How to Claim VAT Refund at London Heathrow and How Long Does it Take:

Heathrow T3 VAT Refund
UPDATE:
From 1 January 2021, the UK government ended tax-free sales in airports, ports and Eurostar stations.
VAT refunds for overseas visitors in British shops have now been removed. Likewise, you will not be able to claim VAT refund for any purchases that you’ve made in any EU countries at UK airports.
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Claiming your VAT Refund at London Heathrow is an endurance test! It took us two hours from the time we joined the VAT Refund queue to when we actually got to the counter for our claim to be processed and paid. And according to the Travelex staff, this is the normal queueing time-frame. So if you intend claiming VAT refund at London Heathrow, be prepared to stand in queue and allow at least two hours of waiting time.
London Heathrow T3
We arrived at Terminal 3 at 4:00 pm and thought that we would have plenty of spare time as our flight to Singapore didn’t leave till 8:35 pm. Tony saw a large crowd outside the departure hall and thought that this was the crowd queueing for their departure procedures but on approach we saw the large VAT Refunds sign displayed. One of the Travelex staff confirmed that if we are claiming VAT, this is where we would have to queue up.
How to Claim your VAT Refund

VAT Refund at London Heathrow
The VAT Refund procedure at London Heathrow is very different to that at the Rome, Amsterdam and Paris airports that we have experienced. Travelex handles the whole process and you do not have to check-in with your airline first or get a Customs stamp. Travelex is the one-stop shop for the Customs stamp and payment of your VAT claim.
If you have electronics, jewellery and watches over £250 you will need to have your VAT processed after Security. The Travelex desk is just past the Security area – to the right.
If you have other items that you intend to hand carry, Travelex recommends that you process your VAT refund after clearing Immigration and Security.
For all other VAT claims, you stand in queue at the Travelex office outside the Departure hall.

Tax Free Forms
As you wait in queue, the Travelex staff will come around to check your VAT forms to make sure that you have valid VAT claims/receipts and that you have signed your form. Note: these days the larger shops have cash machines that generate the Tax Free Forms and they look like the strips of paper that this traveller (picture on the left) is checking. This form has on it the name of the tax-free handling agent, your passport number, address, purchase amount, refund amount, etc.
Remember: No Tax Free Form = No VAT Refund!
When you eventually get to the counter, your VAT claims will be processed and if you have substantial amounts of claims (as many of the Asian shoppers have), you may be asked to show the goods that you purchased.
Once your documents have been checked, the Travelex staff can pay you cash or credit the VAT refund to your credit card account.
Whilst the Travelex procedure is very simple, please note that the process does take time. From the start of the queue to when you actually get to the Travelex counters, it takes about two hours. We asked if it is faster at Terminal 5 which is the base for British Airways flights, and the Travelex supervisor advised that the waiting time is about the same.
Note: If you want a cash refund, Travelex charges a fee for each invoice processed. For refunds to your credit card, no fees are charged.

VAT Refund Desk after Security
Double-Dipping by VAT Handling Agencies
We actually did all of our shopping in Paris, but as we were leaving the EU from London, we had to process our VAT refund at London Heathrow. When I was completing the Tax refund forms with the retailers in Paris, they asked if I intended to take my refund in cash or as a credit to my credit card. I asked one of the large stores what the significance of that question was and was told that for cash refund a fee of 10% is deducted. In Paris, most of the shops use either the Global Blue or Premier Tax Free as the VAT processing agents. I can understand that agencies like Global Blue and Premier Tax Free would want a fee for having to have cash reserves to pay to claimants like myself.
However, at London Heathrow, the VAT refund is not handled by Global Blue or Premier Tax Free, but by Travelex. So, my VAT refund was charged a 10% fee for handling by Global Blue and Premier Tax Free and when I actually claimed the VAT refund in London, the Travelex people also took a cut for handling cash payments, i.e. I paid two lots of fees for cash refund. To me, it seems like a bit of double-dipping here.
Still Better to have Cash in Hand
In spite of having been charged two lots of fees, I still prefer to receive a cash VAT refund as there is no possibility of the tax refund being reversed and a penalty applied, as many people have experienced when shopping in Rome. The Travelex staff are processing so many VAT claims each day and should any forms or information go astray, I should hate to receive a charge-back to my credit card, through no fault of mine.
Queueing for two hours to get your VAT refund processed is a negative experience and shoppers may look elsewhere to spend their money or avoid London Heathrow as the point of exit from the EU! I for one will think twice about going through London again if I were planning a shopping trip.
Dear Sir,
Can I get refund of VAT for food taken in Hotels, purchase of gift articals.
Hi Bimal,
As you are consuming the food in the UK, you’ll not be able to claim VAT refund – in any case, most foods are tax-free.
As for purchases of gifts items, as long as they meet the minimum threshold, the article is not a tax-exempt item and the shop you’re buying from is a member of a tax-refund scheme, you should be able to get a VAT refund. As the shopkeeper before you make your purchase.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen,
Do I have to show my flight ticket to verify that I am flying out of EU? I have a 4k and 0.8k watches to claim tax refund. The total claimable amount is around 240 pounds. Do I claim it after security or before security as I want to have the watches put into my checked-in luggage.
Please kindly advise. Thank you.
Regards,
Bryan
Hi Bryan,
At the Travellex office you’ll see a VAT Refunds poster, like the one above, and it says “Electronics, jewellery and watches over GBP 250.00 need to be refunded after security.” The VAT desk after security is very prominent (see photo above).
Another point I would make is that you should not check in expensive items like a 4k watch into your checked-bag as bags can go missing and luggage looting by dishonest airport staff is not an uncommon problem. Small items are particularly easy to steal.
Finally, you do have to show your passport and as you are going through security you will already have had to produce your passport and boarding pass.
All the best,
Helen Page
Hi Helen, for European VAT refund is it correct this can only be done at T3? My departure is at T2, so do I go to T3 first, do the VAT refund and subsequently return to T2 for departure?
Also if I want to go to Chanel at T3, does this mean I will not be able to do so? Thanks!
Hi Helen,
In the UK, Travellex acts as agents for the following tax refund agents: Global Blue, Premier, Tax Free Worldwide, GB and Innova. At Heathrow, Travellex has stores at the following terminals:
Terminals 1 & 4: Landside & Airside Departures open daily from 5:00am–10:00pm
Terminal 3: Landside & Airside Departures open daily from 6:30am- 10:00pm
Terminal 5: Landside & Airside Departures open daily from 6:00am-10:00pm
Unlike other European cities, the London tax refund process is a little different in that Travellex is the one-stop shop for the Customs stamp and payment of your VAT claim. You do not have to check-in with your airline first or get a Customs stamp. So in your case, you can go to Chanel at T3, do your VAT claim and then proceed to T2 for your departure.
Please make sure you allow plenty of time for your VAT claim. As you can see from my post above, it took us 2 hours from the start of the queue to the VAT desk.
Helen, VAT processes can change over time so when you reach the Travellex area at T3, check with the staff first before you join the queue.
Happy shopping and all the best,
Helen Page
Helen, thanks for your swift reply.
I realize I was a bit dense and was not very specific.
I need to claim 2 taxes, – Global Blue (for European VAT) and UK VAT. Can both of this be done at the same Travellex agent at T3, or do I have to queue at 2 different counters?
Secondly Chanel at T3 is after Immigration, as my departure is from T2 does this mean I will not be able to frequent their shop?
Again thanks for your help!
Helen
Hi Helen,
As mentioned above, Travellex acts as tax refund agents for Global Blue, Premier, Tax Free Worldwide, GB and Innova. If your UK VAT form is from one of the five that Travellex acts for, then you should be able to claim your European and UK VAT at the one counter.
Re your query about shopping at Chanel – As Chanel at T3 is after Immigration you will not be able to enter the T3 secure area as your flight is departing from T2. However, Heathrow does have a Heathrow Boutique Shopping Service and if you have a particular Chanel product in mind, it would be worthwhile emailing them to make enquiries.
The link below is their FAQ on what they can or cannot do for you. It seems that if the Chanel product you’re interested in is not available at the airport, they “may be” able to check with the high street to source it for you. Be sure to confirm prices before you place the order.
http://boutique.heathrow.com/index.php/faqs
I hope you’ll shoot them an email and see what they say. Even if they can’t help you in this instance, I think the FAQ is interesting reading for any future shopping at Heathrow.
Let me know how you go.
Kind regards,
Helen
Dear Helen, thanks so much, this has been a great help!
As an observation, strangely email addresses are hard to obtain, most organizations will provide telephone nos instead, but the time difference to my country it is not practical to call. I have been fortunate to stumble onto your site, and gotten answers.
Thanks again, Helen
Glad to help Helen and good luck.
Kind regards and happy shopping.
Helen
Hi Helen!
Thanks for putting this out there.
Is there any way to check how busy the VAT queue at Terminal 3 is on a particular day?
TiA,
Ali
Hi Ali,
Apologies for the late reply as we’ve been on the road, and with little access to the internet.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy way of finding out how busy the VAT queue at T3 is on any particular day. When we asked a Travellex personnel if claiming VAT at the other terminals might be easier, her reply was that all the terminals are just as busy as T3 and that they are busy everyday.
You might try calling Travellex at LHR and ask their views, but I wouldn’t be too hopeful on any meaningful response as they too can’t predict when visitors are likely to shop and claim VAT refund.
Kind regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen,
It’s been a month since we got our Tax Refund procedure done at the airport. We requested for the refund to be deposited in my debit card account which the official accepted. But there has been no transfer so far. Generally how long does it take and who should I inform if its long overdue?
Thank you,
Loulouah
Hi Loulouah,
Apologies for the delay in responding as we have been on the road ourselves.
The VAT refund can take anything from 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the refund handling company, i.e. Global Blue or Premiere Tax Free, etc. Both these companies have online tracking systems where you can find out the status of your tax refund, but to do this you’ll need to have your Tax Free Form Number – see Global Blue’s tracker as an example.
https://secure.globalblue.com/secure/traveller-services/refundtracker/
I always advise people to take a photo of their form before submitting it in case there are delays or paperwork goes missing. If you don’t have this information, then you could try emailing the refund company and see if they can help you.
Good luck in tracing your refund.
Kind regards,
Helen Page
My family was robbed of their vat refund at heathrow airport by the vat people although my mum and dad does not live in this country and showed their ids where they live .they have british overseas passport but was treated very bad at the vat refund.they will not comeback to London again.vat people are robbing tourist of their vat refund and keeping it to themself.very bad.
Hi I have a very important question. I bought a Chanel bag at the airport in Paris and they did not give me VAT tax back forms. I am flying from London back to the United States in April. Is there any way I can receive those forms even though I have already left Paris. Technically it was the sale associate’s fault since I did tell her I was an American citizen and asked her about tax forms, but she negligently forgot to provide me with the forms.
Hi Alison,
Have a look at the receipt that you got for your Chanel bag. These days, the “Tax Free Form” is usually generated from the cash till machine and looks like a long strip of paper with the words Tax Refund Cheque or Tax Free Form at the top.
If you don’t have this, then I suggest you phone Chanel at CDG Airport (Phone : +33 148160100) and ask if they could mail you the form or go to a Chanel shop in London and see if they can help you obtain it. Without this cheque/form, you’ll not be able to get your Customs stamp.
Alison, also note that there is a time limit on having your VAT form stamped and it’s usually 3 months after the issue of your VAT form.
All the best,
Helen
Hi Helen,
You mentioned that 10% fee will be deducted for cash refund. Do you mean 10% of the purchase price? For example the handbag cost $1000×10% = $100.
Yvonne, 10% of VAT refund amount.
Hi helen!
im traveling to italy,france and UK. but i will be in the UK for at least a month before heading home(non EU).
would it be possible for me to make the refund by then? is it possible for me to make the refund at each stop before i head to another destination? Is there opening hours for the VAT refund?
one last question, can i use my debit card to get my refund back?
sorry to bombard you with so many question.
hope you can enlighten me 🙂
thank you!
Hi Young,
1. You have three months from the date of purchase of goods to make your VAT refund claim. It doesn’t matter that you are staying in the UK for a month, as long as your Italy and France purchases are within that three-month timeframe.
2. Refunds can only be claimed at your final point of exit from the EU which in your case is the UK. In the UK the VAT Refund is handled by Travelex. At T3, their VAT operating hours are 06:30 – 22:00.
3. You can have your refund credited to your credit card. As regards debit cards, some don’t allow credits to be processed. Please check with your card company.
Hope the above is enlightening!
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I am going back from london and want to get back my vat.i shopped many things but I didn’t get Vat form from any retailers.i asked 2 or 3 shops they told me our vat no is on receipt so you can claim it.is it necessary to get vat form or we can claim without forms?one more thing I bought iphone last year but i didnt used that i got receipt but don’t have form is it possible to get back vat.please tell procedure of vat claim.i will be very thankful if you help me.
Regards
Hi Sad,
I’ve included a new image (third picture down) in the above post which shows what a Tax Free Form looks like if it has been generated from the cash machine. The strip of paper will say “Tax Free Form” and it will have the name of the VAT handling company on the top (e.g. Global Blue or Premier Tax Free), your ID information on it, the purchase amount and the VAT to be refunded. The shop has to sign the declaration section at the bottom of the form. Just a VAT no. on a receipt is not sufficient.
The smaller shops may still use the manual process, in which case you will be given a form that is manually completed and which will have all the information mentioned.
Whichever form you receive, they usually give you a reply paid envelope so that you can send in your claim by mail if you don’t have time to queue at the airport.
You must have either one of these forms. Without the tax free forms you will not be eligible to make a claim. I suggest that your check the ‘receipts’ that you have and see if they are actually the Tax Free Forms. If not, you’ll need to go back to the shops, with your passport, and ask them to provide you with the correct VAT documentation.
As regards your iphone, you will not be able to claim VAT on this as it is past the 3 months time-frame allowed for making your claim. Again, without the Tax Free Form, you’ll not be able to make a claim.
For future shopping in Europe, always ensure that you have the Tax Free Forms, if you intend to make VAT claims.
Hope the above helps,
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen!
I’m heading to EU in June and will be leaving in July. While I’m in Paris I will be purchasing a chanel hand bag. We will be flying out of Heathrow airport terminal 1. Do you know what the vat tax rate is? Would it be best to get the refund in cash to be safe? Or silly that they charge you so much for it so just get it charged back to your credit card. Also in terminal 1 where would we stop before or after security and all that other fun stuff. 🙂
Thanks,
Hailey
Hi Hailey,
The link below lets you calculate your VAT refund. This is Global Blue’s calculator, so if the shop that you’re buying from uses a different VAT handling company such as Premier Tax Free, you can look them up as well.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/tax-free-shopping/refund-calculator/
My personal preference is to get cash in hand so that there can be no surprises such as reversal of payment to your credit card amount. In Australia, the banks charge us 3% for any foreign transaction so if I had a credit to my card account, I’d have to pay the 3%.
Re your other question “where would we stop….”, I looked up Heathrow Terminal 1 and there is a notice that Terminal 1 will be closing on June 30th for renovations.
http://www.heathrowairport.com/heathrow-airport-guide/terminal-1
You may want to check with your airline again as to which terminal you’ll be flying out of in July.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Nice to see your posts. Very informative.
I had one question. I have electronic item with worth above 250 GBP. I wish to claim the VAT for that. I also have all the related VAT forms from seller.
There is one statement in the VAT form is, I can claim these goods only end of 4th month from date of purchase . I did not understood that. I purchased goods in march and I am travelling in may 1st week. Still can I claim?
Another question is, there is a statement mentioned that I can not claim the VAT if I return to UK / EU countries within 12 months. Because of my JOB, I don’t know I may visit europe in 12 months. Does it serious issue to claim my VAT?
Please advice,
Thanks alot in advance,
Ram
Hi Ram,
Q1 – There is a time limit for claiming your VAT refund and that is 3 months from the date of invoice.
Q2 – The 12 months that you mention refer to :
(i) EU residents who are usually not entitled to claim VAT. However, if they are leaving the EU for 12 months or more then they are eligible.
(ii) non-EU resident who work or study in the UK and are leaving the EU for 12 months or more. If you are visiting the UK for work meetings, this does not apply to you. But if for instance you are transferred by your company to work in the UK for a period of time (for which you would have had to obtain a work visa) then you need to show that you are leaving the EU for 12 months or more to be eligible for claiming VAT.
For more detailed information on your VAT entitlement, please see the link below
https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/taxfree-shopping
Kind regards,
Helen
Dear Helen,
I actually travel to Paris in february and bought a handbag there. The tax refund was handled by travelex. I received the tax refund in the form of cash. They request me to leave a credit card number and mention if I did not leave European union in 21days I will receive a charged-back on my credit card.
However, I left UK after 3 days from London Heathrow airport back to my country. But today I received a charged-back on my credit card. The charges was more expensive than the vat refund.
I wonder how to solve this problem. This is so frustrating as the tax refund thing is time-consuming. Can you give me some advices? Thanks.
Gan
Hi Gan,
Can you clarify a few points for me please:
(i) Where did you receive your Travelex cash tax refund – in Paris or London?
(ii) Was it done at a Travelex office downtown or at the airport?
(iii) Which VAT company did the handbag shop use, i.e. Global Blue, Premier Tax Free…?
