Hi,

Is the form written in English?

Do you think we can fill up ourselves then go to the custom for stamping

Any idea what time does the Custom office opens in Heathrow airport?

As my flight is 1230pm so in order to clear the custom in time, does i need to be there by 8am?
how is the morning queue like?

Thanks

All you will need to fill out on the form is your name, address, and passport number. If the shop doesn't fill it out, ask them to help you and do it right there on the spot. I've never gone to the customs office in London, but the ones I have used open at 8:00.

If I remember correctly, the form is written in the language of the country you happen to be in.

The form is in English and the language of the country where you make your purchase. At the time you or the sales person is completing the form you must decide whether you want cash back at the airport or want the VAT to be refunded the amount to your CC. If you think you will have enough time at the airport, I recommend getting cash back at the airport.

Hi,

What is the percentage of VAT refund on items bought in Italy, Paris and London?

What kind of items are entitled for the refund?

Can hotel charges be refunded?

Thanks.

You can't get VAT refund on hotel charges. As far as I know all items are VAT free as long as they total at least 150€ from one shop. You must have the items available when you go to the customs office along with the form and receipt. I have never been checked, but I have seen others who have been.

You don't get any VAT tax back for hotel charges. VAT varies a bit but after processing people take their fees, you usually get about 12% refunded. Although I won't be buying much anymore due to the lousy exchange rate, in the past it has been a fairly smooth. One trick I learned in Paris or London--if you're after name brands try to focus on a single large department store because they will do an excellent job on the forms and often, in the case of Printemps and I think Galeries Lafayette for example, they also offer 10% off many purchases (but usually not the designer brands) at the cash register, if you are not an EU citizen. Have your passport with you. As others have said, wait until your last EU departure point and have your forms stamped at the airport--usually the forms are accompanied by a postage-paid envelope back to the store, which you can post after you have had it stamped. Terminals 3 and 4 at Heathrow have the process down pat, probably terminal 5 does as well.

My issue is that I will be shopping in Paris on a layover on my way to Rome. We will be returning home Rome-Paris-USA. Our connection is only 60 minutes in Paris on our return back home. If we even MAKE our second flight (and believe me, I've tried to change the flight already- no luck), I cannot imagine I'd have a second to get in line to get the VAT tax form/receipt stamped during this ridiculous connection. Anyone know what the protocol is for this situation with the originating airport? Someone posted earlier that the official in Rome stamped their forms due to a short connection time. Is this common practice? I'm already over the VAT refund before I even begin to shop! LOL!

My issue is that I will be shopping in Paris on a layover on my way to Rome. We will be returning home Rome-Paris-USA. Our connection is only 60 minutes in Paris on our return back home. If we even MAKE our second flight (and believe me, I've tried to change the flight already- no luck), I cannot imagine I'd have a second to get in line to get the VAT tax form/receipt stamped during this ridiculous connection. Anyone know what the protocol is for this situation with the originating airport? Someone posted earlier that the official in Rome stamped their forms due to a short connection time. Is this common practice? I'm already over the VAT refund before I even begin to shop! LOL!

I'm not sure I understand your situation, but maybe. This is my experience. I depart out of Nice for the US, but I have to change planes in Amsterdam. I get the forms stamped and mail my VAT form from Nice.

The standard rule is that:

- VAT may be refunded ONLY as you exit the EU, except if:
- You are taking an intra-EU flight to make an immediate connection at another EU airport to exit the EU, for which you have a boarding card at your originating airport. In this case you must do the VAT paperwork at the first airport. Unless
- Italy is involved at any point, in which case all bets are off. The buffoons the Italian state pays to strut around pointlessly might decide to stamp anything you give them - or decide it's coffee time. And in either case:
- Customs administrations really have better things to do than pay people to give our money away. So in complicated journeys, like yours, you might well find you simply can't get the refund. Well, there you go.

may have been said above-- but if they checked you bags through to the u.s. you can get your stamp and refund at your first departure city. we flew in yesterday-- flew from milan but stopped in london to change planes. we got our form stamped in milan-- then went to another place to get the refund (c.c. credit) he checked to see that we were checked all the way through (2 boarding passes) and took care of it.

Thank you all so much. This is exactly what I was wanting to get info on. I think I will change our taxi pick-up time to an earlier one in case the Italian process takes longer than it should.

yes. get there early. i will say that, when we went to get the actual refund, there was a guy in front of us that probably had 30 or more receipts. it took so long that 2 people in front of us gave up and left.

also-- they CAN require you to show the goods. you should at least have a couple of items in a bag with you so that if you get the odd official in a bad mood you can gesture to them to say "yes, i have the goods here."

don't stress too much about it-- as you know, it's not worth it. but getting there with an extra 30 or 60 minutes is always a good thing.

Hi,
I am travelling through portugal as one of my destinations but flying in and out of europe through paris. I noticed the VAT percentage is higher in portugal so you can claim more and also do not have to spend as much as you do in other european countries.
If i purchase my goods in portugal but fly out of paris and get my forms that i got from portugal stamped in paris, will I be getting the VAT in portugal back or the VAT in paris? Similarly, if i spent enough to claim VAT in portugal but not enough in paris, will i still be allowed to claim in paris for portugal VAT?
Thanks, hope that is a clear question!

Those more recently familiar with the details than me may correct me, but my understanding is:

- no national Customs administration places limits on eligibility for refund. But some retailers and some intermediary companies do. So the minimum spend for refund doesn't depend on which country initially deals with your refund paperwork: it depends on the company you bought the goods from and its refund agent

- You're then refunded the VAT you've paid, minus agents' commission. Self-evidently, this is determined by the VAT rate forthe goods you've bought in the country you've bought them.

Perfect, thank you that helps heaps!

What we will go through for a bit of a bargain! Yes, VAT in September out of Paris was 12%, some stores have them essentially completed w envelope, you just need to sign, and get it stamped, and pop it into the mailboxes right in the processing area. Last September lines at CDG were over an hour for our 1pm flight so allow lots of time accordingly. They have scanner machines which are very fast, but at CDG 3 of the 5 machines were out of order! Refunds were on our credit card statement in under 2 months. Trip before flying out of Venice, there was no wait and there was just one official sitting in a booth. And yes, I'll do it every time!

Be sure the refund envelopes have enough postage to get back to Portugal, also add Portugal to the envelope if it just shows a Lisbon address, for example.