Airside customs inspection [VAT Refund Desk] - terminal 5
Aug 20, 2019, 5:42 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
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but the amount of the refund already takes into account the processing fee (which is quite large). The additional fee for receiving the refund in cash is nominal (a few Euros of GBP).
Aug 20, 2019, 5:47 am
#17
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 25
If the items are in your luggage and it's check through until final destination, you'll have to get your VAT refund form stamped in Italy BEFORE checking in your bag. VAT refund point might want to see the good you're taking out of the EU, and if you cannot show them, most likely they will not approve it.
If it's in your hand carry then do it in Heathrow.
Some exceptions applies, such as items valuing above a certain limit, electronic goods above certain value, and others
If it's in your hand carry then do it in Heathrow.
Some exceptions applies, such as items valuing above a certain limit, electronic goods above certain value, and others
Aug 20, 2019, 6:23 am
#18
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,925
A few years ago when I regularly reclaimed VAT I always took the cash. A bird in the hand etc. If it was credited to my card it was impossible to track. Some random amount would appear months later from an organisation I had never heard of in a country like Bulgaria, which I had never been near!
Aug 20, 2019, 6:53 am
#19
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Posts: 22,127
When it's not Global Blue, cash refund fees can be rather substantial, and refunds onto your card may take many weeks (6 weeks), some may not occur without chasing, and when chased, they might try to send you a cheque in a currency that has nothing to do with the currency of your country, which costs you more than the value of the refund in bank charges to cash, and then demand you send it back at your cost and make you fill out a form with your credit card details and send it back, despite your having clearly indicated that you want your refunds to your card in the first place and completed your details properly.
That's the reason why some people prefer to get immediate cash despite the fees, i.e. don't want to do additional paperwork that takes ages, or the time spent chasing it up.
Aug 20, 2019, 10:10 am
#20
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
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I've reclaimed VAT lots of times and I have never been asked to look at the goods. I usually do it at the office just behind the check in desks though, I do VAT before checking in/checking luggage.
Aug 20, 2019, 10:12 am
#21
Join Date: Feb 2009
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Posts: 4,745
Aug 20, 2019, 4:57 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
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You're lucky your forms were filled out correctly! I've had issues in Italy and Germany; the former I was lucky the agent was able to call the shop in the morning, the latter the Dutch customs agent (TXL-AMS-LAX) took pity on me that they had just swapped numbers in the field and finally gave me my refund. I will be triple-checking these things before leaving shops in the future!