Usually tax refunds are processed at the point of your departure from the EU, but you seem to have yours done before leaving the UK, which suggests to me that it was at done at one of the downtown Travelex offices. In some cities you can get your refund processed downtown before leaving the EU, but you still need to have your documents stamped by Customs when you leave and the tax form has to be returned to the VAT refund company. If the documents are not received, they will reverse the VAT refund and charge a huge penalty as well. It sounds like this is what happened to you because when you get cash refunds, it is not necessary to provide your credit card details.
Yes, when VAT refunds go wrong, it is frustrating, time-consuming and difficult to challenge. You can contact your credit card company and dispute the charge, but before doing that, I’d try and understand where the problem lies.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen Page, I am writing in regards to Gan’s question on April 27, 2015 at 10:43 am.
I faced the similar problem as Gan.
After clarifying with Global Blue, I was told that there was no customs stamp on the form.
Therefore, my card has been charged.
Global Blue is sending back the tax refund form to me so I still have a second chance to get back the VAT if I can get:
– An import stamp from local customs > Malaysia
· An export stamp from EU Customs
· A notary stamp from Malaysia
But how do I go about with it??
It is truly frustrating.
We as consumers are actually very dependent on the Travelex staff, if they do not perform every step correctly, we will be penalized!
Hi Wan,
I’m sorry to hear of your VAT refund problem, but at least Global Blue is giving you the opportunity to try and correct the problem.
– To get an import stamp from your Malaysian Customs, you should try contacting Customs at KL Airport and get their advice on this.
– Re Export stamp from EU Customs – To get an export stamp, you will need to check up the websites of a few EU consulates in KL and see if they offer this service. I recently checked the website of the German Consulate in Sydney to see if I could get my documents stamped and found that although they offer the service, the fee of Euros 25 for each receipt made it not worthwhile for me to pursue this. If your purchase is a large one, you may wish to look this up, if you can’t get a free stamp from the Malaysian Customs.
– A notary stamp from Malaysia – you’ll need to look up a Notary Public in Malaysia and discuss this with them. Getting a notary stamp is easy, but the Notary Public will charge a fee for each document that they notarize. Before you spend your money with the Notary Public option, I suggest that you check with Global Blue to see what exactly they need you to do, e.g. is it sufficient to certify your VAT return form and receipts or do they require any other verification from the notary public.
I’m afraid all the options require you to do some work. Before you send any documents back to Global Blue, please be sure to take copies of all documents so that you’ll be able to track your refund online.
All the best with your claim.
Kind regards,
Helen Page
Hi, if I am flying out of Heathrow to Singapore, but I also have a 23h stopover in Helsinki, where should I claim the refund?
If your bag is checked all the way to Singapore, they’ll let you claim your VAT in London. However if you are claiming your baggage in Helsinki and then checking in again for your flight to Singapore, i.e. separate ticket, then you’ll have to do your VAT claim in Helsinki as this is your last port of departure from EU.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Do you know the rough estimate queuing time at terminal 4 Vat refund counter? I was thinking to contact personal shopper to get me to Chanel boutique at terminal 3. I worry I might not have enough time to do my VAT refund and to terminal 3. Need some advise. Thanks
Regards,
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne,
It’s difficult to say what the queuing time will be at any of the Heathrow terminals as it all depends on how busy the airport is when you are due to travel. It took us two hours at T3 and the Travelex supervisor said that the queues are just as busy at the other terminals.
At Heathrow you can do your VAT refund before checking in for your flight so there’s no reason why you can’t go really early and sort that out first.
According to the Heathrow Personal Shopper information, you must have “more than three hours before your flight, we may be able to arrange to transfer you to another terminal to visit shops”. So, the question is what to do with your luggage before your airline desk is open for check-ins. You might want to find out from the Personal Shopper people as to how the process works.
I wouldn’t mind knowing so if you can post a comment here, it would be helpful for others as well.
Thanks and happy shopping,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I have a question, I went to travel in Paris and I bought handbags from Lafayette department store I did tax refund with Global Blue company on 6 April 2015 and got refund by cash on 7 April 2015 but the staff took my credit card for guarantee and the last country that I’m leaving from EU was England on 17 April and I went to vat refund department at Heathrow Airport (Terminal 3) to get the stamp and the staff stamped my refund form and she told me that she will send it back to the company. However, yesterday (6 May 2015) I got a message from the bank of my credit card that I will be charged from global blue with the same amount as credit card guarantee. So, What should I do? because I follow all steps of refund process. It not suppose to be charged.
Please give me an advice.
Best Regards,
Kamonwan
Hi Kamonwan,
When you take cash refunds in advance of your departure from the EU, there usually are conditions attached and I don’t know what could have gone wrong in your case.
– I suggest you contact Global Blue and ask them what went wrong with your refund. http://www.globalblue.com/contact-us/
– Talk to your credit card bank and get their advice on disputing the charge.
When you eventually get this sorted out, I’d appreciate it if you could post a comment here so that others can be aware of things to watch out for when taking tax refunds in advance of your departure.
Good luck,
Helen
Hi Helen
can i ask you, i understand Global Blue Tax takes 30-40% of your VAT refund as handling fees. so if we take cash, our VAT refund is effectively 50% left given 40% of handling fees + 10% cash deduction fees?
thanks
kimmy
Hi Kimmy,
Can I ask you where you got your information about the 30-40% handling fee from? As far as I’m aware, that’s not correct.
Kind regards,
Helen
Dear Helen ,
I was hoping you could help me.
My wife and I left the UK via Heathrow last September ( 30th.) We followed the VAT refund procedures
but are yet to receive anything. I was expecting the amount to be credited to my cc. I appreciate this is not your problem but was hoping you could provide
a Govt. email address so I can chase up. Thanking you either way.
Rgds Robert Marsh
Hi Robert,
As you would know, in the UK, VAT refund is handled by Travelex. on their website, under the section “I haven’t received my refund yet, what should I do?”, they suggest that you contact the commercial tax refund company that your retailer works with, i.e. Global Blue, Premier Tax Free, etc. On these companies’ websites you are able to track the progress of your VAT refund, that is if you have copies of the relevant documentation such as invoice, VAT refund cheque no. etc.
https://www.travelex.co.uk/services/vat-refunds
In the HM Revenue and Customs website, they advise as follows:
“If you do not get your refund within a reasonable time you should write to the shop.
Please do not write to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) or UK Border Agency (UKBA).”
As advised by Travelex, you should firstly approach the tax refund company that your shop is aligned with.
I hope you do have copies of all your documentation with you because they will need your Tax Free Form Number (DOC ID) to do the refund tracking.
All the best with chasing up your refund.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I have a question needing your help. My parents came to England to visit me and they want to have tax refund. However, they bought things by my debit card which is a UK card and has my name on it. I was just told today that they might not be able to have tax refund because the debit card is mine and my visa is student visa so I cannot have tax refund. Is that right? I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Gloria Guan
Hi Gloria,
My first question is, did your parents get a Tax Refund Form from the shop that they bought goods from? If they were provided with the form, then it would seem that the shop did not have a problem with the purchase being paid for with your debit card.
Below is a link to Heathrow airport’s helplines for VAT queries for the various terminals. I suggest that you call the number for the terminal that your parents will be leaving from and ask them the question.
http://www.heathrowairport.com/static/Heathrow/Downloads/PDF/Multilingual_PDF/VAT_Refunds/vat-refund-leaflet_EN.pdf
Good luck with your enquiries and let me know how you go.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Is there a VAT refund for the VAT charged at the hotel against the room tariff? I am staying in Hampton by Hilton for almost a month and the VAT amount is quite significant. The hotel said they would be issuing a VAT certificate as well. I am just curious, is it really possible to claim it?
Just so you are aware, I am a business traveller, so came to London on a Business Visa.
Regards
Sukalyan
Hi Sukalyan,
VAT refunds only apply to goods that your are exporting (unused) out of the EU. Therefore your hotel room tariff and meals do not qualify for VAT refund.
Enjoy your stay in London.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thanks, that’s what I thought as well. I am wondering why the Hotel would even issue the VAT receipt certificate? I was checking online and found that there are few exceptions for business travelers. Do you know of any?
Regards
Sukalyan Ghatak
Sorry, can’t help you there. It may be that the VAT receipt would be relevant to your company’s VAT returns, but I’m not aware of any exceptions for individual business travelers. Why not ask the hotel?
Regards,
Helen
Great information, thanks! So how often do they actually check the goods and is there a particular threshold for getting checked? My girlfriend has a tier 2 work visa and I fly back and forth to the States. I like to leave some items behind between visits but will eventually take them home. I’d still obviously like my VAT refunds but worry about getting checked. Most items are under a few hundred pounds, pretty much clothing. Think I’d be safe with 8 or 9 slips at a time?
There is no predetermined limit for which goods are checked for VAT claims and checking is done randomly. However if you’re claiming VAT for electronics, jewellery and watches over £250 you will need to have your VAT processed after Security and the implication is that these may be scrutinized more closely.
As long as you follow the rules on VAT claims, you really shouldn’t be concerned about being checked. The checking is to ensure that people don’t abuse the VAT system.
As regards leaving some items behind in London, be aware that to be eligible for VAT claim, your purchase must be unused and exported within three months of purchase.
Kind regards,
Helen
how does one go about claiming VAT if I was unable to do it at the airport due to time constraints ?
I travelled from London Heathrow last Monday on the 27th of July 2015, traveling to South Africa but I was running late so at check-in I was advised to do it on-line, and I have the forms filled in and all
Unfortunately, you’ve been misinformed. To be eligible for VAT refund, you must have your VAT form validated by UK Customs and have your goods with you just in case they decide to do a spot check. At LHR, the Vat Refund function has been outsourced to Travelex.
If you have substantial amount of VAT to claim, you can get your form validated at any EU embassy in South Africa. You’ll need to find out which embassy provides this service and those that do will usually charge a fee for this.
Hi Helen: Last December my wife and I purchased a couple of pieces of art glass on a trip to the UK. We filed for the VAT refund and had our the forms stamped and approved by the Travelex agent. We put my wife’s bank account info (UK bank account – although we live in the US) on it. To date, after 8 months there still has been no refund to the bank account. Luckily the Travelex agent had us snap photos of the forms, warning us that “sometimes things get lost”. Evidently they did. Do you have any suggestions as to what we do now?
Many thanks,
Andre
Hi Andre, you didn’t mention which VAT refund company your retailer uses, e.g. Global Blue or Premier Tax Free, etc. Most of the companies have an online refund tracking service which you can use to track your refund. It’s a good thing that you have a copy of the forms as a critical part of the tracking is the Document ID. The links below are to Global Blue and Premier Tax Free’s website, but if it is a different VAT refund company, you should be able to find the refund tracker on their site.
https://secure.globalblue.com/secure/traveller-services/refundtracker/
http://premiertaxfree.com/track-my-refund
If they claim that your form has gone astray, you’ll still be able to mail your claim back to the refund company, in the prepaid envelope that was provided to you, with an explanation that the original has gone missing. But be sure always to retain a copy of the stamped form. Without this form and the stamped verification you will not be able to follow up on any claim.
All the best with your claim and I’d be interested in hearing of your good news.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi,
Great article.
I just flew back to Australia today and forgot all about it getting my refund.
I had all the receipts ready,
I realised whilst I was sitiing on the plane.
Do you know if its too late to get the refund?
Or if I can send it back to Travelex with my boarding pass?
Thank you
Hi Belinda,
It’s not too late to get your refund, but unless your purchases are of high value, it may not be worthwhile. What you have to do is to get your tax refund form validated at any EU consulate before sending it back to Global Blue, Premier Tax Free or whichever tax refund company that your retailer uses.
The consulates will probably charge a fee for this service and if your refund is not substantial, it may not be worthwhile pursuing this. Last December, I left Germany by road to cross into Switzerland (not an EU country). As I was unable to get the Customs stamp at the German border, and I was flying out of Zurich, I was not able to have my VAT processed at Zurich Airport. I checked the German consulate website in Australia and found that they want Euros 25 for each receipt that they validate. As my purchases were not substantial, I had to forego the VAT refund.
If you’re returning to Europe within the next 3 months you can still have your VAT form validated, but then it means that you have to take those goods with you to show proof of export.
Hope that answers your query.
Kind regards,
Helen
Dear Helen,
I purchased a watch in France, I went through London and had the VAT stamped and I sent it back to the store myself as they had already deducted the VAT.
It turns out the security people had kept the one stamped and I inadvertently sent the non stamped one.
I asked the store to contact the VAT people and get a copy of it.
They insist I go through customs again…I don’t plan on it and the three months are almost up.
What is your advice on this?
thanks
d.
Hi Danielle,
Apologies for the late reply as we ourselves are travelling and internet access is not always accessible.
Most shops offering tax-free shopping usually use a VAT refund service such as Global Blue and the VAT forms are sent to the VAT handling companies so I don’t understand why you’ve sent your form to the shop. Also the Customs people don’t keep any copies of the VAT form. They stamp your form and that’s it.
Unfortunately, without the Customs stamp, you’ll not be able to follow up on your claim. If your purchase is of high value, you can approach any EU consulate in your country and request them to validate your form. You’ll find that they”ll charge for this service.
Kind regards,
Helen
Helen,
Thank you for posting this very informative article, it cleared up many things for me.
I have been thinking about purchasing a rather expensive watch in London, I figure that with the dealer discount and VAT refund I will be able to get a very good deal on that timepiece. From what I’ve read so far even though the VAT rate is 20% I can realistically expect a refund of 13-14%.
My question is this: Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for me if I purchased the watch from a boutique that’s located after security? Wouldn’t the prices shown exclude the full 20% VAT?
I look forward to your reply, and once again, thank you for this article.
Adnan.
Hi Adnan,
You’ll find that the boutiques after security probably won’t offer you whatever dealer discount you’re negotiating from the high street shop.
From my experience, I’ve found that the duty-free shops at airports don’t offer the same prices that you’re able to get at sales downtown. They may also not have the particular watch model that you’re after.
I suggest you give the boutique a call to compare prices before you proceed.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen
I have purchase LV product at Euro2500 in Cologne , Germany . I am flying to London via Cogone-Bonn airport for 2 days then back to Singapore . Where should I claim my Vat ?
London is your point of exit from the EU so you claim your VAT at LHR.
Hi Helen,
Very informative posts. I had a query concerning VAT refunds. I have recently purchased electronic items from the Netherlands. I will be flying out of Heathrow towards the end of the month. The store that i purchased the goods from has given me an invoice with VAT included. I enquired about the VAT refund Certificate. They asked me to get a Customs stamp at the airport of final departure from EU and mail the stamped invoice back to them. They have also provided me a copy of the Netherlands customs regulations which states that “If the goods you are exporting are the same as the goods shown on the invoice or the copy of it, the customs officer will sign the invoice or the copy of it for export. You will then have to send the invoice or the copy of it to your supplier. Your supplier will show the invoice signed by customs to the Tax Administration to prove that the goods have been exported. Your Supplier can return the VAT to you.” Basis this i don’t need to collect the refund at Heathrow. However do i still need to proceed to Travelex to get the stamp on the invoice or is there a Customs section at the Heathrow Airport which will entertain the verification and stamping. Appreciate any pointers, thanks.
Best regards
Ritesh.
Hi Ritesh,
Not all stores offer tax-free shopping, but those that do will have the VAT Form which is a requirement in claiming your VAT. The form requires certain information, such as your passport number, your residential address and your signature to confirm that you are complying with the terms of the VAT refund scheme, i.e. you’re not an EU resident and that all the information provided on the form is correct.
On the retailer’s part, they have to include a description of the goods purchased, the amount and the VAT refund that is due to you. On the form you will also include your credit card details, if you choose to have the refund credited to your account.
If you read the UK VAT refund rules, you’ll see that the VAT form is a requirement and that an invoice alone will not suffice. Please note that some shops still use the old form where information is handwritten, whereas bigger stores will have the VAT refund form generated from the till machine and you will get a long strip of paper (see image above).
At LHR, Travelex acts as agents for VAT refund companies such as Global Blue, Premier Tax Free, etc. As your shop is not a member of these refund companies, I doubt if they will stamp your invoice for you. You might want to try looking for a Customs desk at LHR.
Before sending your voice back to the shop, I would take a copy of your invoice. Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous shops who will mislead customers as to the VAT refund system – I hope yours isn’t one of them.
Good luck,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thank you for your reply. It clarifies the process of VAT refund further. Fortunately the store i purchased the items from are far from scrupulous. The VAT amount in totality was refunded to me in cash at the time of making the purchase on the basis of getting the customs stamp on the invoice and sending the same back to the store to ensure they dont end up paying the VAT subsequently. Since this was done on the trust that i would send the stamped invoice back to them, i would want to honour that.
Now all i need is to locate a Customs desk at LHR.
Will update you on how that goes.
Rgds
Ritesh.
Thanks Ritesh. Look forward to your update.
Kind regards,
Helen
Dear Madam, I APPLIED FOR THE VAT REFUND ON 02 BILL THAT IS DEBENHAMS OF 108 GBP AND THE ROYAL COLLECTION OF 105 GBP. I HAVE COMPLETED ALL THE FORMALITIES AT HEATHROW AIRPORT DONE BY ME. CUSTOM OFFICERS TAKEN MY INDUSIND CARD NO. TO REFUND THE VAT AND INFORMED ME THAT THE SAME WILL BE CREDITED TO ME IN 2-3 DAYS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW THAT HOW MANY DAYS IT WILL TAKE TO REFUND THE MONEY. I DEPART ON DATED 26TH OCT2015 MORNING FROM HEATHROW TO INDIA.
