Originally Posted by
MarkXS
Nobody ever checked that we had paid the departure tax - no one looked at the receipt at AR exit immigration, at security, nor at boarding. Looked like honor system but you'd better do it.
At the "portal" where they look at the boarding pass and you get out of the general area (to go into the VAT refund/security screening/departure immigration area), that's the only time they generally and actively look/feel/scan for the receipt with the boarding passes.