I'll have about $240 in Ontario hotel receipts. I understand that these are eligible for a refund of the 7% GST, but not the Ontario tax, so we aren't talking about that big an amount. I'll be checking out in Fort Erie a little past 4 a.m. to get a 6.45 flight out of BUF. It would be nice to get the refund on the spot rather than use the mail. I see that the Peace Bridge duty-free shop is open 24/7, but is it difficult, or awkward, to get the refund there at that hour, especially if I'm not planning to buy anything? If I can get the refund in cash, there's the question of whether to take it in Canadian or U.S. I'll return to Canada within the next year: any forecasts of where the exchange rate will go, and will the shop give USD at a fair exchange rate?
This raises the point that you can get a refund of the Canada GST but not the Ontario GST. However, Quebec is more generous. They will refund both the Canada and Quebec GST to travelers.
Also, note that you can get the cash back directly at some border crossing points. Here in Detroit, where I live, you can apply for the refund at the Detroit Windsor tunnel in the duty free store before leaving Canada. However, the last time I was there, there was no such facility at the Ambassador bridge. It pays to plan your trip to exit Canada at the right crossing point.
I made the 4 a.m. crossing this Monday, and I'll answer my own question. At Fort Erie, there was a man working currency exchange who needed to call a woman over to do the G.S.T. refund. It went o.k., I got the USD cash at the same desk when I said I wasn't shopping.
General Application for Refund of Retail Sales Tax
Home / Forms and Publications / All / Retail Sales Tax (RST, PST,... / Forms / General Application for Refund... /
This form is to be completed when claiming a refund of Ontario retail sales tax (RST). Visitors to Ontario should also complete this form to claim a refund of RST paid on goods permanently removed from Ontario within 30 days of purchase.
GST is 12.5% for all goods (except those exported by the supplier). In addition, alcohol and tobacco products have further levies.
This is called "off airport" duty free. It's limited to a number of retailers (see: http://www.auckland-airport.co.nz/Shopping/prtcpte.php) but many have high purchase minimums. One couldn't be bothered sending the goods to the airport in Auckland so she just gave me a 10% discount on my purchase, so it's worth asking!!
Is the VAT for hotel stays in England eligible for refund? I haven't found a definitive answer for this.
How do I claim a VAT refund when I leave the UK?Full information explaining the conditions for being able to claim a Value Added Tax (VAT) refund is available in Notice 704/1 VAT refunds for travellers departing from the European Community. Please read this before you buy any goods as you will not be able to get a refund if you do not follow the correct procedures.
Having consulted the relevant VAT Notice, you will now be familiar with the retail export scheme. Remember, when you see Customs:
you must have all your goods available for inspection, so please see Customs before you check-in your suitcases
you must ensure the tax refund document is fully completed by you and the retailer before you reach Customs
if you do not present your refund document and goods to Customs you will not get a tax refund.
Now I have heard the story about the american tourist who bought London Bridge but so far as I am aware most tourists do not actually export their hotel rooms, so in short the definitive answer is NO
Just a note to any travelers going to the US east coast. If you are planning any major purchases, you want to trek down to Delaware where there is no sales tax/VAT/etc. on merchandise purchases.
Programs: CO Silver, Peon on DL, AA, UA, US, and WN
Posts: 3,189
US New Hampshire, Alaska
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrp Alert
Just a note to any travelers going to the US east coast. If you are planning any major purchases, you want to trek down to Delaware where there is no sales tax/VAT/etc. on merchandise purchases.
New Hampshire and Alaska also have no sales tax, VAT, etc.
Programs: Delta, USAir, Air France, American, NWA, etc.
Posts: 106
England and France
I've done this in both places by doing the bulk of my shopping for gifts etc. in one large department store like Harrods or Le Printemps and then doing the forms in the store, separately packing the items to show at the airport etc. It has been a while because it was a pain--and annoys my husband. But worth it if you spend enough and can organize it. Of course, the dollar was strong then...
And a general point about refunds that needs to be noted: The EEA (EU+ Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and probably another country that I can't remember) is considered a single entity for tax rebate purposes. Therefore EEA residents are not eligible for tax rebates for goods/services purchased in another EEA country.
Actually, this is to a certain extent wrong. There are customs borders between EU-countries and non-EU countries within the EEA (and also between tax-free zones and tax-zones within each country: Canary Islands and mainland Spain; Svalbard (Spitsbergen) and mainland Norway). So flying between Norway and the EU allows one to buy tax-free goods at the airport.
EEA-residents who are not EU-residents (i.e. residents of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) may buy goods in the EU, and get the refund by the process already described. I've done it regularly myself; in France, Germany, Britain, Ireland. the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Spain.
The one exception, probably due to grandfather customs treaties, is that Norwegians (and probably Icelanders as well) cannot get the VAT back from Sweden, Denmark and Finland, without documenting that the Norwegian VAT has been paid; i.e. it can't be imported tax-free. As the duty-/tax-free allowance for Norwegians returning back after at least 24 hours abroad is a reasonably generous NOK 6000/person (~USD 900) this is a PITA....
When I worked for the Air Force I never shopped without a Value Added Tax Form (VAT). We got them at the VAT office, wouldn't know where a civilian would get them, call the embassies, isn't that why they are there to help out travelers?