I AM WAITING FOR YOUR REPLY.
Hi Ashutosh,
Most major shops use VAT refund companies like Global Blue or Premier Tax Free to do their VAT refund processing – I believe Debenhams uses Global Blue. These VAT refund companies provide a tracking system where you can track the progress of your refund. To do this, you’ll need to have your DOC ID. (see link below)
https://secure.globalblue.com/secure/traveller-services/refundtracker/
You will need to check your documents to see which refund company the shops use and then go to the respective websites to track your refund.
Regards,
Helen Page
I understand the VAT refund process. I’m flying home to Canada from Nice connecting in London for the flight home. My transit time in London is just 1 hour- not enough time to go to the VAT refund office in Heathrow.
Is it at all possible to process my VAT refund at Nice Airport?
if not, is there any other way to process the refund?
Thanks
Hi Brett,
As you are checking your bag all the way to Canada, you will be able to process your VAT refund at Nice Airport. Your boarding pass needs to show that Canada is your end destination.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi, I arrived at Heathrow 6 hours before flying home to Brisbane, Australia. There were already hundreds of people on the forecourt in a line that went on and on and on. After 2 or 3 hours waiting two people came out with plastic tables to hurry the queue along. We were told to write our credit card number on the back of the vat forms and leave everything with them and I was assured the money would be in my account within six (6) weeks. Six (6) months later I’m still waiting. I had done heaps of shopping in London, Cornwall, Chester, Helsinki, and Tallin. We travel quite a lot and I love shopping outside Australia. So where would my refund be, has it gone to someone else, someone who works for vat or travelex maybe? My flight home was Saturday 30th May 2015 Qantas 2125 via Dubia leaving Heathrow at 9.25pm terminal 3. Thank you, heres hoping you can sort this out.
Kind regards,
Robyn Powell
Hi Robyn,
At London Heathrow Travelex acts as agent for five VAT refund companies ( Global Blue, Premier, Tax Free Worldwide, GB and Innova). They offer a cash refund service only and if you require your claim to be credited to a card, they will then forward the documentation onto the retailer’s VAT agent, who completes the refund.
As Travelex were not able to provide you with a cash refund (due to the long queues) and have collected your credit card number, it follows that they would have forwarded your documentation to the relevant VAT refund company.
They advise that if you have not received your refund within the specified time, you will need to contact whichever VAT company your retailer uses, i.e. Global Blue or Premier Tax Free, etc.
It’s very well for them to provide that advice, but very often in situations such as you’ve experienced, people have not had time to take copies of their documentation. When you contact Global Blue or Premier Tax Free, etc. they need you to send them copies of your VAT Forms which must have been stamped by Travelex (on behalf of UK Customs).
If you have copies of your VAT forms, which I always advise travellers to take copies of, you can go onto the website of the particular VAT refund company and track your refund online or email them copies of your documents. Unfortunately if you do not have copies of your documents, they will not be able to assist and your only course of action is to lodge a complaint with Travelex and then the UK Customs for the unsatisfactory service.
I’m sorry that I can’t provide you with a more positive response.
Good luck,
Helen Page
Helen thank you for the reply. Unfortunately I didn’t copy the forms or receipts as on previous occasions I’ve just breezed through those formalities and received a refund. I think this trip I’ve ‘done my dash’. Thank you again. Robyn
Hi Helen firstly thank you your posts are so informative do you think leaving T5 on a late flight 2230 the queues will be any quicker than during the day and can it also friend in the time of year ? Also if claiming after security dies it matter all the clothes I want to reclaim the vat on will be in my suitcase that will have been checked in ?
Hi Susi,
T5 is mainly used by BA and any BA code-share flights and you can see how many flights are leaving at your departure time by checking T5 departure schedule.
http://www.heathrow.com/departures
Generally, late flights are less popular with travellers, but it’s not really possible to predict it the VAT queues are going to be any quicker. During the less busy time, it is possible that Travelex may allocate less staff to man their desk.
If you intend to claim your VAT after security, you will need to hand-carry all your goods as you must be able to show your goods if they ask to see it. For clothes and bulky items, it’s best to do your VAT refund before security so that you can pack them in your suitcase.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi,
I want to claim my VAT free bill. can we send bills via email. If yes, could you please provide email address
regards,
Pramod
Pramod,
To be eligible for VAT refund, you must send your Customs stamped Tax Free forms and purchase receipts by mail back to the VAT company concerned. Just the bill alone is not sufficient.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thanks for all detail answers in your post, I have gone through your all answers, and my question is bit different.
I am in UK for short visit of 2 months and I would be back to India by end of Feb. I am buying an electronic item through Ebay, the seller is from UK itself, when I requested for Tax Free / VAT Refund form, he replied he never done that and he do not have any idea. The seller do have VAT number but he never heard of this before.
In this case if I will send him a form with my passport details and entering and exit date, and if he signs and send me this Manual VAT Refund form and Invoice, will that work or I need some other documents to claim VAT refund.
I am bit confused with Internet sale and store sale, because https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/taxfree-shopping it is mentioned “mail order goods, including internet sales” is not valid for VAT refund even the VAT is mentioned in invoice. Is this correct ?
Thanks for all detail info on other issues.
Regards,
Rohit
Hi Rohit,
Firstly, all companies are required to have a VAT registration number if their turnover is above a certain level. This is part of the Inland Revenue laws of the country and is quite separate from VAT-refund for tax-free shopping.
Secondly, you need to be aware that not all companies offer VAT-free shopping. Those that do would usually use a VAT company like Global Blue or Premier Tax Free, etc. to handle the VAT processing as they don’t want to bother with the paperwork and having to deal with the refund.
Online stores are not in a position to offer VAT-free shopping because there are a couple of requirements that they are not able to satisfy for the customer to be eligible for VAT refunds. The main requirement is that they have to sight your passport at time of purchase to verify that you are a non-EU resident and eligible for the VAT refund. Sending in your passport details does not meet this requirement and hence the the UK Gov’s guidelines on what’s eligible and what’s not.
Unfortunately, your eBay purchase does not qualify for VAT refund.
If VAT refund is important to you, always look for the Tax Free Shopping signage on the shop window.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thanks Helen,
Your deep knowledge and quick response is highly appreciated.
Regards,
Rohit
Most welcomed.
Hello Helen,
I’m travelling out of Europe.
Can I get VAT refund on bodybuilding supplements and will it be okay for me to carry 45kgs of supplements in my checked baggage
Regards,
Harris
Hi Harris,
Depending on your class of travel, there are weight restrictions on how much you can include in your checked baggage. I suggest you contact your airline and confirm with them what your entitlements are, and more importantly discuss the nature of your goods. With heightened airport security these days, you wouldn’t want your bodybuilding supplements to be confiscated.
As regards claiming VAT refund, if you are leaving out of Heathrow for instance, there are restrictions on what can be claimed. For instance, you can’t get a refund for:
– goods worth more than £600 exported for business purposes
– goods to be exported as freight
If getting VAT refund is important to you, I suggest that you contact UK Customs (if that’s where you’re leaving from) and get guidance from them. Unfortunately, bodybuilding supplements is not my area of knowledge.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thank you ma’am for sharing the knowledge, much appreciated
Kind regards,
Harris
Most welcomed.
I’m a non-EU citizen and I will be visiting Europe in March’16. In between my Europe trip, I will be flying to Denmark from London Heathrow airport, will I be able to claim VAT at Heathrow airport? My last destination at EU is Amsterdam and am flying back to Singapore.
Hi Chloe,
As Denmark is in the EU, your point of exit from the EU is Amsterdam. You will do your VAT claim in Amsterdam, unless your flight back to Singapore is from Copenhagen Airport (i.e. your bags are checked through to Singapore at Copenhagen Airport) and Amsterdam is just a change of connecting flight.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen,
I arrived in London on a tourist visa on 18th Dec’15 to visit my wife, as she’s here on a short term work permit(6 months). Before my arrival, she bought some goods – which I will be taking back with me upon my return on 30th Jan’16. I have all the required bills & VAT refund forms. My question is – can I claim VAT refunds on those goods which were purchased even before my arrival? My wife will not be able to claim refunds on those, because by the time she returns 3 months would have passed-which is the time limit for claiming the VAT refunds.
Also, if you’re not sure of our problem, would you be kind enough to pl provide us the contact details for the UK customs – I checked but couldn’t find any information.
Thanks,
Akshat
Hi Akshat,
The VAT refund forms are in the name of your wife and so it is unlikely that you will be allowed to the claim VAT refund on her behalf. To be eligible for VAT refund, your wife will need to show that she is leaving the EU with the goods.
You could try contacting HM Revenue and Customs at 0300 200 3700.
You could also try contacting Travelex as they do the Customs verification and VAT refund on behalf of a number of tax refund companies.
Kind regards,
Helen Page
Hi helen,
When you mentioned you received the refund in cash does that mean u get it in GBP or other currency?because if its in other currency very likely travelex will charge another fee on top of the 10% handeling fee?Is that true?
Hope to hear from you soon
Thanks
Sarina
Hi Sarina,
On Travelex’s website, it’s indicated that you can get paid in GBP or a range of other currencies. I got mine in the original currency of purchase (Euro), and I don’t remember there being any additional charges. Travelex doesn’t give very good rates for exchange so I chose to keep Euros which we use frequently. I suggest you check with them before deciding.
Kind regards,
Helen (from Siem Reap)
Hi,
I am a student in UK and I will be out for an internship for 6 months. I read in somewhere that I can get a VAT refund in the airport if I proof that I won’t come in 6 months. Do you have any information about this?
Thanks
Dahlia,
According to UK Gov. website, you can get VAT refund if you:
“are a non-EU resident but work or study in the UK and are leaving the EU for 12 months or more”
Kind regards,
Helen Page
HELLO Helen, I ve got a question. I want to know what happens when u make a claim for vat returns but u didn’t use ur card to make the payment. Would u be sent the refund or will it be sent to the card used.
Hi Femi,
If you paid for your purchases with cash you would be able to get your VAT refund in cash, except for certain airports like Rome Fiumicino where cash refund is not available.
It’s best to have a credit card handy, just in case the cash option is not available at the airport that you’re exiting the EU from.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thanks Helen…but I guess I didn’t state my question properly. I bought some goods but used a friend’s debit card to make the payment. I submitted the UK vat refund form but am yet to get a refund after 6 weeks of leaving the UK. My question is , would the refund be done to the card used for the transaction or my own card since I dropped my card details.
Femi,
“The person who presents their ID and signs the form in-store must be the one exporting goods. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the person who pays for the goods.”
So if you presented your ID and signed the VAT refund form in the store, you can receive your refund on your own card.
It would have been less complicated if you had used your own card as you appeared to have your own card on you.
I suggest you contact the VAT refund company to query your payment. You can do this online, however you must be able to provide them with the VAT form number, retailer information, etc.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen
Many thanks for your very informative article but just would be really grateful if you could clarify something for me.
I want to buy some jewellery tax (VAT) free at Heathrow before boarding a flight
I read in the comments section that you can only buy VAT free if you are an EU resident if you can show you will be out of the EU for 12 months
However on http://www.heathrow-airport-guide.co.uk/dutyfree.html it says the following:
If you are flying within the European Union you are entitled to Tax Free prices on fragrances, cosmetics and skincare; photographic and electrical goods; fashion and accessories; gifts, jewellery and souvenirs. There are no longer any allowance restrictions on these Tax Free items.
Elsewhere I’m sure I have read that you can buy before boarding tax free but only if your boarding card states you are flying out of the EU.
I would be very grateful if you could clarify what are the correct requirements are to buy jewellery tax free from a store at Heathrow just before boarding.
Many thanks
Robert
Hi Robert,
The post and most of the comments that follow relate to the claiming of VAT refund (i.e. refund of sales tax) when shopping in the UK.
VAT REFUND ELIGIBILITY
If you buy from shops that offer tax-free shopping (Note: not all shops offer tax-free shopping), you are eligible to claim for a VAT refund if you fall under one of these categories:
– You normally live outside of the EU
– You live outside of the EU and are working/studying in the UK, you may still be eligible if you can prove you are leaving the EU for more than 12 months
– You are an EU resident, you may also qualify if you leave the UK for a destination outside of the EU and can show that you will not be returning to the EU within 12 months.
So, for you to be eligible for VAT-free shopping you must:
– Be able to prove that you belong to one of the categories above by showing the customs official your passport, visa or other documents
– Take the goods outside of the EU by the end of the fourth calendar month after purchase (for example, goods bought on 1 or 31 January would have to be exported by 30 April).
TAX-FREE ALLOWANCES
The link that you provided relates to bringing things into the UK. Most countries have limits on what its citizens and visitors can bring into the country tax-free. So what it is saying is that if you are a UK citizen, fragrances, cosmetics and skincare; photographic and electrical goods; fashion and accessories; gifts, jewellery and souvenirs no longer count towards your allowance i.e. there are no longer any allowance restrictions on these Tax Free items.
BUYING JEWELLERY
So, if you can prove that you fall into one of the above three categories, you will be able to buy your jewellery tax-free. If you are buying expensive jewellery, you can always phone the shop at the Heathrow Airport to check what their requirements are. Below link takes you to Heathrow Airport website. Enter your terminal and whether the shop is before or after security, etc. and you’ll get the shop information.
http://www.heathrow.com/shops-and-restaurants
One more thing you will need to bear in mind is what the duty-free allowances are at your destination.
I hope the above answers your queries.
Happy shopping,
Helen
Many thanks Helen, that clarifies things.
Great!
Hi Helen,
I have 2 questions,
1) If I use cash for all my purchases, can I opt for tax refund to be credited back to my credit card instead at Heathrow Airport?
2) If my credit card name (Christian name) is not in my passport (Full name), can I still claim the tax refund if using my credit card for the purchases?
Thank you.
Hi Joey,
1. Yes you can. Please be aware that Travelex acts as agent for the VAT refund companies at LHR. They can pay cash refunds on the spot, but they do not process credits to your credit card. What they will do is stamp your form and then send it back to the VAT company.
If you prefer a refund to your credit card, I would suggest that you get Travelex to stamp your form and then ask them to give the form back to you. You can then take a photo of the stamped form and receipts before putting them in the mail. In case your form goes missing in the mail, you can followup with the VAT company online. As proof that you have followed the process, you can send them copies of the photos that you took. It’s important to be able to read the Tax Free Form number (DOC ID) from your photo.
2. When you’re buying something tax-free, the shop will ask to see your passport to check that you’re entitled to claim VAT refund. On the VAT form you can include your Christian name so that it ties in with your credit card. Although these days people are more familiar with Chinese names, I would make it clear for them that Joey Yeo is the same person as Yeo xxx xxx.
Have fun shopping.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thanks for the useful info !
Hi Helen,
Travelex personnel in T. 4 Heathrow told us this morning that we could get tax refund either in euro or dollars. I asked why it could not be done in pounds. The reply was that it’s a different procedure. They deliberately concealed the information as when I asked the same question the young man who was processing our VAT refund he said he did nit know.
How can I complain to their management or is there an organisation that controls the way Travelex does business?
Hi Elvira,
You should have been able to receive your refund in Pound Sterling and Travelex’s website specifically states:
“If you are travelling from Heathrow, Travelex provides VAT refunds in either Pounds Sterling (£) or a foreign currency at any of our VAT stores at Heathrow Airport.”
At Heathrow, Travelex acts as agent for the five VAT Refund companies: Global Blue, Premier, Tax Free Worldwide, GB and Innova. So any complaint that you have is best directed to Travelex and copied to the VAT refund company for their information. Having said that, Travelex doesn’t make it easy for customers to contact them, especially in the VAT refund area. I looked around their website and suggest that your email your complaint to:
customerservice@travelex.co.uk and customerservice@travelex.com
They may be able to give you a more direct email address to contact.
All the best with your complaint.
Kind regards,
Helen Page
Dear Helen,
Do have idea if travelex work 24hrs for me to process my tax refund. I have 7:30am flight to catch and will be at the airport at 3 am.
Hi Lynda,
Yikes Lynda, what an ungodly flight time! Travelex does not operate 24 hours, but according to the Global Blue website, they start at 5:00 am at T2 and T4 and 6:30 am at T3 and T5 so you might possibly have time to have your refund processed as it will be less crowded.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/tax-free-shopping/refund-points/uk/london-heathrow-terminal-3/
If the time is too tight, make sure you get your Customs Stamp and you can always send the VAT forms back in the pre-addressed envelope. Make sure you take a snap of all your documents before putting them in the mail.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
First of all thanks much for your time in continuously assisting us with the VAT process.
I have a peculiar case. I am a non UK citizen, staying in the UK for less than 12 months. I bought a product over 250£ in December, which is more than 3 months of purchase. But my retailer only gave my VAT refund in February after a lot of follow ups and chases. So now though my date of invoice is December, my VAT refund form is dated February. So can I claim the VAT refund if I’m leaving the UK now as my VAT form is less than 3 months?
Thanks again.
