VAT Refunds
 

We are traveling to Europe soon and intending to purchase a mobile phone in the Netherlands. We'll be then traveling to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and then onto Italy. I would assume to do the VAT refund we will get the stamp in Austria as we are technically leaving the EU when we go to Switzerland - or do we need to get the stamp in Netherlands before we cross the border? Also are we free to use the new phone once in Switzerland?
We're driving not traveling by trains.

https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.e...visitors-eu_en

Not every shop provides this service, and most mobile phone shops probably don't. Depending on the price of the phone it is probably not worth the hassle involved.
You will not get the full 21% BTW back from the Netherlands, more like 7% to 15%.
You get the refund in Italy not Austria I believe, when you finally leave the EU.

Provided you have enough data/minutes on the phone you buy you can use it in Switzerland just as in the EU. Be aware of fair use policies though and that your speed may be docked if you use too much while roaming. Be sure you know you can top up the phone if you need to when elsewhere in Europe. Some providers require a Dutch bank account.

Just out of interest, if you are using it in the EU why should you get the VAT back?
You normally get VAT back on sealed purchases.
But really not my area of expertise.

Any particular reason you are buying a phone in the Netherlands? What problem are you trying to solve? There may be a simpler way to accomplish what you want.

Not an expert either, but I think bilboburgler is correct. You can't get a VAT refund on something you are using there.

We're looking to purchase the phone in the Netherlands as the Oneplus 12 Global version isn't available to purchase in New Zealand, we can only get the Chinese version with Google play on it. If it was available here we would just buy it duty free on the way out. I cant seem to find any retailer that know when they will have it in stock which is a pain.

As I understand it you can't unbox and use the phone prior to getting the VAT tax stamp so I was hoping that when we pass through Switzerland, we are technically leaving the EU, and we could then start using the phone then. I know it's not the full 21% refund but from what I have found its between 11 & 15%. There's a mobile store Cool Blue which sells what we are after and they VAT refund sales