bettyo70

I know a lot of the European countries are in economic crisis... but I was wondering if anyone else was having problems receiving their international tax refund from Italy.

It's happened to be twice, and I'm not sure whom to complain to: the stores where I purchased the merchandise... or if there is a special office that handles these international-tax-refund matters.

Thanks for any advice you can give!

bettyo70

topping for help

jamikins

I don't think the stores can do anything at all, they justprovide the forms. It would be the government agency that processes it.

amer_can

Don't know about italy but I have never had any luck in Portugal, Spain, France and Poland!!! Have always done what was expected and not a penny!!!

janisj

How big a refund are you expecting? If it is less than say about €15 or €20 you may not have much of anything coming after the various processing and handling fees are deducted.

How long ago and where did you did you turn in the forms?

I've always received mine - but I don't bother when it is a small-ish amount.

jelopez33

Betty: Cannot speak about Italy; but twice this year(june and october) Me (june) and friends travelling with me; went through the process in Spain without a problem; even more; we get cash at the airport.

bettyo70

Thanks to all of you for responding. I will double-check my credit-card report because sometimes the refund is added directly to your credit card... but it's easy to miss.

bettyo70

P.S. JANISJ: That's interesting... I didn't know about all the additional "processing and handling fees". Talk about being "nickeled and dimed"!

Christina

well, who else should pay to return taxes to you merely because you are a foreigner who wants to buy a lot of stuff? It does take labor and overhead to return that to you, you know.

Dukey1

Buying "a lot of stuff" should count for something don't you think????? Better than not buying anything and they ought to be damned glad we're still coming over there at all.

raincitygirl

I have only had a problem once when I was given the refund on my credit card and then charged again for it as "they didn't receive the paperwork". You are supposed to mail in the forms after you get the customs stamp at the airport but most refund places mail it in for you. In my case I guess someone forgot.
So last week when I turned all my paperwork in at Heathrow I mentioned it to them and the girl assured me it would all be mailed in, so I will see what turns up on my credit statement in a few weeks.

However, I would like to ask some of the above posters where I go to get a tax refund on all my purchases in the U.S.??!! And you are all damn lucky we are visiting your country too for that matter Dukey1, considering the performance to get through your border controls these days!

janisj

"I will double-check my credit-card report because sometimes the refund is added directly to your credit card... "

Unless you take cash at the airport (I personally don't know if that's an option in Italy) you will get a credit to your credit card account. Otherwise you'd end up w/ a € check which would probably cost more to cash/convert in the US than the value of the check.

hetismij2

Dukey1 I've said it before and I'll say it again - at least you get a tax refund on the load of stuff you buy in Europe. Europeans don't get the same benefit when spending their hard earned money in the US.
Not only that but we see one price and then end up paying a completely different one once all the assorted local and state taxes have been added on, and have to trust that the seller is not scamming us, with a random "idiot non US citizen tax" of their own.

When we claimed our tax back leaving Norway (which is not EU so we can) it was a smooth transaction, bizarrely at the bookshop at Bergen airport, and our credit card was credited the following day!

raincitygirl

Just checked my Visa statement and have received three out of five refunds. Pretty good considering I turned the paperwork in exactly one week ago and they told me it could take up to five weeks.

Three cheers from me for the VAT refund system.

Holly_uncasdewar

Cash at the airport is an option at the Florence airport. Probably others, as well.