Hi Ayamaz,
According to the UK Customs rules, “You must export the goods (that is, take them out of the EU with you) by the last day of the third month after the one in which you buy them.” As you bought the goods in December, they should have been exported by the end of March 2016.
You might give it a try, but they have a right to refuse your claim as you’ve exceeded the deadline.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thanks Helen.
You’re welcome Ayamaz.
Hi,
I am travelling to Switzerland next week. will I be eligible for a VAT refund
Switzerland offers tax-free shopping on minimum purchases of CHF3oo
Look for shops with tax-free logo in shop window.
Regards,
Helen
Hello Helen,
I have purchased on laptop online from one of the distributor in UK, How can I claim the VAT?
Hi Deepak,
In order to get a VAT refund, the retailer must provide you with a VAT form. Not all retailers participate in the VAT refund scheme and online shops mostly don’t offer this facility. You can try giving a call, but I don’t like your chances.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Great post! I’ve shopped in Portugal and France and will be leaving from Heathrow T4 on Sunday. Since there is a service fee that Travelex charges for cash refund, I am thinking of getting the refund via credit card instead. I have questions which you might be able to assist:
1) since Travelex only refund in cash and I am opting for credit card refund, should I still line up at Travelex counter to get my tax free forms custom stamped or can I go to the custom counter directly to get it stamped? I figured I might safe some queuing time.
2) can I put all my tax free form into 1 enveloped and mail them or do I have to separate each form for 1 envelope?
3) I bought an item in France which the retailer uses Detaxe. As far as I know, this is not handled by Travellex. Is there a Detaxe machine in Heathrow? Can I still get Travellex to stamp the tax free form so that I can mail it back to Detaxe directly?
Appreciate your reply.
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Apologies for the brief respond – like you we’re travelling in Paris.
1. In London, Travelex does the role of Customs check and refund company. If you can find an actual Customs desk and get them to stamp your forms, then you can send forms back to the refund company. If not ask Travelex for your forms back and send them to the refund company.
2. You can put all forms from the same refund company into the one envelope
Be sure to make copies just in case mail goes missing.
3. Detaxe is French for tax refund. They use the machine operated PABLO system, but when the machines are not working the next option is Customs stamp. Travelex can stamp your form for you.
Good luck and safe trip.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hello Helen
Please i need your urgent help. My flight leaves from the UK Heatrow to Nigeria via Istanbul by 6:20am. Can I process my bat refund the day before to allow time for me not to miss my flight 436593328
Unfortunately not. VAT refund can only be processed when you are leaving the EU and cannot be done in advance.
Regards,
Helen
Hello Helen
Please i need your urgent help. My flight leaves from the UK Heatrow to Nigeria via Istanbul by 6:20am. Can I process my bat refund the day before to allow time for me not to miss my flight
It looks like there is a choice (Heathrow T2) of before or after security to claim VAT refunds. Since I don’t mind hand carrying my purchases, I may be able to take my pick. Given the time I will be travelling (8:30 a.m. flight departure), which is the best bet – least queuing, etc?
The Travelex information says that electrical items have to be processed airside. My purchases are largely model train items, but will include one model locomotive that contains an electric motor: does this count as an ‘electrical item’?
Thanks.
Hi Paul,
At all Heathrow terminals you have the choice of doing your VAT before or after security. It’s usually busier landside as travellers with bulky purchases have to check-in their shopping into their hold luggage. Make sure that whatever you’re hand-carrying does not exceed your airline’s hand luggage allowance.
As regards your query on what counts as an electrical item, the following link takes you to the UK government website on what electronic devices and electrical items are allowed.
https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/electronic-devices-and-electrical-items
Just because the electric motor of your model locomotive is not on the list doesn’t mean that it won’t be allowed. But please bear in mind that airlines have recently banned hoverboards and lithium batteries because of issues with them exploding in-flight. I know nothing about your model locomotive, but you will need to make sure that the electric motor doesn’t contain anything that could become highly flammable or cause concern to Airport security staff. It would be a shame if they disallowed your electric motor because they considered it to be potentially dangerous.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thanks, Helen, that’s very useful. I hadn’t thought about there being airline restrictions on what I can hand carry, but the little motor is very benign and there are no batteries or anything else I can think of that could be unsafe. Other allowed items on the list you pointed me to, such as laptops, electric shavers, hairdryers, etc., have similar motors. I will check further.
But what really prompted the query about electrical items is the “Procedure” for claiming the VAT refund on the PremierTaxFree web site. There is a statement under the Check-in Level 5 VAT refunds desk (and all the other groundside locations) that states:
“If you are exporting jewellery, watches, mobile phones, photographic and video equipment, computer equipment, electrical items and fur- ivory- reptile skin items, you will be required to take these and the related Tax Free forms airside for export validation.”
This might have suggested that my little electric motor HAS to be validated after security, and I don’t want to get blind-sided. The whole model locomotive is really a Toy rather than an electrical item in my mind, but I wanted to be sure. Have you ever come across this requirement?
I wouldn’t want to line up for an hour or two before security, only to be told I have to go inside and line up again!
Regards,
Paul.
Hi Paul,
If you look at the list of electronic devices again, the devices mentioned can be hand-carried or checked into your hold luggage. So, if you weren’t claiming VAT, you can choose how you want to transport your model trains. It suggests to me that this requirement that VAT refund for jewellery and electronic items have to be done after security is more to do with VAT refund controls.
The second image in the above post, taken a few years ago at LHR Terminal 3, states that “Electronics, jewellery and watches over GBP250.00 need to be refunded after security.” We wondered what the motivation might be to treat electronic devices differently to other duty-free shopping and one thought was that there may be concerns that small, desirable devices like smartphones, tablets, etc. could be passed on to friends or family after the VAT refund and not be exported. On Airside, there’s no possibility of this happening. This is just our thinking.
If you’re in London, you can phone Premier Tax Free and ask them first-hand about your electronic model train. Their phone number is Tel: +44 203 53 04 100
You mentioned at the start that you didn’t mind hand-carrying your model trains, so one suggestion would be to take a look at the queue Landside first and if it is long, you can then decide to do your VAT refund after security. With you flight at 8:30 am, you’d need to be at Heathrow at 5.30 am or so and hopefully there won’t be lengthy queues then.
p.s. Aren’t these model trains fragile and don’t they have to be hand-carried anyway?
Kind regards,
Helen
Thanks again, Helen.
That seems a realistic approach.
If I can hand carry everything (i.e. if it’s within the airlines hand baggage size limit, which I won’t know until I have completed the purchase), you are right that the relative fragility would make that the best course. If it is too much to carry, I would have to pack some into my checked baggage, but that would be a second choice, even though some items are likely to be well packaged. I really just wanted to know the ins and outs of the rules before-hand, so that I have the most options available.
Regards,
Paul.
When it comes to VAT Refund and boarding flights in general, it’s always useful to know as much as possible what the rules are. Many travellers, myself included, have tripped up for not knowing the procedures, or not being alert.
Sounds like you’re in for some model train shopping. At least the ones that you are hand-carrying can be compactly packed, i.e. without bulky packaging.
All the best for your trip,
Kind regards,
Helen
Dear Helen,
I had a Macbook VAT Refund Receipt. First I got the stamp before the security check in. They said it’s expensive so I need to get verify by customs after security check in. Due to some problem in the security check in it took me so much time to cross it and I manage to get verified and stamped by the customs officer but could not claim the money from the Heathrow Travelex counter as I was about to miss my flight. The VAT Refund Receipt is checked and stamped by the customs officer. What should I do now? I am already in my country. Is there any possibility to get the money? Please advise me. Thanks.
Regards
Sk Motiur Rahman
Hi Sk Motiur,
At London Heathrow, the requirement is that all jewellery, watches, mobile phones, photographic and video equipment, computer equipment and electrical items have to be export verified after security check, which is what you did. As you’ve got your Customs stamp, you’ll be able to get your VAT refunded by mailing the stamped VAT refund form and receipts to the VAT refund company.
1. Check your VAT refund receipt. Was it from one of the VAT refund companies like Global Blue, Premier Tax Free, etc. If the store you bought from is aligned with one of these VAT companies, you would have been given one of their envelopes to send your documents back to. If you’ve misplaced the envelope, you can use any plain envelope and lookup their address online.
2. Before you send your documents, be sure to take a clear photocopy of the VAT receipt and your invoices just in case your documents go missing in the mail. As long as you have the Doc. ID of the VAT receipt, you can track your refund online and followup on your claim. Make sure you have your credit card number clearly written on the documents so that your VAT can be credited to your card.
3. As you are mailing the VAT documents from your home country, you will need to pay the postage for the envelope (postage free if sent from Europe).
I hope the above is clear for you.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I have couple of questions:
1. I’m taking the plane from Vienna to London at 6:50 in the morning. I don’t think customs office in Vienna will be open before I board, so I’m planning to get my VAT refund in at Heathrow as I have about 2 hours before my flight out to US. Will I be able to get my VAT processed at Heathrow airport?
2. I’m getting conflicting messages. Do I need to get my VAT refund forms stamped at customs before going to Travelex ? Or can I go straight to Travelex?
3. Are there Travelex in Terminal 2 in Heathrow?
Hi Jen,
On Global Blue’s website they show where you can get your Customs stamp at Vienna Airport – there are a few locations airside.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/tax-free-shopping/refund-points/austria/vienna-airport/
If you can, try and get your Customs stamp in Vienna – the important thing is the stamp. Reason for suggesting this is that sometimes there are flight delays and you’ll also need to allow time to go through security again at Heathrow, so the 2 hours that you think you have may be reduced.
If you can’t find any Customs desk open at Vienna Airport, then you certainly can do your VAT at Heathrow.
At Heathrow airport, Travelex does the Customs stamp and handling of VAT refund for five refund companies. Below link to Global Blue’s website suggests that there is a Customs desk/Refund desk at T2 airside.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/tax-free-shopping/refund-points/uk/london-heathrow-terminal-21/
That said, Travelex’s own website shows that they don’t have a refund store at T2. https://www.travelex.co.uk/faqs#vat-refunds
I suggest that you contact Travelex directly to clarify this. If there is no Travelex refund store at T2, the alternative is to find a Customs officer to stamp your form which you can then send back to the VAT refund company.
Please remember that if you are doing VAT at Heathrow, you must have your goods with you.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thanks for your reply. I’m back in my home country, US, and I hope you don’t mind sharing my VAT experience in Vienna for your readers.
Very few feedbacks have been posted on Vienna VAT, so I had no idea what to expect. I was flying from Vienna – Heathrow (layover) – US.
My flight was at 6:30 am, so my primary concern was whether customs will be open before boarding in Vienna. There is no information posted on any websites about their hours of operations. When I asked the Global Blue office in the city, they told me they are open 24 hours.
I got to the ticket counter at 4:30am and got my boarding pass and my baggage tagged. As I read on the Vienna airport website, if you have a layover in an EU country, you have to pack your items into your check-in luggage and show the item when your VAT documents are being stamped. This is essentially to ensure that item is leaving the EU. If you choose to have your item with you as carry-on, you’ll have to get it stamped at your layover (or last) EU country. Helen, taking your advice, I didn’t want to risk miss my connecting flight at Heathrow, I decided to get my customs stamp in Vienna.
First off, I would like to say that the Vienna airport website suggests that there is no customs office in Terminal 3 before security check. That is wrong. The Global Blue website is more accurate:
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/tax-free-shopping/refund-points/austria/vienna-airport/
It is situated on the opposite side of the Bulky Baggage check in counter.
After getting my boarding pass and my baggage tagged, I headed to the customs office (in Terminal 3 – as instructed by the ticket counter). There is a sign saying they are open at 5:30am; I was there at 4:45am. A couple was already in line with their baggage in tow. By 5:00am, there were already 5 people lined up behind me. The customs guy was a bit tardy; he showed up at 5:35am. Luckily HE DIDN’T MAKE ANY OF US OPEN OUR LUGGAGE! He just stamped everything and put our luggage on the conveyer belt.
One thing I would like all travellers to be aware of when having your documents stamped: check the date of the stamp. After security check, I went to the Global Blue office and the cashier denied me of my refund as the stamp was dated for tomorrow. Luckily there was a customs office right next door that fixed my documents.
Hi Jen,
I’m very pleased to hear that you’ve managed to get your VAT refund processed at Vienna Airport. Your advice to check the stamped documents is a good one. Although, I would have thought that the Global Blue cashier could have exercised a bit of common sense and discretion, rather than putting you through additional stress. Customs stamps are never given in advance so it was clearly a mistake on the part of the Customs guy.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience which is very worthwhile for myself and others who may be going through Vienna Airport. I will use your information and create a separate post for our Austria section. By the way, the Vienna Airport website map does show a Customs desk in Terminal 3 before security check. It is exactly where you said it is situated – on the opposite side of the Bulky Baggage check-in counter. There are so many symbols on the page that it is not easily identifiable. You can see the Zoll Customs Tax Refund symbol above the Terminal 3, 301-399 notation.
http://www.viennaairport.com/jart/prj3/va/uploads/data-uploads/Konzern/VIE_Flughafenplan_de_en.pdf
Thanks once again and enjoy your goodies. If you have any other VAT refund experiences, feel free to come back and share here.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen
I am Australian with a British passport and currently casually working/ travelling in Europe visa free.. I am going to London in a few weeks and plan on buying some stuff there as it is so much cheaper. I don’t think I’ll be leaving the EU permanently until at least April next year, so well past the 3 month deadline, but I will most likely be visiting non EU countries during the next few months- can I claim the VAT back even if I will be returning to the EU shortly after?
I am not sure if I qualify as a ‘EU resident’ for the purposes of the rule of having to leave for more than 12 months in order to be eligible for VAT refund. What happens if I was to get the refund and return to the EU shortly after for a few months? Would I be forced to repay the VAT? Would they even be aware? I can’t read anything in the rules on the government website that applies to my situation!
Hi Snowy,
As an Australian, you are entitled to claim VAT refund for most shopping that you do in the EU. Your claim must be done from your last point of exit from the EU. If after your shopping in London you then leave for France, for instance, you will have to claim your VAT refund at the time of leaving France for a non-EU destination. This must be within the 3 month deadline (from date of purchase). Any claim past the deadline will be rejected. If VAT refund is important to you, then I suggest you leave your London shopping till 3 months before you leave the EU.
If you are travelling and shopping with a British passport, you will need to satisfy Customs and the tax refund companies that your place of residence is Australia or some other non-EU country. If you are an EU resident, you’ll need to show proof that you will not be returning for more than 12 months. They have the right to reject your claim if they are not satisfied with the information you provide.
If VAT has been refunded to you and they subsequently find out that you are not entitled to it, they can reverse the VAT refunded and charge a hefty penalty as well.
My advise is to shop with your Australian passport and do it 3 months before you leave for a non-EU destination.
Regards,
Helen
Hi helen,
I have claimed the tax free money from a city refund point and I am travelling from Edinburgh. Some people warned me that sometimes things did not get processed correctly in airports other than heathrow. I have a transfer through heathrow terminal 5. Can I get the customs stamp in the airside area without having to check in again.
Thanks,
Hi Amira,
Yes you can get your Customs stamp airside at Heathrow Terminal 5, however you must have your goods and documents with you.
At Heathrow, Travelex handles the VAT refund so you’ll need to visit a Travelex office – I believe they are opposite the Prada shop.
Also note that as you’ve claimed a city refund, your stamped documents must be returned to the VAT refund company within 21 days of the refund date. If for whatever reason, your documents are not received, they will reverse the VAT refund.
I suggest you take a copy of the stamped form before putting it in the mailbox.
Regards,
Helen
Many thanks for your reply.
so you mean if I will put the VAt vouchers in the customs mail box of Edinburgh, I take a copy of it, can this be a proof if I got any penalty if they dont process on the right time.
So Actually I made the claim on 11/9 and my flight is 26/9 do you think there is enough time for Edinburgh customs to return things to the tax free company before the 21 days.
can you advise what is best to put the vouchers in the mailbox in edinburgh or to do it in heathrow in person.
Thanks,
Amira,
In theory, six days should be adequate time for mail within Europe, but we can’t predict if there’s going to be any delay in the mail service or how promptly mail is handled by the refund company. It’s usually not a good idea to get your city tax refund so early in advance of your travel date.
I’ve not flown from Edinburgh Airport, so I don’t have any personal experience there. It appears from their websites that neither Premier Tax Free or Global Blue have refund points at Edinburgh Airport. If that is the case, and your refund is from either of these two companies, it may be best to do it in person at the Travelex refund point at Heathrow. Ask them to process your claim on the spot.
I always advise people to take a copy of their documents (especially the Doc ID) as it allows you to followup online if there’s delays/problems in your claim. Without the Doc ID, there’s no way of tracking your refund. However, unfortunately the decision always lie with the VAT refund company. If they say that your claim has not met the deadline, then there’s nothing you can do.
Good luck,
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thank you for your useful information. I will be travel to Italy, France and Leaving from London.
(1) If I get my VAT refund from City refund at Italy/France, when I get to Heathrow airport, I just need to get the VAT form stamped and return the VAT form? The stamped form shall be returned to the custom or refund counter?
(2) Do you suggest to get refund at City refund? or just done all at the travelex at Heathrow?
(3) London VAT rate is 20 pounds, which mean I can get 20 pounds refund if my purchase is 100 pounds?
