So- i'm currently shopping around France, and am obviously looking to get VAT refund. the Question(s) i have

1. I know i can travel through other EU countries- but can i/should i get the customs stamp for the refund when i leave France to go to another EU country? It states i can/should do it at my last EU point, but wording is vague...

2. At dublin airport (my last stop before i leave) I know that US customs and immigration is done there. Usually i'd get my VAT refund, and get to the states, and breeze through the nothing to declare line- if I'm pulling out my VAT refund though, will they immediately know and make me declare my items for US taxes (it's only a handbag for the gf- but i believe the US customs magic number is 100 usd)

thanks all!

You get your VAT refund at your point of exit from the Schengen zone. You should declare the purchase no matter where you go through US customs. Your limit is $800, unless you've been out of the country for less than 48 hours, then it's $200.

See this

Moving this thread to the Europe forum. Thanks for your understanding.

Jouy31
TravelBuzz co-moderator

You get your VAT refund at your point of exit from the EU.

For the Mods, this would be better in the UK & Ireland forum as it asks Dublin Airport specific questions

$100 is well short of the point where you have to do anything specific for US customs - you just have to list it on the form. Details here: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/va...aying_duty.xml

As others have mentioned above, the only place where you can claim VAT refund on this trip is at DUB, when you are leaving the EU. Schengen doesn't factor into this at all.

As other have quite rightly said, Schengen has NOTHING to do with this.

The key bit is exiting the European VAT area. [N.b. there are some places that are inside the EU, but outside the European VAT area, and vice versa.]

If goods in hold luggage that will be through checked out of the area, then show goods and get form stamped prior to checking the bags in, whereever that may be.

If goods carried in hand luggage / on your person, it should be done at the point you yourself are departing the area.

another question then- when packing my goods- do i need to keep the original packaging- i.e. a pair of shoes with the box? or just the shoes with the receipt is fine?

What country are you getting the form stamped in?

The scheme/process can be slightly different in each country. The vast bulk of my experience is with the UK.

Note, the guidance notes generally stear clear of this as a definative question/answer. Just that the customs officer certifiying needs to be 'assured it is valid'.

So, in practice, I'd put a lot of weight on ensuring they are clearly exported as new and not visibly 'used' in the VAT area.

I've had consistantly contradictory experiences with UK customs officers on the topic of packaging - and I've been doing this for 20 years:
Some telling me that (just so I know) I don't need to keep the packaging next time. Others, on occasions when I have partially discarded it (i.e. the outer box for something electrical, but still in individual plastic wraps), have said I should really have it.
Generally I've always ensured I'd still looked a little packaged, and I've kept the box collapsed and folded up, etc.

That's all I can say.

Other countries might have more specific guidance notes / rules / procedure on the topic. I hope they do. However my experience of other countries is too diverse and simple to give guidance on the topic.

I've purchased two items (one is global blue, the other is detaxe) from france. i'm traveling via train to amsterdam, then a one day layover in dublin before back to the states.

This whole thing is becoming more painful as i go along- with global blue i know they have a desk in dublin airport- but i can't find out what to do with detaxe?!?!

i've got the two forms/reciepts and the mailing envelope- guess i just need to get a stamp- but i guess better safe than sorry- i'll have to keep the boxes (which take up a LOT of space!)

So you go:
france > netherlands (Train)
netherlands > ireland (flight I assume?)
ireland > usa (flight)

If the items will be in cabin bag: stamp in dublin.
If the items will be in hold bag and you check it in dublin: stamp in dublin, before checkin.
If the items will be in hold bag and you through check it in amsterdam: stamp in amsterdam, before checkin.

One complication that I don't know anything about is how it works if your dublin>usa flights is subject to preclearance in dublin. I assume the US applies their rules about 'walking things through customs', as such, if you did through check the bag from amsterdam, do you therefore stamp in dublin or ams? Is it posisble to through check bags from ams, even though it will be reclaimed, etc.
Don't know dublin airport, don't know about US preclearance.
But, if you are not planning to through check it from amsterdam, as you are stopping over, it is not an issue.


Post it back to them.

Key thing: Form needs to be stamped.

After that has happened - different things can be done with different forms, and the options can depend upon how the specific shop you spent in is operating the refund scheme.

In some caes you return (post) it back to the shop!
In others, they have outsourced the operation to a refund company, and you post it to them.
Sometimes, refund companies have desks at some airports.

Regardless of whether desk or post, do note that sometimes you are charged a higher fee for refund in cash at the desk, vs, refund to your creidt card vs cheque, etc.
Sometimes the increase is trival, other times it is of note. So watch for that. The desks often like to push you for cash, as they seem to make more money from it / reduce onward cost.

Can you not fold the boxes flat? [Obviously if they are glued that is more dificult.]