has a store in Bicester Shopping Village, which provides tax refund and currency exchange policies. The standards are as follows:
1. You must live outside Europe.
2. The minimum consumption per receipt is 50 pounds, and the maximum consumption is 3,000 pounds.
3. On the day of tax refund, you must present your valid passport (or a photo of the original passport, or a copy).
4. You must have a credit card (Visa/MasterCard/American Express) with a validity period of at least 3-6 months. The specific time requirements vary according to different tax-free offices.
5. You must fill out the tax refund form completely and it must have the signature of the merchant.
6. When leaving Europe, you need to complete the form with the customs stamp and mail it in an envelope to the duty-free office within 21 days.
7. If this form is not received within this time, the tax refund will be refunded to the previously authorized credit card and a certain penalty or administrative fee will be charged.
In other cases, guests must go directly to the airport to apply as before.
But finally, I want to tell you some good news. Alipay in Greater China has entered the world. Now Alipay tax refund has been opened in the UK, France, Italy and Germany. From now on, we say goodbye to the trouble of queuing for tax refund. For specific operations, please click: How to use Alipay to refund Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is divided into South Terminal and North Terminal. Both terminals have MoneyCorp tax refund counters, which also provide cash. Tax refunds and bank card refunds.
You need to go to the customs office to get a stamp and then go to the tax refund counter to exchange for cash. Edinburgh Airport tax refund
Edinburg Airport tax refund is divided into cash refund and mailbox tax refund.
Needless to say, there is a mailbox for tax refund. There is a tax
refund mailbox between the airport gates 4 and 5. Just drop the tax refund form into it. But please note that the tax refund form needs to be stamped by the customs, so don’t rush to seal the envelope yet.
Cash tax refunds need to be processed at the currency exchange counter opposite Starbucks at the airport (6:00am-4:00pm). The application process and precautions are the same as mentioned above.
You need to pay attention to cash tax refunds. Try to choose pound cash. If you change it to other currencies, the exchange rate will lose a lot. Previously, a friend of Bangli asked for RMB cash. The exchange rate at the time was 8.5, and he got it. The RMB exchange rate is only about 1:7. Manchester Airport Tax Refund
Manchester Airport recently opened a cash tax refund counter. In the past, many friends reported that tax refunds at Manchester City Airport were only available through mailboxes, and the tax refunds were often unsuccessful, thus contributing to the British economy in vain. Well now, Manchester City Airport has opened a Travelex tax refund counter (with Chinese signs), and there are counters in T1,
T2, and T3 terminals.
The working hours of the cash tax refund counter in T1 and T2 terminals: 6:00am-7:30pm;
The working hours of the cash tax refund counter in T3 terminal: 6:00am-4:30pm .
Similarly, everyone should try to choose GBP tax refund, otherwise you will lose a lot of exchange rate difference. Birmingham Airport Tax Refund
There are two tax refund counters at Birmingham Airport. One is next to Boots, open from 6:00am-6:00pm; the other is opposite the Check-in counter, open from 4:00am-9 :30pm.
Which is cheaper, DutyFree (tax-free) or TaxFree (tax rebate)
People often asked Bangli before, if I buy the same thing at a counter, is it cheaper to get a tax refund or go directly to the airport? Is it cheaper to buy in a duty-free shop? The difference between tax exemption and tax refund
To answer this question, first of all, we must clearly understand the difference between tax exemption and tax refund:
1. DutyFree (tax-free), we can understand The most common ones are airport duty-free shops. Duty-free refers to the exemption of import duties on goods and the value-added tax generated during import. Different goods have different tax rates, ranging from 20%
to 100%. There are no restrictions on duty-free goods. Anyone who leaves the country can provide their passport and air tickets to purchase at duty-free shops.
2. Tax
Free (tax rebate) refers to consumption tax and value-added tax. The tax rate is different in each country. The UK is 20%, but the actual refund is as we mentioned earlier , which is about 12-14% of the total price you pay for the product. Tax refunds are subject to status restrictions and are mainly targeted at tourists and non-EU residents who are about to leave the EU. We have already explained the details clearly before, so we will not repeat them here.