Thanks,
Chao
Hi Chao,
1. If you want a City Refund, it must be from your last destination before you leave the EU. So you’ll need to be clear on where your final destination is. Also, if you take a City Refund, your Customs stamped forms have to be received by the VAT company within 21 days of your refund. So, don’t take your refund too early.
2. I’m not clear as to where your final destination is before leaving the EU, you mention getting City Refund in Italy/France and London VAT? City refunds may be convenient, but they do charge quite a fee and you’ll need to see if the exchange rates are reasonable.
3. You’ll never get the full VAT amount refunded as the VAT companies and the retailers take a cut for their administration fee. The refund companies provide a refund calculator tool where you can get a rough estimate of your VAT refund. Below is link to GlobalBlue’s calculator, but other companies will have their own:
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/tax-free-shopping/refund-calculator/
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thank you so much for taking your time to answer all my question. To clarify, my last destination will be London, and I will leave EU from Heathrow Airport.
Regarding the city refund, because I found some information from below link, that there are some refund point at Milan central station.
https://premiertaxfree.com/refund-points
Where I thought I can get cash refund before leaving EU from Heathrow.
Thank you again for replying and make things more clear for me.
Regards,
Chao
Hi Chao,
The city refund may allow you to get cash back earlier but you still have to obtain your Customs stamp at point of exit from the EU. And, bear in the mind the 21 days requirement.
As VAT processing rules in some countries have changed in recent times, I suggest you ask at Milan central station, but check the rates before proceeding. Milan now has a new electronic system for export validation and it does not involve visiting a Customs desk.
Let me know how you go.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
This was very helpful, yet I have one question which I have not found an answer to.
I am originally from a non-EU country and I am currently on a student visa which will expire in Jan 2017. but I am going back home in November 2016 then will be coming back with another visa after as few weeks time.
I bought some clothes and one electronic device worth around 600. I would like to claim VAT refund at least for the gadget since it is the most expensive item I purchased recently, but can I do this?
After reading your post, I now understand that I have to ‘prove’ I won’t be coming back to the UK for 12 months but how do they know this? So if I re-enter the country within 12months, they will find out immediately and I’ll be penalised somehow? I am confused as I will be coming back with another visa.
Also I bought this with my foreign credit card and have the VAT forms.
Do you think I can claim VAT or I am absolutely not illegible for this ?
I very much look forward to hearing from you.
many thanks.
Hi Confused,
The UK Govt website specifically states:
“5. Tax-free shopping
You can sometimes get VAT refunds on goods bought in the UK if you:
– visit the UK but live outside the EU and are going back home
– are an EU resident leaving the EU for 12 months or more
– are a non-EU resident but work or study in the UK and are leaving the EU for 12 months or more”
When you sign the VAT refund claim form, you are making a declaration that that all the information you’ve provided is correct. The rules are there for a reason and they must be able to check information if they choose to do do. Although you’re intending to go back to London on a different visa, I presume it is issued in the same passport.
How much is the VAT refund on your electronic device and is it really worth the risk of being penalized if they find out?
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen,
How can i claim VAT refund for 55 inches TV, as it would be impossible to take it with me after security.
Please help.
Hi Jassim,
At London Heathrow Airport, Travelex acts as an agent for five Refund Agents: Global Blue, Premier, Tax Free Worldwide, GB and Innova. I suggest you give them a call and get their advice. They may give you dispensation to do your VAT before check-in.
I presume you would be including the TV in your hold luggage. It would be advisable to also get advice from your airline on transporting such a large and fragile parcel.
Regards,
Helen
Hi helen,
I recently traveled to the UK ,then took the Eurostar to Geneva. At the airport I was told alot of the stores did not give me the correct documents to claim the VAT back. I live in South africa and would like to know if there is a way for me to claim it back from here? ( hoping that I can contact the stores and that they will email me the correct docs)
Hi Andhrika,
Please be aware that not all shops participate in the tax-free shopping scheme, especially the small ones. Those that offer tax-free shopping will know what documentation to provide. They would also have asked to see your passport as this information is required on your VAT form.
After receiving the forms, you then have to have it stamped by Customs before you can get your VAT refund. If London was your last EU destination before leaving for home, then your VAT refund should have been done in London.
Unfortunately, as you’ve already returned home, it is difficult to have your VAT forms validated, even if you manage to get them from the stores you bought from.
Next time when you’re doing shopping in the EU, look for the tax-free sign in the shop window, tell the cashier that you want to claim VAT and make sure you have it stamped by Customs before you leave.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I checked my goods so couldn’t get a refund at the airport. Do you know if there is any way I can apply for the refund when I am home in the US? Thanks!
Hi Kara,
In some countries, you have a second chance of applying for your VAT refund if you missed getting your Customs stamp on exiting the EU.
Below link is from the Global Blue website. Basically, what you have to do is get an “import confirmation” from the U.S. customs or any other EU embassies which provide such verification services – you’ll need to phone and check. Explain to them that for your VAT claim you have to prove that you’ve imported the goods into the U.S.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/article609772.ece/BINARY/Additional%20Stamping_UK_en_cn_ru.pdf
If your VAT form is from another VAT company, check their websites for similar instructions to those of Global Blue. Please make sure you take copies of all your documents before sending anything in the mail. Whenever you make any enquiries on line with the VAT companies, they will ask for your DOC ID (top right-hand corner) which is a unique number on each VAT form.
Good luck with your claim.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Would you happen to know if operating airline crew are ellegible to claim back VAT if operating out of LHR to LAX?
Emma ( Air NZ tech crew )
Hi Emma,
The UK VAT Notice specifically mentions that airline crew are allowed to claim VAT refund out of LHR, if they are not based in the EU and are flying to a non-EU destination. As I am not familiar with Air NZ’s crew policy or your boarding procedures, I don’t know where and when you can get your Customs stamp. It’s best to ask your colleagues.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi, I have purchased laptop from Currys.com Uk(Online). Am I eligible to get VAT refund?
Hi Chandan,
Unfortunately not. Mail order and internet purchases are not covered under the VAT refund scheme.
Regards,
Helen
I have travel to London for holidays and return from London on 26/09/2016.
I have submit my tax refund form in airport,they said me that they going to transfer the amount in my account after 1 month,know its going to complete 2 months.
But there is no response from them.
how can i contact those people.
can i get the contact details,so that i can teach to them.
Hi Ayaz,
You can track the status of your refund online:
– if you know who your VAT refund company is, and
– you have the DOC ID of your VAT form.
Most of the VAT refund companies have a refund tracker. I’ve provided below the link to Global Blue’s as an example.
https://secure.globalblue.com/secure/traveller-services/refundtracker/
If you have a copy of your VAT form with the DOC ID, they will be able to track your refund quickly. If not, then it’s unlikely that they will be able to help since they get thousands of VAT claims everyday.
Good luck,
Kind regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen
I will be leaving London on 3 Dec on a 9 am flight. Just wondering if I can get the shopping items stamped on 2 Dec night since I will be staying at a nearby airport hotel. If this is allowed, will really save me the anxiety of shuttling between the terminals and the time constraints.
Hope to hear your advice.
Regards
Lynnette
Hi Helen,
I am flying to Japan via Pisa and Doha, but ticket to Pisa from Stansted was bought separately from Pisa-Doha-Tokyo and we are stopping over in Pisa for a few days as well. In that case would it still be possible to get a tax refund in London? Also my passport was renewed in the UK so there is no stamp for entering UK on the new one. Does this matter? Please let me know and thank you very much.
Hi Misa,
I assume you are a non-Eu resident in which case you are eligible for VAT refund. As your point of departure from the EU is Pisa, you will do your VAT claim in Pisa.
Your passport is just to verify your citizenship so it doesn’t matter if it is blank.
Regards,
Helen
Hi i am in London right now and purchased a designer bag costing more than 250 pounds. Had a couple of questions:
1. I return to US from Terminal 3 – should i be going for VAT refund before or after the security? I will carry the bag with me.
2. I understand it better to get the refund in cash – in pounds- versus on my cc. What percent do I get back in cash refund vs. on cc?
Thanks in Advance
If you’re carrying your bag, it may be better to claim your VAT refund after security as it’s usually less crowded.
Travelex charges a fee for cash refund so CC would be better. Make sure you take a copy of your documents before handing them to Travelex.
Hi Helen,
Any idea if Heathrow VAT Refund check every single items you claiming vat? My husband went back to Singapore few days before my departure, and he helped me to bring back some designer wallets. I will still try to claim the vat but do they normally check purchase?
I already started using some of the bags I bought, as long as I have it to show the Travelex staff, it should be ok right? Thank you Helen,
Bye now.
Hi Bee Sian,
The VAT refund rule requires you to have your goods with you when claiming VAT. They do spot checks on certain individuals, especially if you’re claiming substantial amounts of VAT refund of you have high value goods. If you don’t have your goods with you, they will reject your claim.
VAT rules are there to be obeyed and I can’t advise you to break them.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thanks for all your help with these matters; they’ve been extremely helpful!
Quick question: I’m flying out of LHR soon with a handbag and coat valued over 500 GBP each, but was planning on keeping both items (among other purchases) in my checked luggage. It’s stated that high value items over 250 GBP are to be processed after security, but at the same time, large items to be checked should be done before security. Since these are both high value and preferably-checked-in-luggage, what’s the right move? My thought is to go to Travelex directly before checking in with my bag, but will that create any issue with customs?
Thanks!
Hi Ben,
The high-value items that are required to be processed after security refer to electronic items, jewellery and watches.
Your handbag and coat can be checked in, but because they are high in value, you may be asked to show them to the Travelex agent. At Heathrow, Travelex acts as an intermediary for checking of VAT forms and VAT refunds in cash. So all you have to do is go to the Travelex VAT refund desk. You do not have to get Customs separately.
Please allow plenty of time as the queues are usually quite long.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
My flight to Indonesia will be at night while I have to check out from the hotel at noon. my friend will see me at the airport after work hour. If I claim my vat refund and then go out from the waiting room to see her will it be a problem for me?
I also have plenty of time before she arrives so it’s better to do it in the meantime, but I dont want to surprisingly have a problem if I wanna go out.
Thanks
Hi Helen,
I purchased watch around 0.8k and would like to claim for the tax refund in LHR. Do I need to bring the watch box/case to the tax refund counter or just the watch is enough?
Kind regards,
Greg
Hi Greg,
As you’re not supposed to wear the new watch, you might as well keep it in its case/box until you’ve completed your VAT refund. Please remember that for watches and jewellery over £250 you will need to have your VAT processed after Security.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thanks for the great write-up. I was wondering just based on more recent experiences elsewhere – would claiming tax refunds via credit back to credit card be a faster queue or shorter process at Heathrow than getting the refunds back in cash? I.e. Are they the same queue? Or is there a drop box for the application forms?
Hello Boon,
If you choose to use the Travelex refund point airside, there is only one queue. Travelex only handles cash refunds, but if you want it credited to your credit card account, they will vet your documents and then send them off to be processed.
If you don’t have large or bulky items, you can always have your VAT processed after security, which is usually less crowded. You must get your Customs stamp and then you can mail the documents back to the refund company in the envelope provided. If you choose to do this, check which Terminal your flight is leaving from and find out where the Customs desk or Travelex refund point to make sure that you get your stamp. Below is link to the Global Blue website where they show where all the refund points are airside and landside.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/tax-free-shopping/refund-points/uk/london-heathrow-terminal-3/
These days Global Blue also has refund points in the city. If you use these, make sure you get precise instructions on what you need to do at the airport. Also, take photos of all your documents just in case they go missing in the mail, which does happen. To track your refund online, the important information is the VAT Form ID no.
Hope the above helps.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I was googling for VAT refunds and i chanced upon your informative post.
I am a tad confuse from reading this sentence extracted at this website;
“When you get to the airport, take your receipt and form to the Travelex counter or the Customs desk (located before and after security). Please ensure the form is competed before arrival and ensure you have the items with you for inspection. Anything large and bulky (including clothing) will need to be presented before check-in”
– They mentioned to take my stuffs to the customs desk for inspection. My understanding is that if i proceed to customs, it is to enter immigration and to stamp on my passport which is after checking-in my luggage. So if i did not show them the VAT refund form and my items to the customs officer, i won’t get my refund ?
Please enlightened me. Thank you 🙂
Hi Jannah,
I presume the extract that you’ve included above is from the Heathrow website?
Basically, you can do your VAT refund either before or after Security.
1. If you have bulky items such as clothing, shoes, bags, etc. you should do your VAT refund before checking in your bags. As you know, your airline will only allow you a certain amount of hand luggage.
2. If you have expensive items like watches, jewellery, camera, etc. you obviously will want to hand-carry these. For these items you can claim your VAT after Security check.
As an example, I’ve included a link to the map for Terminal 2 (you’ll need to see which terminal your flight is leaving from and look for similar information).
http://www.heathrow.com/file_source/Heathrow/Static/PDF/Airport_guide/Heathrow_T2_Map.pdf
– On page 2, you’ll see the map of the check-in area. In the top left hand corner you’ll see Customs and VAT refund which is managed by Travelex.
– On page 3, you’ll see the airside map, i.e. after Security. In the left side, under no. 8 you’ll see VAT refund managed by Travelex.
As mentioned above, check to see which terminal you are leaving from and check for the same information on the terminal maps.
Hope that helps ‘enlighten’ you a bit.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thank you for your advise. I’m home from my London trip. The VAT refund was uneventful.
The queue was short and the processing was super fast. It took us 5mins to complete the whole transaction.We proceeded to the VAT refund and they verified our receipts and gave us the money. They did not open our luggage to check on my items. Is it because we went during the non-peak season ?
Just a note – For those who claiming their VAT refund, do check the conversion rate. We requested to be paid in SGD however we were unaware of their conversion rate which was much lower. We should just stick to GBP and bring home the currency. The exchange rate was 1.54 in Heathrow but 1.75 in Singapore.
Hi Jannah,
Thanks for sharing your VAT experience. Five minutes is indeed super fast and would be due to your non-peak travel. Travelex/Customs only do random checks of of luggage and I suppose you must have a very innocent face.?
Yes, I’m never impressed with Travelex exchange rates and you do have to check the rates before asking for a particular currency. In Singapore however you are lucky in that the rates are very competitive.
Great to hear that your VAT refund was uneventful.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I m on a tier 2 work visa for 2 months. I intend to leave the UK and fly back to my home country 10 days before my tier 2 work visa expires. I will npt return to the UK after that. Appreciate if you could clarify:
A) can i claim VAT for the goods (hand bags) that i have purchased with a tier 2 work visa?
B) would there be any issue on claiming my VAT 10 days before my tier 2 work visa expires?
C) how do i prove that i will not return to the EU in 12 months’ time
Thanks!
Hi Sy,
In responding to your query, I am assuming that you are not an EU resident and that your home country is not in the EU.
A) The VAT rule allows migrant workers to claim VAT refund on leaving the EC on condition that:
“having left the EC remain outside the EC for a minimum period of 12 months”.
I am not sure if your Tier 2 visa qualifies you as a “migrant worker” and whether you have to comply with that requirement. I suggest you phone HM Customs and get clarification from them.
B) Vat companies like Global Blue and Premier Tax Free have refund points in the city centre where you can claim your VAT refund in advance of your departure. You can get your cash refund downtown, but you’ll still need to have your forms validated at the airport. The export-validated forms will have to be received by the VAT company within 21 days of your cash refund. If there’s any delay in the mail or receipt of your documents, then the whole VAT amount will be charged back to your credit card. I wouldn’t advise doing it 10 days in advance of your departure as it leaves little time at the other end for your forms to be received and processed. The Global Blue forms for instance, are mailed back to Slovakia for processing.
C) When you speak to someone in Customs you could ask them this question.
Kind regards,
Helen Page
Hello Helen,
Thanks for the useful information you are sharing with all of us, great service.
My sister is visiting me from India. I know her laptop’s dying and would like to give her a gift voucher (John Lewis / Currys) that she can then use to purchase a new laptop. She’d stays in the UK only for 5 weeks, is it possible for her to claim VAT refund? The invoice will of course show the payment method as gift voucher, will this be a problem, do you have any ideas?
I’d be very grateful for your advice, thanks again.
Kind regards
Gayathri
Hi Gayathri,
There is no requirement to stay for any specific number of days, so your sister is eligible to claim UK VAT refund for her purchase. A gift voucher is similar to cash payment so I don’t see why there should be any problems.
Make sure she buys her laptop in-store and not online. She needs to have her passport with her when shopping. Make sure that the store offers tax-free shopping (I believe John Lewis and Currys use Global Blue) and tell the sales assistant that she would like to claim VAT refund. Make sure that she receives a tax invoice as well as the VAT form.
For high value items, she may be asked to claim her VAT refund after security.
I hope the above answers your queries.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hello Helen,
Thanks for the useful information, They’ve been a great help.
I’m planning to visit UK next month for 4 days and I would like to purchase a Louis Vuitton carry-on Luggage from any of the stores in London. The retail price is £ 2610 and global blue says i will get a refund of £ 352.30. I will be flying out to Canada so do you suggest me to get the cash in Canadian dollars or Pound? and from where should i get me refund from?
Thanks alot
Hi Fahim,
At LHR (I presume you’re flying out from Heathrow?), Travelex handles the VAT refund for Global Blue and other VAT companies. If you need to spend the money in Canada, it would be convenient to get Canadian dollars from Travelex, but check the exchange rate first and ask if there is any other fees. If the rate is not favourable, you can always change your £ for C$ in Canada.
