refund of HKG taxes if connecting with separate tickets?
Jul 16, 2014, 1:11 pm
#1
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refund of HKG taxes if connecting with separate tickets?
For reasons not worth explaining, I have booked two separate tickets, one on KA arriving in HKG and one on CX departing 5 hours later.
I read somewhere here that if one is connecting and not staying in HK, the applicable taxes (fees?) are lower and there is some way to get part of it refunded. I can't find those posts any more, I don't know if the refund is significant relative to the effort required, and I don't know how to go about it. Any information is greatly appreciated.
I read somewhere here that if one is connecting and not staying in HK, the applicable taxes (fees?) are lower and there is some way to get part of it refunded. I can't find those posts any more, I don't know if the refund is significant relative to the effort required, and I don't know how to go about it. Any information is greatly appreciated.
Jul 16, 2014, 1:34 pm
#3
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I did that a few years ago. IIRC, there was a station landside on the departure level. I brought my inbound BP, outbound e-ticket printout (I think the e-ticket, not the outbound BP) and my travel document, and I received a HKD120 refund in cash.
Jul 16, 2014, 2:17 pm
#4
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In any case I don't want to go through immigration and back, its not worth HKD120. Hopefully someone will know if there is an airside desk.
Last edited by SeeBuyFly; Jul 16, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Jul 16, 2014, 6:58 pm
#5
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Landside? I would have guessed that if I go landside I have entered HK and thus owe the departure tax when leaving again.
In any case I don't want to go through immigration and back, its not worth HKD120. Hopefully someone will know if there is an airside desk.
As HK doesn't collect cold hard cash at departure (all are handled by airline) you won't be collected for tax again. The departure tax is waived if you do same calendar day transit and is written in the law.
Originally Posted by SeeBuyFly
In any case I don't want to go through immigration and back, its not worth HKD120. Hopefully someone will know if there is an airside desk.
Last edited by ChrisLi; Jul 16, 2014 at 9:41 pm
Jul 16, 2014, 10:00 pm
#6
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No no, what I meant was that maybe I would not be considered 'transit' and thus be ineligible for a refund if I didn't stay airside.
Jul 17, 2014, 12:07 am
#7
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http://www.cad.gov.hk/english/for_travellers.html#tax
Jul 17, 2014, 7:42 pm
#8
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If both flights are leaving the same calendar date, then you can go thru immigration to claim refund. If not same calendar date (arrive 8pm depart 12:30AM), you can not go landslide to claim but you can claim by mail with following form.
Jul 18, 2014, 12:22 am
#9
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If both flights are leaving the same calendar date, then you can go thru immigration to claim refund. If not same calendar date (arrive 8pm depart 12:30AM), you can not go landslide to claim but you can claim by mail with following form.
Jul 18, 2014, 9:17 am
#10
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Very interesting, good to know. Do you know if a same-day turn back to the point of origin (DFW-HKG-DFW in my case) would qualify me for the refund?
Yes you should. However please check your ticket to see if it's collected on your ticket to avoid embarrassment.
Originally Posted by LAXative
If both flights are leaving the same calendar date, then you can go thru immigration to claim refund. If not same calendar date (arrive 8pm depart 12:30AM), you can not go landslide to claim but you can claim by mail with following form.
Jul 21, 2014, 4:22 am
#11
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There was a recent thread on this: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hong-...rture-tax.html
This is not exactly correct.
Correct, but it is not that you cannot claim landside, it is that if you go landside (where your departure is on a later calendar day to the arrival) then you are no longer exempt from the tax.
When you depart on the same calendar day as arrival, it does not matter whether you enter HK, however the only way to get an instant cash refund is to go landside.
I was able to claim my depature tax back 2 weeks ago. You will need a print-out of your ticket showing the HKD120 tax as a separate entry. My e-ticket did not show the tax breakdown, and therefore I had to go to the ticketing desk (not the check-in desks) where they printed a receipt. No form filling is required for cash refund but they will photocopy both boarding passes, e-ticket/receipt of second flight, passport biodata page and HKID if you have one.
No, you won't. going landside doesn't affect your "transit" status and eligibility of refund as per HK law
http://www.cad.gov.hk/english/for_travellers.html#tax
http://www.cad.gov.hk/english/for_travellers.html#tax
If both flights are leaving the same calendar date, then you can go thru immigration to claim refund. If not same calendar date (arrive 8pm depart 12:30AM), you can not go landslide to claim but you can claim by mail with following form.
When you depart on the same calendar day as arrival, it does not matter whether you enter HK, however the only way to get an instant cash refund is to go landside.
I was able to claim my depature tax back 2 weeks ago. You will need a print-out of your ticket showing the HKD120 tax as a separate entry. My e-ticket did not show the tax breakdown, and therefore I had to go to the ticketing desk (not the check-in desks) where they printed a receipt. No form filling is required for cash refund but they will photocopy both boarding passes, e-ticket/receipt of second flight, passport biodata page and HKID if you have one.
Aug 9, 2014, 8:55 pm
#12
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Is there a page that has these rules in detail? Just a few days ago i asked at the tax refund desk at the airport whether for my next flights where i will arrive into HKG at 11pm and then leave 7am the next morning on a separate ticket i would be able to get the airport tax refunded, and was just told "no - only if i arrive after midnight"...
Aug 10, 2014, 10:15 am
#13
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Is there a page that has these rules in detail? Just a few days ago i asked at the tax refund desk at the airport whether for my next flights where i will arrive into HKG at 11pm and then leave 7am the next morning on a separate ticket i would be able to get the airport tax refunded, and was just told "no - only if i arrive after midnight"...
Passengers who arrive* Hong Kong by aircraft, pass through Hong Kong’s arrival immigration controls, and depart* from Hong Kong by aircraft within the same day**.
* refers to the arrival and departure time of the aircraft.
** “same day” means same calendar day, i.e. within Hong Kong Time 00:00 to 23:59.
(For those passengers who are in transit at Hong Kong International Airport and have not passed through Hong Kong’s arrival immigration controls, there is no “same day” equirement for the exemption.)
* refers to the arrival and departure time of the aircraft.
** “same day” means same calendar day, i.e. within Hong Kong Time 00:00 to 23:59.
(For those passengers who are in transit at Hong Kong International Airport and have not passed through Hong Kong’s arrival immigration controls, there is no “same day” equirement for the exemption.)
Aug 16, 2014, 9:11 am
#14
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See the application form for details.
Aug 19, 2014, 11:22 pm
#15
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Thanks, that will be helpful. I wonder how they are checking whether you have gone through immigration or not? Doesn't appear to me that the people at the counter would have access to that data (especially the way they are photocopying everything and filing paper copies).
Last edited by seawolf; Aug 19, 2014 at 11:27 pm