Tax exemption or tax rebate, which one is cheaper
Tax rebate is fixed. If the tariff rate of a product is higher than the value-added tax, then it is the most cost-effective to buy it in a duty-free shop, such as tobacco, wine, tea, perfume, and cosmetics. It is cheaper to buy them in duty-free shops;
As for some luxury goods, such as bags, clothes, shoes, accessories, etc., the tariff rate is not high. It is cheapest to buy them in shopping malls or specialty stores and then get a tax refund. of.
But for people who are permanent residents, international students, work visas, etc. and cannot get a tax refund, no matter what the product is, it is most cost-effective to buy it in a duty-free shop. Frequently Asked Questions about Tax Refund
1. If I depart from the UK and have to transit to other European countries (such as the Netherlands) to return home, where should I go to get a tax refund?
There are two options here Situation:
The first is a connecting ticket, which means you do not need to leave the airport to transfer and fly directly to China in the Netherlands. In this case, you need to apply for a tax refund in the UK;
The second is a connecting ticket, but If the transit time exceeds 12 hours, you will most likely be asked to apply for a tax refund for your checked luggage in the UK, and then go to the Netherlands to apply for a tax refund for your carry-on luggage. Of course, the kind-hearted customs will not torture you like this;
The third is non-connected tickets. For example, if you want to travel to the Netherlands for a few days before returning to China, you need to go to the Netherlands to apply for a tax refund. Because tax refunds are for the entire EU, tax refunders need to apply for tax refunds at the last stop when they leave the EU.
2. The UK has now left the EU. Can I still go to other European countries to get a tax refund for the things I buy in the UK?
The UK will not officially leave the EU until next year, so the tax refund policy Same as before. We will update this article to see what changes will happen after next year.
3. What is the relationship between Customs, Travelex, and GlobalBlue?
So many tax refund agencies appeared in the article at the same time, which made me confused. What is the relationship between them?
To understand the relationship between these three, let’s first sort out the tax refund process:
Go to the store to shop and issue a tax refund form— — Customs inspection, confirm that you meet the tax refund conditions and stamp it — send the tax refund form back to the store — and get the tax refund money.
Those seemingly simple steps actually involve many processes and institutions. For example, stores need to prepare tax refund forms and provide tax refunds to consumers. Moreover, taxation is a national act, and the layers in between are related to us. It is unknown how merchants would have the energy to carry out such complicated steps. Therefore, the corresponding tax refund agency (also called a tax refund agency simply and crudely) has emerged. Global
Blue is our common tax refund agency, which is global in scale. You can also contact them after returning to your country. They handle tax refund matters between merchants and consumers.
There are actually many tax refund agencies similar to GlobalBlue, such as Premier, TaxFreeWorldwide, GB, Innova
etc. How do they make money? Of course they charge tax refund agency fees. Different merchants will sign up with different tax refund agencies. Does that mean that consumers have to go to the corresponding tax refund agency to apply for tax refund based on their own tax refund form? If you do a lot of shopping in this way, it will take more than a day to complete the process.
At this time, Travelex came into being, which is equivalent to a comprehensive platform for tax refund agencies. As long as your tax refund form belongs to the above five tax refund agencies, you can apply for tax refund at Travelex. Little advice
1. If you can choose cash tax refund, you must choose cash. Bank cards and Alipay tax refunds are not very reliable, and people often complain about not receiving the money;
2.
If you choose cash, you must choose pounds. Otherwise, the huge exchange rate difference will make you want to curse every minute. Since the last institutions that provide money are currency exchange institutions, their main business is currency exchange, and earning the exchange rate difference is their main income, so they will ask you to exchange for other currencies. At this time, you can be tough. Resolutely ask for pounds;
3. The bank card used when shopping should be consistent with the name on the passport. There have been cases in the past where tax refunds were not possible because the bank card used to swipe the card was not yours.
4.
Allow enough time for tax refund. This has been emphasized several times before, especially at Heathrow Airport during the peak tourist season. There are so many people waiting in line for tax refunds, and the queues take a long time. The longest one was complained about being in line for 3 hours.
5. When international students return to China after graduation and get tax refunds, try to ask the school to issue a graduation certificate. Otherwise, the customs officers will not be able to judge whether you really want to leave. What if you come back one day?