You can get your refund before or after security. It depends on what other shopping you’re doing in London. If you have a number of bulky items, these will need to be checked in. In this case you’ll do your VAT refund before security. If however the carry-on luggage is the only item you’re buying, you may choose to do it after security where it is usually less crowded.
The Global Blue website shows where their refund points are. Just check which terminal you’re leaving from.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/tax-free-shopping/refund-points/uk/london-heathrow-terminal-21/
Enjoy your London shopping.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hello Helen!
Thanks for the informations, They are great!
A doubt: i Want to buy an iPhone in London, and do de Vat. I can use the phone and do de vat at airport? Or if i use, will not be possible make de refund of the vat? Or should i not use de phone until i leave the Europe union?
Doubt 2: i’m leaving by terminal 4, and will make vat after security, Have some place to receive my vat in cash after security?
Thanks
Hello Marcos,
To claim VAT refund, goods have to be new and unused, but for iphones and computers, it is reasonable to expect that you have to test them to make sure they are in good working order. Keep the box, instructions, etc. to show that it is new.
After security, VAT refund in cash is managed by Travelex. From the LHR terminal map, you’ll see them at no. 29, right in front of security.
http://www.heathrow.com/file_source/Heathrow/Static/PDF/Maps/Heathrow_T4_Map.pdf
Regards,
Helen
Ohhhh thanks so Much!!!
Congrats on you site helps a lot!!
De nada ?
Hello Helen,
Thank you for your help and support
I am traveling for a 5 day trip to London and intend to buy a piece of Jewelry (over 250 pound). Then after that traveling from London to Munich where I will also stay 5 days then return from Munich to my home country outside of EU.
Will I be able to get a tax refund at Heathrow airport knowing that my next destination is an EU country but my final destination is outside the EU.
Regards
Hi Ahmad,
Munich is your last point of exit from the EU and that’s where you claim your VAT refund and not Heathrow.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thank you Helen for your reply and support.
Just one more question, in that case would I get the VAT percentage return that of the UK or Germany.
Regards
Ahmad
Hello Ahmad 007,
The VAT form that you will receive for your purchase in London will show the cost of the purchase and the calculated UK VAT amount. This is the amount that you will get back, minus exchange and handling fees.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi is it possible to claim the tax refund via online ?
I have the tax refund form from YSL. But i have no time to claim as i was rushing to check in my flight.
Aqilah,
If you have the Customs stamp, you can send the stamped VAT form back to the VAT company and they will credit your card account.
If you didn’t manage to get the Customs stamp, following link from Global Blue provides instructions on what to do.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/article609772.ece/BINARY/Additional%20Stamping_UK_en_cn_ru.pdf
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen,
i want to buy new rolex in UK and the VAT is 1400 GBP my flight back is from (LTN) Luton Airport.
i read that in LTN no travelex station. i need to put my forms in box after the check-in and get my money only in credit card.
its possible that i will go day before the filght to heatrow airport and get the refund there( in cash)?
Hi Adir,
At Heathrow airport, you can only get your VAT refund when you are leaving the UK for a non-EU destination.
If you would like to get your refund in cash, you can do this at several locations in London city centre. The link below from Global Blue tells you where the refund offices are. Please read carefully as each refund office has different limits of cash that they will pay. Harrods, Westfield and St Paul will pay a maximum of 1400 GBP whereas Oxford Street will only pay maximum of 1000 GBP.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/tax-free-shopping/refund-points/uk/london-harrods/
Having got your refund in advance in cash, you still need to get your VAT form stamped by Customs at Luton Airport. For high value items, see if you can find a Customs officer to stamp the form and then you can send it back to the VAT company. If you can’t find anyone, then you’ll have to follow their instructions and put it in the HMRC deposit box. Please be sure to take a copy of your documents.
http://www.london-luton.co.uk/inside-lla/have-vat-to-reclaim-on-your-latest-purchases
Adir, when getting cash downtown, you are required to get the stamped VAT form back to the company within 21 days. If you miss this deadline or the form gets missing in the mail. They will reverse the refund and apply a penalty as well. So, if you’re going to get a cash refund downtown, do it at the last minute.
Hope the above explains your options.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi!
I’ll be travelling to Italy and France. If I make my purchases using a Debit card, will I still be able to choose to receive my tax refund in Cash at the airport? I believe that if I paid using credit card, I can still get the refund in cash but I’ve never used a debit card before.
Thanks!
Hi Rachel,
Yes you’ll be able to receive your tax refund in cash as long as you have the stamped VAT form and invoice for your purchase.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi,
At terminal 4 in Heathrow, it takes 2 hours too?
I want to buy a mobile phone around 850-900 GBP.
I Calame before or after security? What is the fastest way to do it?
There is a mailbox like at Luton Airport? For shorter process?
Thanks!
Hi Avi,
For high value items like jewellery and electrical items over GBP 250, VAT claim must be done after security at Heathrow Airport. The queue after security is usually shorter than the one outside.
The process at Luton Airport is a little different in that Customs will stamp your form and then forward it to the VAT company to process the refund. It is certainly faster than queuing at Heathrow, but you’d want to be sure to take copies of all your documents as mail can go missing. I’ve never used Luton Airport so I can’t comment on how reliable the system is.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen
I am a non EU resident and i will be traveling to Brazil from London with a connecting flight in Lisbon. Can i claim the vat at Lisbon airport as i will not have enough time to do the claim procedure at Heathrow airport?
Many thanks.
Hi M,
Yes you can do your VAT claim at Lisbon airport, but you’ll need to find out from your VAT refund company whether there are facilities to do your VAT refund airside at Lisbon airport. I’m sorry I haven’t been to Lisbon airport for a while and I’m not familiar with the layout there.
Regards,
Helen
HI;
I am on a student visa from India and wish to reclaim VAT. If I reclaim VAT while leaving the UK, will it be a problem to enter UK or EU within 12 months of VAT reclaim with a travel visa?
Thanks
Hi Sandeep,
The UK VAT rules say that you can claim VAT refund if you “are a non-EU resident but work or study in the UK and are leaving the EU for 12 months or more”. I don’t know how they keep track of re-entries. However, your visas are attached to your passport and they could possibly charge back to your credit card the amount of the VAT refund plus penalties if you revisit within 12 months.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hey Helen,
I just get back from U.K. On April 16, 2017. Like you I was in the line for 3 hours and still have to bail out of the line since it was the last call for me to check my bag before flying back to U.S.
So I did not get any of my receipts stamped. I bought a Burberry bag, a LV bag, and 2 Barbour jackets. AM I out of luck to get my VAT refund?
Thank you
Hi Sintha,
So sorry to hear of your bad experience. All is not lost though. Following link to Global Blue’s website explains what you can do.
http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/article609772.ece/BINARY/Additional%20Stamping_UK_en_cn_ru.pdf
If your VAT refund is from another company, check their website for instructions. Also, ring the VAT company in the States and seek their advice as well.
As you seem to have a substantial amount of VAT refund, it’s worthwhile going through the grind. Before sending off anything in the mail, make sure you take copies of the documents. Make sure you have a clear image of the VAT ID Doc. number as this is required when tracking your VAT refund.
Best of luck with your claim,
Kind regards,
Helen … from Venice.
Thank you so much for the info.
Most welcome.
Hi helen thank you so much for the info.
I have a question can i claim VAT if im paying using credits card but the person who pay are not present at the custom check??
Hi Alex,
Yes you can. If the VAT form is in your name and you have the form stamped by Customs, there should not be any problem.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
i come back from london 2/05/2017 luton airport and i do shipping in 12000 GPB and i talk tax free all the shopping includ rolex watch in 8400GPB i fill al the forms and put it in the TaX box in the airport there is any chance that i will not get the the refund? how much time its take?
i have copy of all my shipping and recipts.
Hi Adir,
I’ve not made any VAT claims from Luton Airport so I’m not familiar with how long it will take for your refund to be processed. Generally, you should allow 3 to 4 weeks as the UK Customs, after stamping your forms, have to send them back to the VAT company to be processed.
Regards,
Helen
Hi,
Thank you so much for this wonderful Blog.
I am flying from Dubai to the UK for 8 days then to Lisbon for 4 days then Dubai.
I am planning on making a purchase in London. Where will I claim the VAT now with brexit?
Also would both providers double dip and charge me more cash twice?
Hi Rashid,
Brexit negotiations and implementation will take up to two years so for the purpose of your VAT refund you’ll still be claiming your VAT in Lisbon.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
would like to check with you. We are tourists flying out of Heathrow and have purchased some designer bags as well as jewellery.
Would like to check if the VAT Refund for both bags and jewellery can be processed at the same VAT Counter? When we were in London 5 years ago, we remembered that there was a separate VAT counter for Jewellery.
From the comments above, my understanding is that there are 2 counters. 1 before security and 1 after security. And that all jewellery must be processed at the one after security (please can you confirm this).
We can thus either:
1) Do the refund for the bags at the counter outside security (and then check in the bags) OR
2) Do the refund for both the bags and jewellery after security (and handcarry everything)
Please can you help to confirm that my understanding is correct?
Hi Sara,
Yes, there’s a sign advising that “Electronics, jewellery and watches over GBP 250 need to be refunded after security.”
– If you can manage to hand carry your designer bags, it would be easier to do everything after security as the queue before security is usually quite a long one.
– If you prefer to check in your designer bags, then you’ll have to do VAT separately.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thanks very much for your help. This is very helpful!
Most welcomed.
Hi Helen,
Thanks for this post it is very informative. I have few queries though,
1) I have purchased a phone from Currys (Online). Will it be eligible for VAT refund?
2) Is it mandatory to have your name on the bills. There are few items which is under my friend’s name but I would like to refund VAT on them as I’ll be carrying the items with me. Is it possible?
Thanks & Regards,
Sandeep
Hi Sandeep,
Online purchases are not eligible for VAT refund. In order to claim VAT refund, you must obtain the VAT form from the shop.
If your friend is an overseas visitor to the UK, the shop will issue the VAT form if he/she meets the criteria. You cannot claim VAT refund, merely based on the receipt.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen,
When leaving London, unfortunately I used an old bank card for the VAT return and was wondering if theres any way I can contact them and change the the card details? Or anything else that can be done for that?
Kind Regards,
Sabriyeh
Hi Sabriyeh,
You can go to the website of the VAT company concerned and contact them through their Refund Tracker section. You will need to know your VAT Document ID number in order for them to check your refund claim.
You could also approach your bank’s card section and ask them what they can do for you. Moral of the story is don’t carry around old bank cards as it’s easy enough to pull out the wrong card.
Kind regards,
Helen
HI Helen,
i just wanted to make sure, do we get a VAT return for purchasing a designer Bag? eg, Chanel, LV etc?
Please let me know,
thank you
Hi Rebecca,
It depends on the shop you are buying from. If the shop participates in the VAT refund scheme, which most major retailers like Chanel, LV, etc. do, you would be able to get your VAT refund. Check with the store before you buy. Bring your passport with you when you shop as you’ll need to provide passport no. etc. when they prepare the VAT form for you.
Please note that online purchases do not qualify for VAT refund.
Happy shopping,
Helen
Hi Helen, great blog with good information. I am non-Eu shopper returning home with a bicycle purchase. Possible to claim VAT from London Harrods ?
But it does says non-eu shoppers will need to bring a completed and stamped tax free form in order to request a tax free refund.
We can only get the tax free form stamped at the airport right? So I am confused here.
Hi CM,
There are a number of locations in the city of London where you can have your VAT refunded before you get to the airport. If you have a VAT form from Global Blue, Harrods London is one of their refund points. Although the cash is paid to you in advance, you still have to meet the following obligations:
– you must get your VAT form stamped by Customs and return this to Global Blue within 21 days of the form being issued; and
– provide your credit card details in your name as a guarantee that the form will be returned to Global Blue.
If the form is not returned within this period, a charge of the refund amount, plus a fee of 15% of your refund, will be applied to your card. Such being the case, it is recommended that you claim your refund as close to your departure date as possible. The form has to reach Global Blue’s processing centre in Bratislava within 21 days of the form being issued.
I recommend that you take a copy of all stamped VAT forms before you put them in the mail.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thank Helen got the advice.
May I know what’s the difference between Global Blue tax refund process and the Travelex process?
Best regards.
CM, at Heathrow Airport Travelex acts as agents for a number of VAT refund companies including Global Blue, Premier Tax Free, etc. It is a one-stop shop for the Customs stamp and payment of your VAT claim.
If you choose to have your VAT refunded at Heathrow airport, they will (custom) validate your form and make payments to you in cash. If you want your refund credited to your card account, they will validate your documents and send them off to Global Blue for processing. You need to have your goods with you as they can ask to see your purchases.
The queues are usually very long, especially during peak travel season so do allow plenty of time.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hello there,
I chose to have my VAT refund credited to my credit card when I left Heathrow, everything was checked and stamped etc. I was told it would take 4 weeks before payment. That time is now up and I haven’t seen my payment as yet. Does it usually take this long!! I had no problems with forms etc, everything was in order.
Kind regards
Hi Alison,
VAT refunds can take from 4 to 6 weeks especially during peak travel season. You can always go online and track your refund if you have the DOC ID which is on the VAT form. If you have a copy of the stamped form, you can also email this to the VAT company and query them on it, but first step would be to check online.
Good luck,
Helen
Hi Helen.
Thank you for this brilliant post and for all the individual feedback you have given!
I have a quick question I would like to ask.
After getting the correct VAT forms filled in at the shop, after showing your passport etc, do you need to show your passport again at the VAT Return counter at the airport? Or is it a case of just handing in the completed forms and arranging payment at the airport VAT return counter?
Many thanks in advance,
Sara
Hi Sara,
At LHR, Travelex does the Customs validation as well as paying out the VAT refund (in cash). You will need to show your passport to have your VAT validated.
Kind regards,
Helen
I have submitted for my VAT Refund at London Heathrow Airport on the 25th of July 2017 for 16 pounds and still haven’t received my refund. I do not have Tax free form number with me. Is there any way I can track it ?
Also I have opted for a Card transfer and I have given my International Debit Card. Will Debit card be a problem for transfer of money?
Hi Pallavi,
VAT refunds can take between 6 to 8 weeks to process, especially during the peak travel season. If you haven’t received your refund by then you can try and email Travelex with your details. But to have any chance of tracking your VAT refund, they really do need the Doc Id.
As regards crediting your Debit card, please check with your bank on your card features.
Regards,
Helen Page
I applied for VAT refund on an iPhone 6S on 22nd August 2017 at Heathrow Airport and the money is not yet credited to my HSBC account. How long does it normally take for the money to arrive my UK bank account? Where can I register a complaint regarding this?
Abinash,
VAT refunds can take 6 to 8 weeks processing time, especially during peak travel season. If you haven’t had your refund by that time you should email the VAT company concerned. You will need to provide your VAT Doc ID to do this. You can also check thr status of your VAT refund by going to the online VAT refund tracker of the company concerned. Again the Doc ID is rrquired.
Regards
Helen Page
Helen,
Thank you for the response. I bought the item from John Lewis, Peterborough. Could you please help me with the email id of the VAT company concerned. I am not getting a clear picture of whom to drop the email with the VAT Doc ID. I got the VAT return document stamped at Heathrow Terminal 2.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers
Abinash
Abinash,
Most big companies outsource their VAT refund process to VAT companies such as Global Blue, Premier Tax Free etc. When you bought your phone, you would have been given a VAT form from one of these companies which you then got your Customs stamp at Heathrow airport. This VAT form has an Doc ID no. on it (top right hand corner), which is required when you need to track your refund.
If for instance your form was from Global Blue, you can then go to their website Refund Tracker and followup on your VAT refund status.
https://secure.globalblue.com/tax-free-shopping/refund-tracker/?_ga=2.128162316.1455866631.1506276348-2108851457.1496808060
If you didn’t keep a copy of this VAT form with the ID no., it will not be easy to track your refund. My suggestion is that you contact John Lewis and see if they can provide you with a copy.
Hope the above is clearer.
Regards,
Helen
Hello, we left the UK to return home to Australia on June 24th 2017. We claimed our tax back but to date we have yet to receive this, can you please advise how we check up on this?
Candy,
You can go to the website of your VAT refund company (i.e. Global Blue or Premier Tax Free, etc) and query the status of your refund through their Refund Tracker. However, in order to do that you need to hsve your VAT Doc ID. Hopefully, you’ve taken a copy of your VAT form.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Halen,
I bought about 11 i phones for my family and cousins who live in Sri Lanka.
I had all the receipts and VAT forms wuth me. Initially they checked my receipts and all at the security.
check.
When i showed all the phones at the custom to get the stamp they said they cant give the seal since he suspects it. what bullshit is that?
and told me to email someone colins to get the VAT refund,
i am losing about 1000 Pounds.
Please reply
Hi Raees,
VAT refund is intended for personal shopping only. As you bought 11 phones, they can assume that it is for business purposes. Under the law, “goods worth more than £600 exported for business purposes” are not eligible.
I think the shop should have warned you of possible problems. Unfortunately, without the customs stamp there is no way of getting a refund. You might try contacting the UK embassy in Sri Lanka and get their advice.
