How long does it take to receive the VAT refund?
 

In late August, I sent my refund forms with receipts to the Champlain, New York refund office for a trip in Toronto. Have not received a check yet. Visited Toronto again a couple of weeks ago and sent in a new form for a different tax refund. Has anyone ever received a check or credit to their credit cards from the Canadian tax people? If so, how long did it take to receive it? Thanks.

The government does not work quickly. Even for GST refunds within the country, you can wait months. They say they are overworked and understaffed. I would think you have quite a wait yet. But you will get it eventually.

I have waited up to 6 months, depending on what season I mailed the request during. Be patient, Canada is slow and steady. <BR>A.M.

I always get my VAT refunds at the border on the spot.They offer you the money in whatever currency you want?

I have been waiting also for 2 refunds. The first form was mailed in June and my second in august from 2 different trips to Canada. Obviously if there is a refund coming to me it will be even a longer wait after reading responses on this site.

Yes, we received our VAT tax refund about nine weeks after we applied for it last March. Check was mailed to our house.

Mailed VAT from the Phila. area early September. Received our check yesterday.

Well, I finally received my first tax refund yesterday - I thought I was getting about $40 US dollars back but what I received was: hold on! $2.36. It cost me more to insure my original mailing.<BR><BR>Incidentally, I mailed my forms to the Champlain, New York office thinking it was a government office and it turned out to be one of those organizations that gets the refund for you and charges 20% What annoys me is their forms and envelope are designed in a way that looks like an official government agency. Well, I hope they'll enjoy the 40 cents they made on this deal! :)<BR><BR>

It is too bad that happened to you Kit. <BR><BR>There have been numerous posts on this on this website and the forms and detailed instructions as to what you require and what is actually refundable are readily available on the Government of Canada web page. There is no need to go through another party as it is quite simple. <BR><BR>If you ever return to Canada, do visit the government web page which is easy to navigate and download the forms there. You can also find out exactly what items are subject to refund and what is required.

Well your first hint should have been that the office was not in Canada. You got taken by those forms that you find in various places. Be sure to ALWAYS pick up the form that is furnished by the Canadian government and the mailing address of that form will be to an address IN CANADA. DO NOT GET SUCKERED

I picked up the official forms while in Canada, but forgot to mail them in with my hotel receipts for a couple of months. After I sent them in I got the check in just over three weeks. I was warned to be careful not to use the forms that come from various agencies that are often stuck inside travel guides or handed out with purchases. I used the official government ones and was glad I did.

I wish I had read these messages before going to the Maratimes and then requesting a refund. (1) The ability to get a refund was not mentioned by golf resorts in NB and PEI ... only by a guest hotel in NS. Then, the form of the resort receipts was not always in the right level of detail. (2) As mentioned above the amounts actually refunded were quite small relative to what you would expect (services taxed, CAN$/US$, the 20% fee) and in one case less than my costs in applying. (3) In following up this week, I was told that from now on all such receipts will need to be stamped by Canadian customs as you leave, if they are to be honored. (4) This is definitely a tourist's right that is discouraged from happening.

Here is the URL for the official government documents: http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/tax/nonresidents/visitors/tax-e.html<BR><BR>Terroth’s statement that getting this refund is a tourist’s right raises my hackles a bit. I think it is a privilege bestowed on welcome foreign visitors by generous Canadian tax-payers. When I visit the States, I don’t see anyone offering me sales tax rebates. And that we offer it on short-term accommodation is particularly generous - I know of no other jurisdiction in any place in the world that offers this.<BR><BR>That CCRA has found the need to toughen the rules about proving that goods have truly been exported suggests that some people have been abusing the privilege.

Ron, in Louisiana we offer tax-free shopping to international visitors! Don't know about accommodations but definitely on purchases.