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VAT refund when leaving from UK airport with purchases made in EU

I am taking a bus tour which starts from London, UK and then goes to Europe and then goes back to London, UK. Both times it crosses via the ferry from UK to France and France to UK back. If we make purchases in EU specifically Paris and Milan with US Passport, can we get refund from London Heathrow Airport for these purchases? What is the process if we cannot get refund?

Posted by
34 posts

When we were in London in 2022, they no longer offered the VAT refund as a result of Brexit.

Posted by
621 posts

Nope
You need to see if you can get it at the ferry port in France

Theoretically, if you don’t get it done, you can try to work with the embassy here in the states, but I’ve never heard of anybody being successful with that so I would try to get it done before I leave the continent

Posted by
3920 posts

There is VAT refund processing at the ferry terminal in Calais. I know people who have tried the embassy approach and it did not work them and cost $60. If VAT processing was available at the time of your departure, the embassy process is not going to work. Also, you have to pay a per item/receipt fee to the embassy which might eat up any savings and in your case you might have to deal with two embassies.

Posted by
10049 posts

You have to do VAT refund for EU goods at the last place you leave the EU. That is, you can not get a VAT refund for items purchased in France and Italy when departing at Heathrow.

Posted by
6 posts

For is the last place in EU is Calais i. france from where we depart in ferry in a coach bus. Does Calais or ferry have Kiosk for VAT refund? As we cannot venture far since we will be on coach bus.

Posted by
417 posts

Have you checked with the tour? Seems to me this would be a common question/situation, and they should have a recommendation. Perhaps they even allow time for it in Calais.