Sorry I don’t have good news for you.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen
Can I collect my vat one day before my flight .
Hi Sally,
You can claim your VAT refund at the downtown offices of the VAT refund companies before your flight, however you still need to get your VAT form stamped and returned to the VAT company within 21 days of your refund. If the stamped VAT form is not received within that timeframe, they will reverse the refund.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen!
We are travelling to London, Italy and France and back to London for our flight back to Manila. Where should we get our VAT refunds for the things that we will buy (with vat forms) in all 3 countries combined? Also, for Italy and France, the currency is different, so if I get a refund in LHR, they will just convert the amount in euro to pounds for cash refund?
Thanks!
Hi Bianca,
VAT refund is claimed at your final point of exit from the EU. So, if London is your final destination, then you’ll claim for all your VAT refunds (Italian, French and English) at LHR. If for instance you are transiting in London and are checking in your bags in Paris, then the VAT is done at CDG.
Travelex handles the VAT refund at LHR and you can get your cash back in Euros or Pounds or a range of other currencies. Note that there is a fee for cash refunds. Check with them before you decide.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hello,
I don’t have a credit card of my own. Can I claim refund on my sisters credit card..?
I do have a Axis bank debit card….. Can I claim vat refund on it?
Thank you
Hi Harsh,
VAT refunds can be paid to a different credit card.
Refunds can be paid into debit cards, but I suggest you confirm with your bank that there’s no problems doing this.
Regards,
Helen Page
Thank you
🙂🙂🙂
Hi Harsh,
Did you manage to claim the vat refund on your sister credit card?
As my mom does not have a credit card, I was wondering if I can use mine.
hello,
If I intend to make purchase in London, but leaving out of EU via Munich airport, do I need to get my VAT refund from Heathrow or Munich ?
Kindly advise. Thank you.
Hi William,
If your purchase is being packed into your check-in luggage at LHR and you are only changing flights in Munich, then you do your VAT refund claim in London. If you are stopping in Munich for a day or so, then Munich is your final point of exit from EU.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen,
Thanks for your post. Amazing job to help others!
I will be leaving the UK this Friday to go back to Switzerland with paragliding gears that I bought in the UK. I have time now but not on Friday to wait for 2 hours at the VAT Travelex. What would your recommend?
– Can I go to Heathrow 1-2 days before the flight?
– Is there somewhere else I could get the refund in central London?
– I am planning to take it as carry-luggage. Should I and can I get the refund on the air-side as this is for sure faster? but as this isn’t electronic, neither a watch, is that still possible?
thanks for your help
Hi Dom,
1. No, you cannot claim VAT at Heathrow 1-2 days in advance.
2. You can get your VAT refunded at a few locations in central London, but you still have to get the forms stamped by Customs at the airport and send the forms back to the VAT company within 21 days. If for some reason the mail is delayed or your form goes missing, they will reverse the VAT refunded plus charge a penalty.
3. You can claim your VAT airside and it will be faster. The Travelex desk is just past security. The rule says that electronics and jewelry, etc. must be claimed airside, but it does not say that other items cannot be processed airside. As long as your hand-carried item is not too large and fits in the airline’s overhead compartment you should be able to hand-carry them and have your VAT processed airside.
Kind regards,
Helen
My flight is 9:10 am at T3, i don’t think that I can make the vat refund at travellex early in the morning. I’ve plan to packing/fit my bags (a few bag will purchase) into the hand luggage and do the claims (at travelex) after the security (check in). It’s possible?
Yes it is.
Do I need show the goods or only handle the forms to the tax refund desk?
Hi Andrea,
You do need to have your goods on you. They do random checks and you must be able to show them if asked.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Thanks for all you posts.
I bought a Rolex watch over £5000.00.
I have flight back Japan from Manchester via Heathrow and have only 1.25 hours stop over.
I don’t think I can do stamp at Heathrow as limited of time.
In this case, can I get stamp at Manchester? And would it be before or after security?
Thanks for your help
Hi Sunisa,
Do your VAT refund in Manchester. There is a Travellex VAT desk in the departure hall, but they will probably ask you to do it airside (after security) because of the value of your Rolex. Your transfer time may be 1.25 hours, but you actually don’t have that time at all since you have to get to your next boarding gate and probably go through security check again. Don’t forget to take a copy of your VAT documents just in case Travellex loses your documents or mail gets missing.
All the best with your VAT claim and best wishes for the holiday season.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen.
My name is mye from klumpur. Bought handbag from lv in paris but was not allowed to claim vat at paris airport as will be staying in london another week. I was asked to do it at heathrow.
I used my maybank debit card & there is no name in my card. Will.that be a problem? Can i get cash refund? Can i do ut at vat claim office at harrods as per your previous postings. Hope to hear your reply asap.
Tx.
Mye
Hi Mye,
Yes you can claim your cash VAT refund in downtown London, but you still need to get your forms stamped at Heathrow airport when you’re flying out of London. The stamped form must be returned to the VAT company within 21 days or your refund will be reversed.
You’ll need to check which refund company your VAT form is from. If it’s Global Blue, then yes they have a refund point in Harrods. For cash refunds they charge £3.5 for each form processed. For credit/debit card refunds there are no extra charges. If your Maybank card is a problem, then I suggest you ask for cash.
Regards,
Helen Page
Hi Helen, I was wondering if you can help me.
I am flying out of London from LCY (London city airport) to India via Amsterdam.
1. I reckon that there is no tax refund office at the LCY. I have no clue how to work it out?
2. Is there any other way to get the tax refund done.
PS. I fly out on 10th January. 9 am LST
Thanks you.
Hi Mehul,
Apologies for the late reply as we ourselves were flying. According to the LCY website they have facilities to process VAT refunds, but not provide cash payment. If you’ve not already worked it out, you can:
(1) get your VAT forms stamped and deposited at LCY, or
(2) you can have your VAT forms stamped at LCY and then collect your cash at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
https://www.londoncityairport.com/intheairport/page/tax-refunds
Regards,
Helen
Hello Helen!
Thank you so much for your very informative post and comments!
We will be travelling to Paris, then to Switzerland via train, and finally to London before flying back to Singapore. Is it true that we can claim our VAT for purchases made in Paris, at London Airport?
I’ve also read in your comments that some travelers get charged on their credit cards after claiming VAT in cash. How do we avoid this? have you experienced this first hand before?
We will be departing London at 11:30pm, so I think we have ample time to queue for VAT. Would also like to confirm the steps to claim VAT at London:
1) Purchase goods from store. Inform store to prep VAT forms. (are any stamps needed from the store?)
2) Bring purchases and VAT forms to airport for staff to validate and stamp, and finally process VAT claim?
Do correct me if I’m wrong. Many thanks!
Hello Shar,
When you leave Paris to go to Switzerland, you are actually leaving the EU. It is possible to have your VAT forms stamped on the TGV Lyria if there is a Customs inspector on board. Ask the Ticket inspector when he/she comes around. The TGV Lyria website says that “If no inspection is made on board TGV Lyria, this form can be placed in the Customs letter box in Switzerland if you leave the TGV Lyria at Geneva, Vallorbe, Lausanne or Neuchâtel.” Personally I would prefer not to do this as who knows how long it will sit in the Customs letter box! I would prefer to do the VAT claim in London.
(Note: If you buy anything in Switzerland and want to claim VAT refund, this has to be done when you leave Switzerland and not in London as Switzerland is not in the EU.)
In regard to your questions:
1. When doing tax-free shopping, the store will need your passsport details so either bring along your passport or a photo of the passport information page. The store will sign the VAT form or put their own stamp on it.
2. At Heathrow, Travellex does the validating and VAT payment. They will need to see your VAT forms, invoices and goods.
3. In some cities, you can get your VAT paid out downtown in advance of your departure. If you choose this option, you have 21 days to get your VAT form stamped by Customs at the airport and returned to the VAT company. If the form is not received on time, the VAT will be charged back to your credit card. The VAT that you receive will be a net amount (i.e. less admin fees), but the charge-back will be for the gross amount. So, if there is a mail delay or your form has gone missing, the VAT will be charged back. If you’re careful with your documentation, you should not have any charge-back problems. At Heathrow, Travellex does the end-to-end processing, so you shouldn’t have any problems.
Have a great trip and happy shopping.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hey Helen!
Thank you very much for your reply.
Does this mean it would be OK to claim our VAT at Heathrow Airport? ( we are not intending to buy anything in Switzerland). I have read many forums and all of them had no luck finding a customs inspector on board the train.
In another forum, a traveler has advised that I do all my claims at Heathrow as it is more convenient. What are your thoughts on this?
Thank you!
Hi Shar,
Yes, you can claim your VAT at Heathrow Airport. The only reason I mentioned trying to get Customs stamp on the train is so that you can pack away your Paris shopping. However, if it looks like getting Customs clearance on the train is impossible, then by all means do all your VAT claims at Heathrow.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I live in London, my brother visited me inFebruary 2018 from India and he bought clothes and a hand bag.
He has taken VAT receipts and tax form from all retailers and filled in all the details.But when he reached Heathrow Airport, there was a long queue for VAT refund and he would have missed his flight, had he waited in the queue. He gave me all the receipts.
If I post them all in preaddressed envelope, can he get the refund. I read somewhere that it needs to be custom stamped before sending via post .Is it true?As he did not get any receipts stamped at the airport.
Is there any other way,can he claim refund?
Please help.
Thanks
Kanika
Hi Kanika,
For your brother’s VAT refund forms to be valid, they must be stamped by Customs at the airport. Unfortunately, No Customs Stamp = No Refund. If he has plans to travel in the EU again in the next two months, he could re-export the goods. Obviously, you would only do this if the VAT refund is substantial.
Regards,
Helen
Dear Helen,
I’ve plan to visit London on May 2018. I would like to buy normal item from M&S (clothing and shoes), Cath Kidsten, Flip flop and Harrods bags at Harrods like gift for relatives. Do they have minimum spending (£) for process VAT refund (per Receipt or we can include all Receipts from shop) . I’ll departure Heathrow Terminal 5 by British Airways.Flight departure at 16.00hrs. (we could tentative 1.30 hrs. for this process).Then go to check in luggage after claim VAT refund or Check in first and claim VAT (inside).
Thank you and Best regards,
Wan/Bangkok,Thailand
Hello Wanwipa,
The minimum spend for VAT refund in the UK is GBP 30. You can bundle all your receipts from the one shop, but they need to be purchased during the same day. If you decide to go back and buy more stuff from the shop on Day 2, you can combine all receipts for that day. You must have your passport with you if you want to do tax-free shopping.
Make sure your VAT forms are fully completed before arriving at the airport. When you get to the airport, take your receipts and forms to the Travelex counter or the Customs desk (located before security) – see map below. You must have the items with you for inspection. Anything large and bulky (including clothing) will need to be presented before checking your bags in. VAT refunds for high-value items such as watches, cameras and smartphones are processed after security control. You’ll need to show these items at the Travelex desk.
https://maps.heathrow.com/index.html?vid=lhr&s=eyJnbG9iYWwiOnsiaGVhZGluZyI6MCwicG9zaXRpb24iOls1MS40NzA5ODc0ODkwMzkwNywtMC40ODgyMTY1NTE2Nzg4NTkzNl0sImlzTW9iaWxlV2lkdGgiOmZhbHNlLCJsZXZlbElkIjoibGhyLXQ1YS0zIiwiem9vbSI6NzMuNTk3OTg4Nzk4NzMwMTQsImxvY2F0aW9uIjpmYWxzZSwibm90aWZpY2F0aW9uIjpudWxsfSwibGV2ZWxTZWxlY3RvciI6eyJpc09wZW4iOnRydWV9LCJzZWFyY2giOnt9LCJwb2kiOnt9LCJuYXZpZ2F0aW9uIjp7InNlZ0luZGV4IjowLCJuYXZpZ2F0aW9uT25Hb2luZyI6ZmFsc2V9fQ
Do allow plenty of time if you are doing a lot of shopping. You can also save some time by doing online check in for your flight 24 hours in advance. After your VAT refund, you’ll just need to drop-off your bag at the BA desk.
Enjoy London and Happy Shopping … there’ll be plenty of Royal Wedding souvenirs to buy!
Kind regards,
Helen
Dear Helen,
Good Days from Bangkok.
Thank you very much for your kindness and helpful information.
I’ve noted and prepare my trip as per your suggestion.
Best regards,
Wan
Most welcome Wan. Happy Shopping!
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen.
Would you be so kind and help me with my question?
I study in the UK and this year I’m finishing my Bachelor degree. I bought a watch as a present for my father in the UK and in 3 weeks I will travel from the UK to Israel to celebrate my fathers birthday.
Can I claim back VAT from this watch? This watch will not come back with me to the UK after Israel.
Best Regards,
Ihor Rosokha.
Hi Ihor,
For non-EU students studying in the UK you must be able to show that you will be staying outside the EU for at least 12 months. Unfortunately you will be returning to the UK after your father’s birthday.
Regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
we’re traveling to the UK and Paris in Nov/Dec from Adelaide and will be leaving from Heathrow via T4. Is there an airside Travelex desk in this terminal?
Cheers,
Chris
Yes there is Christine. In the Heathrow PDF link below, scroll down to Terminal 4 Departure Lounge Level 2. You’ll see the Travelex desk at no 32 (in front of WH Smith).
https://www.heathrow.com/file_source/Heathrow/Static/PDF/Maps/Heathrow_T4_Map.pdf
Happy Shopping.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Hope you are doing good.
We will be visiting UK this month and plan to do some shopping like electronics, clothes and shoes etc.
While returning back what options do i have to get the VAT refunded? I understand if i apply for cash refund authorities will deduct 10% of the amount.
Also, electronics like mobile phone, tablets and watches needs to shown after security check-in and then VAT will be refunded or it will be done before security check-in?
Kind Regards
Harsimar
Hi Harsimar,
Travelex handles the VAT refunds at Heathrow Airport. They will export validate your VAT forms and pay out cash refunds in a currency of your choice. They charge an administrative fee for this service. The Global Blue website gives an indication of what the fees are:
http://www.globalblue.com/tax-free-shopping/uk/london-heathrow-terminal-5
The fees are charged on individual VAT forms. So if you have several forms with low refund amounts, you might want to consider having these paid to your credit card for which there is no fee. Sort through your VAT forms before you get to the airport. If you have a large receipt, then the cash fee might be worth paying, just to get the money in your hands.
For all portable electronic items, jewellery, wrist watches and other high value items, you claim your VAT after security (airside). Make sure you have your goods with you as Customs may want to see them. You can choose to have cash or credit card payments, but please note the limits allowed.
Hope the above helps. Happy shopping!
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
Respect for sharing your experience.
Could you please confirm if there a Landside Customs Office in LHR Terminal 3. And will they be able to provide the EU Customs Stamp?
I am already aware that Travelex provides the custons stamp too, but want to make sure that I have a plan B. Item is bulky but also of high value, so it has to be checked in.
Thanks in advance,
M
Hi Mahmood,
There are several Customs points on the Ground level where the check-in desks are. You can go to the Help Point and see where the closest one to you is.
https://maps.heathrow.com/index.html?vid=lhr&s=eyJnbG9iYWwiOnsiaGVhZGluZyI6MCwicG9zaXRpb24iOls1MS40NzA4NDkxODY4NjA5OSwtMC40NTc3NTA3MTUxMTg3NTA0XSwiaXNNb2JpbGVXaWR0aCI6ZmFsc2UsImxldmVsSWQiOiJsaHItdDMtZ3JvdW5kIiwiem9vbSI6NjkuNTU2ODYwMTEzOTMxMzUsImxvY2F0aW9uIjpmYWxzZSwibm90aWZpY2F0aW9uIjpudWxsfSwibGV2ZWxTZWxlY3RvciI6eyJpc09wZW4iOnRydWV9LCJzZWFyY2giOnt9LCJwb2kiOnt9LCJuYXZpZ2F0aW9uIjp7InNlZ0luZGV4IjowLCJuYXZpZ2F0aW9uT25Hb2luZyI6ZmFsc2V9fQ
Kind regards,
Helen
I have a high priced watch that I will need a stamp and also a lower priced shoe that I need to get a refund. Questions are:
– Can I take care of both after security or do I have to do them separately?
– Will the “after security” VAT stamp process also take several hours or is it faster.
Thank you
Hi John,
You can do your VAT processing for both your watch and shoes after security. The VAT queue after security is usually much smaller and shouldn’t take hours. Most shoppers have to do their VAT before security because they have bulky goods that need to be checked in.
Cheers,
Helen
Hi Helen,
My friend will be travelling to UK. I want to make an on-line purchase of a jacket in italy and have it shipped to UK (the hotel which my friend will be staying). The shop told me that they will send me an invoice together with the jacket, and what my friend has to do is to validate the invoice when she leaves UK at the Airport. After that, the validated invoice has to send back to the shop and the shop will give me back the tax refund of 22%.
I told the shop that as far as I know there are agents to handle the tax refund, but the shop told me that they did not cooperate with any of the tax refund agents to do the tax refund but will refund by the shop themselves. Is that true? Is that viable? Please could you enlighten me where the invoice should be validated or who can do this in the airport? Or any other suggestions you may share with me regarding this issue?
Thanks so much!!
Dear Mun Mun,
Online purchases are not eligible for VAT refund. VAT refund are intended for personal shoppers where the store is able to verify that you’re a non-EU resident.
