About the tax refund form
If you buy several items in the same store or shopping mall, please open a tax refund form at one time after you buy them all, because when you refund the tax, if you return the cash, the handling fee will be charged according to the number of tax refund forms. So try to reduce the number of tax refund forms.
About small shop tax refund
In some small shops, you can also get a tax refund. However, when issuing the tax refund form, please read it carefully and ask the store to fill in the parts that need to be filled in clearly, including the product name, unit price, total price, and most importantly, the store's signature and invoicenumber. As a result, most people don't pay attention, because we are not merchants. Who filled this out? I didn't fill in invoicenumber on one of my tax refund forms, and as a result, I couldn't get a tax refund. Because the tax refund form is incomplete, I must check it out, especially in small shops and big shops.
About airport tax refund
Throughout the EU, you only need to apply for a unified tax refund for all items at the last airport. For example, I bought it in Germany, bought it in Italy, and finally returned to China at Milan airport, so everything was returned at Milan airport, not in Germany. It's just that things bought in Italy don't need a customs stamp, and things bought in Germany need a stamp. That's all.
However, it seems that several countries cannot retreat separately. My impression is Switzerland. In other words, if you buy something in Switzerland, you must refund this part of the tax before you leave Switzerland, and you can't go to other countries to refund it.
There seem to be several other countries like this, so please be sure to visit them before you go.
On the time limit for tax refund
Generally speaking, tax refund takes a long time, so I have to go to the airport a long time in advance, so I arrived at Malpensa airport in Milan three hours in advance this time. Because I ran the VIP channel, I gave priority to check in, get my boarding pass, and check the box containing sundries first. I haven't dragged the box containing the tax refund items for the time being, and I will come back to check it when the tax refund is over.
Take the boarding pass, fill out the tax refund form and go to the tax refund window. The tax refund window is at the 13 counter, which is a long way. I was really lucky before, and I basically didn't have to wait in line, so I sorted out the lists one by one and handed them in, and the amount of things bought in Italy was directly calculated. I chose to return the credit card, because there was no handling fee, and I said it would arrive in three weeks, but it's almost three weeks today and it hasn't arrived yet.
As for what I bought in Germany, I have to take it to the customs for stamp. My uncle saw that I was dragging two boxes without even looking, so he asked me if I had a holiday, and then stamped it. I didn't check it at all, so I went back to the counter to apply for a tax refund.
As for the previous statement that invoices and other documents should be mailed by envelope, they are completely gone now. The window will give you a receipt directly, even if it is over, just go back and wait for the money.
Here I want to talk about GlobalBlue, which has opened Alipay direct refund. As long as you fill in your Alipay account, there will be a waiter in China. Super convenient. Also helped me get the Alipay red envelope from 50 yuan. My father's horse is really something.
However, Alipay's tax refund is equivalent to cash tax refund, and there is a handling fee. I have 100 euros and 600 euros, and I received 5 euros. I don't know how to calculate.
Easy tax refund
Easy tax refund is especially recommended here. There are official accounts of app and WeChat, mainly some tips for shopping in Germany. There's a store in Munich that really buys rimowa. It's really cost-effective and unnecessary, and the tax refund is super simple. You should take all the documents directly back to China after being stamped by the customs, and mail them directly to the designated place with the enclosed envelope. You can get a refund the next day, without deducting any handling fees, and directly use euros.
You pay attention to the official WeChat account or download the app, directly track your tax refund form, and then withdraw the refunded euros into your bank card. What I want to say here is that we usually do this when shopping. For example, if a thing with 100 euro is refunded 12% tax, then we can estimate the amount of this thing, which is 100 euro *88%*.
But it's not like this. Normal tax refund, even if we refund the credit card without handling fee, then the tax refund amount is calculated according to the full amount 12 Euro. We paid 100 euros and finally returned 12 euros. Then if you want to change this euro into RMB at this time, it will not be calculated according to the exchange rate of 8, which is basically only about 7.34. So there is a difference, so it comes down to 100 euro *8- 12 euro *7.34=7 1 1.92 RMB. You paid 7 1 1.92 RMB for this thing. Oh, do you understand, the exchange rate?
The easy tax refund I recommend is not like this. I refunded the tax of 42 euros and directly converted it into RMB at the exchange rate of 7.86 on that day. Understand? It's a good deal. It's only tens of dollars.
question
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.
What items can I get a refund?
You can enjoy preferential tax refund if you buy more than a certain amount in a store with duty-free shopping (generally, food, tobacco and alcohol are not allowed to apply for tax refund). Ask the store for a tax refund form and 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 on-site tax refund.
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 155 euros. If you can't buy the specified amount, you can find a friend to settle the bill together and 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 are traveling and shopping in many countries, where should you choose to refund the tax?
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?
Example quiz: I went shopping in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and finally returned home from Madrid, but I had to change planes in Amsterdam. Where can I get a tax refund?
The answer is: Madrid is the best. Amsterdam is also possible in theory. But I don't know if there will be customs and tax refund points in the transit hall, so I'd better return them in the country of departure.
5. How to refund the tax between EU member states and non-EU member states?
When shopping in an EU country, you have to leave the last EU country to go to a non-EU country before you can apply for a tax refund. Therefore, if all the European countries you go to are EU countries, the tax refund formalities only need to be handled in the last exit country.
But if Norway and Switzerland are involved, we should pay special attention to tax refund. When shopping, it is best to know the tax refund country and related itinerary before entering and leaving the country, so as to avoid excessive luggage accumulation or missing the tax refund.
If one of the countries I go to is not an EU country, can I get a tax refund together?
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.
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.
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 you are in a hurry, it will be too late to pay back the cash. 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.
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. For example, you bought it on April 16, and the processing date of departure tax refund cannot exceed July 3 1, and the return period of tax refund form cannot be later than June 10.
How to handle the tax refund for returning to China 10?
What should I do if I miss the plane and leave at the tax refund point early in the morning or late at night? In fact, there are more convenient ways to return to China. But the customs still needs to stamp the tax refund form. You can also apply for tax refund at the tax refund point at domestic airports, and you can directly exchange RMB 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.
Intimate reminder
It is best not to use or unpack the goods before the tax refund.
If you want to successfully refund the tax, you'd better keep the purchased goods unused or unopened. If the consumption documents do not match the goods at the customs, you may not be able to refund the tax.
In addition, it is worth reminding that if there are liquids in the goods that need tax refund that cannot be carried on the plane beyond the flight limit, you must check the specific location of the customs and the relevant procedures for checked baggage before going to the airport.