Analise

After reading this link, https://www.vatfree.com/en/for-trave...q-requirements , I didn't realize that the minimum threshold for VAT refund is only £30. I will be on a ~10AM flight to JFK on a Tuesday morning at T3. I would just as soon do the VAT refund process AFTER security.

I haven't done VAT refund in years so I have a few questions.

1. How much time should I allow to be refunded so I am not rushing for the ~10am flight? Is there another security line at the T3 gate?

2. At T3, which is easier and faster for the VAT refund: The Customs desk (how many are there?) or Travelex (how many of them are there?)?

3. The form I get from the store must have some sort of stamp from them on the form? Is there anything else I need the store to include (or I should include) for the VAT refund?

4. If I buy perfume and do NOT open it, will I be eligible for a VAT refund assuming the price is £30 or over?

5. Will I be refunded immediately at LHR?

Thank you!

UKtravelbear

This is the HMRC info on VAt refunds. The link you gave looks to be for Schipol rather than LHR

You have to get customs to stamp the forms etc and then get the actual refund from Travelex. Travelex only pay you the cash (and take a fee). I don't think it makes a difference if you do this part airside rather than landside.

Here is a Travelex guide

The guidance says that you need to show the goods to customs which would be hard to do if they are in your checked baggage and you use the airside customs desks.

Analise

Thanks.

The reason I prefer doing airside is to get the security hassle out of the way. I will bring whatever I purchase in my carry-on. So I have to go to both Customs & Travelex? I did not know that. Thank you. Again, how much time should I allow for a ~10am flight time on a Tuesday?

Very helpful. Thank you.

Of course. That's why I'll be taking them in my carryon.

UKtravelbear

Yes you have to go to Customs for the stamp and then Travelex to get paid.

I have no experience on how long it takes - sorry.

Genius1

In answer to 1) there is only one security central security check at all LHR terminals, although there may be random checks at the boarding gate.

In answer to 2) the official customs desks are best - there is one landside in check-in (at the front of the terminal on the plaza), and one airside by duty free, just after central security.

stifle

You are meant to do it airside unless the item is not permitted airside due to size or liquidity. Enforcement of this requirement is random.

Unless flying to the U.S., there are no gate security checks in the UK.

David-A

The distinction is whether you WISH to travel with the item in you hand (cabin) or hold (checked) luggage.

The size of the item or whether it is permitted in hand luggage is irrelevant other than removing one option. I.e. if you wish to put something small, that is permitted as cabin luggage, into your hold checked baggage - you are free to do so.
There is no requirement that you take it in the cabin.

David-A

To be refunded? Or to first obtain the customs stamp?
Two very different parts of the process.

At LHR T3 you have the traditional options for refund, plus the special travelex way.

Traditionally how it works is you take you reclaim form (which I will discuss in a minute) and show it with your goods to a customs officer - who then stamps the form, allowing the refund company to subsequently refund your money (customs have no role in actually paying the refund).

Now, if the goods are traveling with you in your carry on bags, then you would show the refund form at the customs point AFTER you have passed through departures security into the departure lounge. And you would do this at the last airport you transit on your way out of the European common customs area (so if you connected in Madrid, or Paris, etc, you would need to show it there.).

If the goods will go in your checked in hold bags, you would show them to a customs officer before you checkin/bag drop. You would do this at the last point at which you check your bags inside the customs area. So if you 'connected' at Madrid, etc, with your bags through checked, you would do this at LHR. If you did an unofficial connection or one that for some reason required you to recheck at point of connection, then you would do it at that airport.

Those are the traditional methods to getting your form stamped by customs, you can then either mail it back to the refund company (few shops still process their own refunds, most have outsourced to 'global blue' etc), or - if the airport you were departing from (or another one you are going through) had a refund point for that company, you could present the form there for their agents to process.
In LHR T3, you can take stamped customs forms to a Travelex booth just past security in the departure lounge to get the form processed. (they usually offer you the options of cash (at a premium - further fee charged), cheque mailed to you (at a premium), and refund onto the payment card (at no premium).

That is the 'traditional way'.

What there is also at LHR T3 - is a landslide Travelex refund service. They have a special dispensation from UK customs to approve and certify themselves some refund forms. This is designed to be done before people check in.
I've often seen long queues out the door for this service, I've never used it. It doesn't look appealing to me.

I've used the landslide customs officers very occasionally, but I've done LOADs and LOADs of refunds at the T3 airside customs point.

In terms of getting the forms stamped airside, while occasionally there are queues, I've never seen anything as bad as landslide. There are windows for two customs officers to work, but sometimes only one is present. (There is a bell to call them if they are not there).

Do allow 30 minutes to do this (in case there is a queue). Make sure you have the goods ready to show them.

Important note: They can not part certify a form. So if goods will travel in a mix of cabin and hold luggage they would need to be on different refund forms. (Which would each acquire their own fee - see below).

Important note: If there is a queue and you are pushed for time, as long as you have got your reclaim form stamped by customs, you can just fly. You can always mail the forms back to the refund company to process (selecting refund to card - no premium, or mailed currency cheque - for a premium).

In terms of taking your stamped form to travelex airside to then process, I've seen 20+ minute queues for this, I've also done it in 2 minutes.
Sometimes I've been pushed for time and not waited, just mailed it back or presented it elsewhere / on another occasion.