Most retailers prefer to use VAT agents as there is administrative work involved in processing VAT – it’s not simply the case of giving you some money back. The shop you’re proposing to buy from would need your passport details etc for their VAT reporting. Some shops will encourage you to buy and then you won’t hear from them again.
If you’re buying things online be sure to buy from reputable shops.
Kind regards,
Helen
Thanks Helen,
Yes, the online shop (in fact they have a physical shop in Milan) did ask me to send my friend’s passport to them after making online purchase for VAT refund purpose by the online shop. If I finally decide to make the purchase, I have no choice but to give a try.
Please could you advise where to validate the invoice at the LRH?
Who should my friend approach to?
Does it mean a stamp from the Custom or what?
Can Travelex do that?
Thanks a lot!!
Mun Mun,
1.An invoice alone is not sufficient. The retailer must provide you with a VAT 407 form and this is the form that Customs will stamp.
2. At LHR Travelex processes VAT refund on behalf of its partner VAT refund companies only. Your friend will have to look for a UK Borderforce Customs desk and request them to stamp the VAT 407 form.
3. Please note that the UK VAT refund laws specifically state that “mail order goods, including internet sales, delivered outside of the UK” are not eligible for VAT refund.” When your friend signs the VAT form, she is confirming that she meets the VAT refund eligibility. There are penalties for breaching the VAT laws and if I were you, I wouldn’t put your friend in that position.
If the shop is keen to get your business, why not ask them to give you a discount of 12 – 15%. That’s generally what you’ll get back in net terms from your VAT refund.
Regards,
Helen
Recently I travelled to UK and returned on 20 August, 2018. I purchased 5 Laptops, 1 Camera, 1 65 inch Sony TV and a Suit/Shirt. While travelling back, at Terminal-4, as the purchased items are bulky and would be put in Check-in luggage, I was sent to another floor (Customs/Travelex), where many other passengers also queued for their Forms STAMPED. Like all other passengers, my goods were physically checked and all three Global Blue Tax Refund Forms were STAMPED by Travelex. I was advised me to get the TAX refund in Cash from Travelex counter at the departure hall. I tried to collect Tax refund in cash (both on land and air side) but there was a long que at the Travelex Counter. All the persons in the que were rushing for their own flight and nobody was willing to give any space. Looking at my situation, Travelex counter suggested that as my flight is after 20 minutes, I better put my card number by changing the tick in cash refund box and send it to Global Blue. (Same advice is also printed on Global Blue Envelope). Accordingly, I travelled back to Bangladesh with all my purchased goods and sent the “STAMPED” tax refund forms to Global Blue address. But unfortunately, I have received an email from Global Blue advising me to contact UK Customs at Heathrow airport as soon as possible for further advice and get my TAX REFUND FORMS stamped by a Custom Officer. (Stamping period of UK Forms is 3 months from the issuing month. ) Interestingly, I was NEVER advised by Travelex or any other person at Terminal-4 to get it stamped again from any customs officer (After who stamped my Tax Refund Forms by Travelex). In the mean time, I kept photocopy of all the “Stamped” Tax refund forms and also the Purchase receipts. Now, may I request your kindness, to advise, How I may get my TAX REFUND Forms stamped by a Customs Officer and get my TAX refunds. Its almost 1,000 GBP and its a lot of money. Regards
Hi Anam,
The VAT refund scheme is intended for personal shoppers who live outside the EU. I’m surprised that your VAT form for 5 laptops was stamped as obviously the 5 laptops are not for your personal use. Also, according to the Heathrow VAT refund guidelines “High value items including watches, cameras and smartphones must be hand carried and presented airside at the VAT Refund Desk.” As advised by Global Blue, you need to contact UK Customs at Heathrow Airport as soon as possible and get their advice. GBP1,000 is indeed a lot of money and it’s a good thing that you have a copy of your stamped form. Below link are some of their contact details.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/vat-enquiries
All the best,
Helen Page
Hi,
I didn’t get the chance to do my tax refund as the line was too long and had to catch my flight. The amount was quite substantial. What would you suggest me to do? Go back to UK and bring all the goods back and do a refund? Do they allow this?
Also, some of the tax refund forms were under my mother’s name. Can i still do the refund without her present? I can bring her passport with me. It’s just not possible for her to travel back to UK.
Does sending in for additional stamping really works based on this website http://www.globalblue.com/customer-services/article609772.ece/BINARY/Additional%20Stamping_UK_en_cn_ru.pdf
Appreciate ur help!
Hi Felicia,
Apologies for the delay in responding to you as I’m currently on a busy schedule travelling around Europe. I’m sorry you missed your opportunity to have your VAT refund processed. LHR is a busy place and your experience is a common one.
You have 3 months to get your VAT refund processed so if you’re heading back to the UK you can re-export your goods and claim your VAT refund. You should be able to have your mum’s refund processed as well if you have the goods and completed VAT forms with you.
As regards the Global Blue “additional stamping” information, I’ve not been able to get on the Global Blue website in spite of several attempts. I’ve seen this article before and I would suggest that you do not send your passports in the mail until you’ve checked with UK Customs as to whether this will work for you and also get a name and contact details of where you should be sending your (registered mail) documents to. This link below takes youto the UK Customs VAT enquiries section.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/vat-enquiries
Good luck,
Helen
Hi Helen, really informative post. It’s an older post so hoping you get this message.
I am shopping in Munich and will be flying out of Munich to Switzerland. After a week in Switzerland, fly back to Australia via London (6 hour stopover).
Are we best to do the VAT refund at Munich airport before flying out to Switzerland or leave it until Heathrow (T3)? Thought Munich may not be so busy.
Thank you.
Hi Mon,
Agree with you that Munich Airport is the better place to do your VAT refund as it is not as manic as LHR and also you can pack your shopping away once your VAT refund has been processed. Please remember that if you buy anything in Switzerland, you’ll need to claim your VAT on leaving Switzerland as it is not part of the EU.
Happy shopping!
Kind regards, Helen
Hi Helen,
I have purchased clothes worth of 130 pounds with Primark and got a watch online will be able to claim a refund
Hi Vinay,
If you bought your Primark clothes instore, you should have asked for a VAT form from the store. This form has to be given to Travelex at LHR before they would refund your VAT. Your watch purchased online is not eligible for VAT refund.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I will be flying back to Brazil on April 3rd 2019 and my flight is at 6am via Lisbon. The VAT office opens at 6am in Heatrow Airport, so how can I request the VAT refund? Is it possible to do it at Lisbon Airport? Are the service/procedure the same as it is here in London?
Many thanks,
Zélia
Hi Zélia,
Plan A – There are always Customs officers on duty for every flight so when you arrive at the airport, ask at the Information desk where you can find the Customs office. If you can get a Customs officer to stamp your VAT form, you can claim your refund in Lisbon or by mail.
Plan B – The VAT refund offices at Heathrow open at 5 am. If you handcarry your purchases, you may just have time to have your VAT processed after security. I’m suggesting this as Plan B just in case the refund desk doesn’t open on time or if there’s a queue of people. You need to allow time to get to your boarding gate.
Plan C – If you have adequate layover time in Lisbon, you can have your VAT processed at Lisbon Airport. Although Lisbon Airport has electronic kiosks for verification of your VAT, the e-Taxfree Portugal System only applies to shopping that’s been done in Portugal. The manual process is similar to Heathrow, i.e. you’ll need to get a physical Customs stamp. You’ll also need to have your goods with you.
I hope one of the three options above work for you.
All the best,
Helen
Dear Helen,
I am from Singapore and recently I left EU via London Heathrow Terminal 3, I had some VAT forms that needed cash refunds and some forms that needed just customs stamps as cash refund had already been received. When I arrived at the airport, I went to the Travelex counter, as it was stated VAT refund in RED. So I was in the Q, but wanted GBP in cash back, so the lady at travelex directed me to another line to get the form stamp by another travelex colleague, and told me to check in my baggage and go to another travelex at level 2 BEFORE security to get my GBP and hand in all my VAT forms (including those that I had received cash). I have received the cash back in GBP for one of the global blue purchase i bought from brussels, as it was stated as COMPLETED in the global blue tracker. But the ones that I received cash in downtown London stated as – customs stamp needed.
Now, this is very confusing… I thought Travelex has stamp my form stating *GOODS SEEN*, isn’t that the custom stamp? now thinking back, it may not be, because I remembered long ago in the past, I used to have to go to the CUSTOM counter to get the stamp and then to Travelex to claim the cash and send some of the forms that I had already received cash back downtown (ie from Bicester Village).
Can someone let me know when they mention Travelex STAMP, what kind of stamp are they referring to, are the TRAVELEX stamp EQUIVALENT to the UK CUSTOM stamp? This is very confusion and I think I am being tricked and bid around bushes as if I am an idiot.
Regards, Roxy
Hi Roxy,
For cash refunds received downtown, you are required to send your receipts and stamped VAT forms back to Global Blue (or whichever VAT refund company involved) within 21 days of the cash refund. If the forms are not received on time, the refund will be reversed and a penalty applied. As such, I suggest you contact Global Blue immediately and explain your situation to them – copy what you’ve written above. Attach copies of the forms with the “GOODS SEEN” stamp in your communication.
https://secure.globalblue.com/customer-services/contact-us/
Please do this ASAP as Global Blue are in the best position to advise you.
All the best,
Helen
I have sent the email with attached photocopies of my GOODS SEEN Stamp by travelex on those forms to Global Blue yesterday, pending reply.
Unfortunately in Heathrow Airport there is no Global Blue Post box according to the Global Blue website. The staff at the T3 teavex counter is well aware that I have received cash and took all my vat forms and told me they will send it. Its just sad that our fate is dependant on whether or not travelex do their job properly.
I have done downtown cash refund then send stamped form many times while shopping in EU with no problems. But credit card refunds mostly did not come in and by the time its suppose to get the refund I have forgotten about it. So I always opt for cash refund either in downtown or at the airport.
Thanks for your reply. Will keep you posted.
Hi Roxy,
I agree that it’s disappointing to be faced with VAT refund issues when you’ve followed the VAT process on your part. It’s a good thing that you have copies of your documents and were able to email copies to Global Blue. I hope you get a reply soon.
Like you, I used to always ask for cash refunds at the airport to be sure that my VAT claims are completed before I got home. However, I’ve gone back to credit card refunds in the recent years as I found that the processes now work quite well in Paris and Rome, my regular departure points from the EU. We’re not fond of Heathrow Airport so we avoid departing from there.
I hope you’ll get a positive outcome from Global Blue and do keep me posted.
Kind regards,
Helen
Dear Helen,
I had a bad experience with VAT refund at Heathrow flying TAP in 6 am flight. The VAT counter opens only at 5am or 6am (not sure) and there is no enough time to stay on the queue. You have to decide if you prefer to loose the flight or the total amount VAT would give you back.
Of course I didn’t lose my flight!
Cheers,
Zélia
Hi Zélia,
Thanks for sharing your VAT refund experience and I’m glad you chose not to lose your flight! Can I suggest that in future, if you have an early or late departure and the VAT refund area is not open, that you look for a Customs desk and get them to stamp your forms. Whenever there are flight departures there are always Customs officers on duty. You may have to search for them, but they are there.
I hope you’re enjoying the things you bought.
Kind regards,
Helen
OMG!!! I wish I knew that!
Heathrow staff should be ready to inform us. No one told me that. They only said I should try to do the VAT in Lisbon but didn’t work neither!
Thanks for the information anyway. It will be useful on my next trip, but, one question: do you know where are they in the Heathrow airport?
Cheers
Zélia
Look for the airport terminal map and you’ll see signs for customs. Below link is for T3 and you’ll see a red and blue box near the World Duty Free shop. That’s where you would go if you are carrying large sums of cash and have to make cash declarations. Ask if they will stamp your form for you. Also ask at the information desk if there are other Customs desks that you could approach.
https://maps.heathrow.com/index.html?vid=lhr&s=eyJnbG9iYWwiOnsiaGVhZGluZyI6MCwicG9zaXRpb24iOls1MS40Njk3NDMyNzIzMjk0MywtMC40NTkwMzE3MjM1OTQwODc0XSwiaXNNb2JpbGVXaWR0aCI6ZmFsc2UsImxldmVsSWQiOiJsaHItdDMtMSIsInpvb20iOjcwLjAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAzLCJwb2lJZCI6IjI5MTQifSwibGV2ZWxTZWxlY3RvciI6eyJpc09wZW4iOmZhbHNlfSwic2VhcmNoIjp7InRlcm0iOiJjdXN0b21zIiwidGVybUNvbmZpcm1lZCI6dHJ1ZSwicG9pSWRMaXN0IjpudWxsLCJjb250YWluZXJJc09wZW4iOnRydWV9LCJwb2kiOnt9LCJuYXZpZ2F0aW9uIjp7InNlZ0luZGV4IjowLCJuYXZpZ2F0aW9uT25Hb2luZyI6ZmFsc2V9fQ
Have a nice weekend.
Cheers,
Helen
Hi Helen,
I’m travelling from Italy to Paris and departing from London airport. Could I check if I’m able to get the customs stamp for my Italy and Paris purchases in London airport?
As we are travelling from Italy, Paris to London by train, would appreciate your advice on how we could get the customs stamps pls.
Thank u!
Regards
Yan
Hi Yan,
As you’re flying out from London, this is where you do your VAT claim for your Italian and French purchases. Please make sure you allow plenty of time as Heathrow VAT refund is notoriously busy. At Heathrow, Travelex handles the VAT form stamping and cash payment of VAT.
Please be aware that when the UK pulls out of the EU (whenever that is), the processes will change.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hello Helen,
We have claimed VAT return for gold purchased whilst on visitor visa. VAT was claimed on 17.02.2020. However the money claimed is not yet returned to the credit card details provided. They said it will be refunded in about 4 weeks. Is there any contact details, phone number or email that I can contact the VAT return office at Heathrow to enquire about this delay?
kind regards,
Rupal
Hi Rupal,
Which VAT company did your shop use? I hope you’ve kept a copy of your Tax Free refund form. On the top right hand corner you’ll see the tax free form DOC ID Number. You can then go to the website of the VAT company and track your refund. Below is an example of what Global Blue’s site Refund Tracker page looks like.
https://www.globalblue.com/tax-free-shopping/refund-tracker/
If you didn’t keep a copy of your refund form, contact the VAT refund company and get their assistance. You’ll find their contact details on their website. It will be more difficult to trace your refund if you don’t have the DOC ID.
I presume you presented your documentation at the Travelex office at Heathrow. For credit card payments, Travelex would have forwarded your claim to the relevant VAT refund company.
Good luck with your followup.
Kind regards,
Helen
Hi does vat refund still exist at Heathrow airport
Hi Ismail,
Unfortunately not.
“From 1 January 2021, the UK government ended tax-free sales in airports, ports and Eurostar stations.
This means you cannot buy tax-free goods such as electronics and clothing if you are travelling to non-EU countries.
VAT refunds for overseas visitors in British shops have now been removed.”
Kind regards,
Helen
I just bought a designer bag in Paris and she gave me all the information necessary and VAT refund forms. I am flying back to New York from London Heathrow but the bag was purchased in my sisters name. Will this be an issue in getting back to the states? Will I still be able to claim the tax refund?
Hi Cristina,
From 1 January 2021, the UK government ended tax-free sales in airports, ports and Eurostar stations.
VAT refunds for overseas visitors in British shops have now been removed. Likewise, you will not be able to claim VAT refund for any purchases that you’ve made in any EU countries at UK airports.
You will have to claim your VAT refund when you are leaving Paris. Although you bought the bag in your sister’s name, it was your passport that was used to document the sale and the VAT refund form would have your name on it. If the VAT refund form was completed in your sister’s name, Customs can refuse to stamp the form as “You are not the person whose name appears on the form.” The passport is your required proof that you are a non-EU resident and therefore eligible for tax-free shopping.
As regards problems with getting back to the States, you will need to check what your personal duty-free allowance is.
Regards,
Helen
Hello
I’m on a cruise and I bought two designer bags at Dublin (premiere tax free). I’m flying back to LA from Heathrow. My last EU cruise port is Le Havre in France. Is there a way I can get tax refund from Heathrow?
Hi Rachel,
Unfortunately not. The UK no longer provides tax-free shopping and does not participate in the EU VAT refund process. Try asking your cruise director if there’s a way for you to get Customs stamp at Le Havre. You can then send the stamped form back to the VAT company for a credit card refund. Don’t forget to take a photo of your documents just in case your paperwork goes astray.
Regards,
Helen
Thank you for your response!
Hi Helen,
I am travelling to London from Australia and when I head back to Australia, am I able to claim the VAT on certain purchases? Mainly car items (invoices will be in name), if so would this need to be done before checking in at Terminal 3 (items would be in my checked luggage).
Thanks
Alison
Hi Alison,
Unfortunately, from 1 January 2021, in conjunction with BREXIT, the UK government ended tax-free sales in airports, ports and Eurostar stations. The very popular VAT refunds for overseas visitors in British shops have now been removed.
Some stores still over VAT-free shopping to overseas visitors, but the items have to be sent by the store directly to overseas addresses, i.e. you can’t have them in your luggage.
Sorry for the bad news, but I suggest you check with the store before buying.
Kind regards,
Helen