I've seen long queues in early morning at travelex landside. But I've never used them.
Airside, you can get queues, but they don't seem anything like as long.

Important: Not all shops offer VAT refunds.

In the UK the scheme is called the 'Retail Export Scheme' - but some staff don't recognise its official name. If asking, make sure you get across the idea that it is a "vat refund for TOURISTS and VISITORS" that you are after.
This is a special form they will print/complete. Again not all shops offer it.

Make sure they DON'T just give you a 'VAT receipt' - virtually all shops can issue these, they are used by businesses to reclaim VAT from business expenses. That is NO USE when you get to customs.
It must be a tax refund form. Some are A4 sized and printed or carbon copies filled in by hand. Many are generated now on till receipt type paper.

There will be a fee charged - virtually everyone charges these days for the admin work (although I did find one shop last year who still were not charging for it!).

Make sure you factor this in.
Internet prices can sometimes be cheaper than VAT free prices, when the refund fees is factored in.

Whether you open it is not that important. You must not have USED (i.e. CONSUMED) it at all.

What you must also have is a VAT reclaim form (NOT a VAT receipt) - as discussed above.

Up to you.

If you have time, get it out the way rather than mailing the form back.
I would do the refund to card.
- assuming your card will not sting you for nasty foreign ccy fees. I use a GBP card. But even if it did charge, might be cheaper than taking cash.
(Travelex will try to push cash - be clear how much fee they will charge, and keep in mind they will make profit to in the exchange rate for the currency they give you).

Refund to card will be cheaper in most cases.

Analise

This is how I will do it. I will carry with me the purchases I make. My entire trip will be in England -- no other countries. Is it one form for all purchases in all stores or one form per store per visit in case I return to the same store on the same or different days?

I don't want to mail anything but would rather get it all done at LHR.

The refund on my AMEX sounds like the option to pick given your info above.

I want to avoid long queues so this looks unappealing to me too.

Thank you for making me aware of the long queues landside.

To clarify, the 30 minutes is what I will need to go to customs and Travelex after security? I want to avoid landside.

That makes sense.

Thank you! Good to know. Will the address be on the forms that Customs stamps?

Thanks. So that answers my question above when you mentioned 30 minutes.

Good to know.

I've heard of the VAT receipt. So I don't want that. Thank you for telling me. So I will specify the 'tax refund form'. If I get a salesperson who doesn't know the difference, I guess I will have to ask a manager.

That must have been a pleasant surprise.

Thanks!!

So a VAT reclaim form is synonymous with a VAT tax refund form?

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this detailed explanation for me. I'm in London now enjoying a bit of sunshine!

David-A

One form per store. You can not combine different stores onto a single form.

A single store should be able to merge multiple of their till recipts into a single VAT reclaim. However some stores are more familiar with doing this than others.
Some might refuse. Some might refuse if different days, etc. But I've had recipts from multiple days combined in some stores.

If you can, get it on a single form per store, as that saves you on the admin fees.

I'd allow 30 mins for a worst case myself at customs (at the airside departure lounge point). I've never taken more than 20 mins.

But as discussed earlier, I have skipped Travelex for processing on really bad days (mailed it back).

Yes the refund forms given to you by the form will have an address on them. Some stores will give you a prepaid envelope for them. (Even if they do, you can still present them at travelex (airside) to process the refund after customs have stamped it.)


"Tax reclaim form for tourists/visitors" - they should get the idea. If they give you something that just says 'VAT Recipt' that is NOT it.

What you want will say 'reclaim' on it somewhere, show an admin fee, and how much you should get back. It will have boxes for your entry date to the UK, exit date, passport number, address, etc...
The shop will certify part of the form. You then get customs to certify it further on departure.

----

One thing I forgot, if you use the security lanes at T3, the fast track takes you out miles away from the airside reclaim desk. And it is only a little (if anything) faster.

So if you are doing it airside at T3, and qualify for fast track security, don't use it. Use normal security, as you exit from the search area (BEFORE you walk through the first shop), the customs point is on the left, the travelex bit is on the right. So go left to customs first.

[If you run out of time for travelex (big queue) but have the customs stamp (and have a paid envelope ready) there is a post box next to travelex.]

1010101

When I did it at T3 the queue was almost 2 hours long. I'll just buy elsewhere next time.

Travelex will also take a hefty cut of your refund.

stifle

That is not what my Indian friend has been told in the past by UK Border Agency/Force/whatever they're called this week. He has been denied refunds at the landside desk for a camera as "you could just take the refund and walk out of the airport with it".

I am aware of the general lack of logic and consistency, which are standard features of the public service.

David-A

There is no legislation or guidance rules to back up the position they addopted.
Should have challenged it.

I've exported plenty of small things in hold baggage over the years.

Analise

Everything worked like clockwork with the VAT refunds. Thank you so much. I arrived at T3 at 07:10 this morning. No queues. I'm now back in NYC. That said, my biggest purchase was at the Watches of Switzerland Duty Free store. With the exchange rate as good as it is, I splurged. I almost bought a watch yesterday on Bond St but the salesman was just a little too pushy for me. I'm now glad that he was because I had forgotten that I wouldn't have received a full VAT refund anyway.

alegna14