Waiting for refunds...

Aren't you supposed to show the goods and get a customs stamp on the claim form at the airport before you can claim the refund? I read through all the paperwork and it seemed like it wasn't worth standing in the line to get the VAT back on the £80 we spent.

I have never had to show what I bought or stand in line - just drop the completed forms off in the drop boxes. The last time I did it, it seemed like it took a couple of months tp see it on my credit card statement.

In 2010 I got a cash refund at the Munich airport. I handed over the paperwork and they asked to see the items. I had everything in my carryon except one item I had accidentally packed in my checked luggage. All my VAT was refunded to me except for the one item I could not produce.

I had been told by the shop assistant that I might have to show the purchased goods, but he wasn't interested in seeing them. It was all pretty routine--he just stamped the forms, handed them back and away they went.

Perhaps it will take another month or so. I'm not overly concerned as it probably doesn't amount to more than $35.

Yes, and after you get a check made out in GBP (15?) for the Oyster card, how are you going to cash it? Your bank fees are liable to eat the whole thing.

Ha ha, Sam! I had thought of that. I'm a member of a credit union and I thought perhaps I would throw myself at their mercy. If not, oh well...next time I'll know better!

It can take up to 6 months to get the refund through.

Since it takes about 6 weeks for a letter sent normal post to get from the UK to the US these days (my experiences over the past year), all I can say is be patient.

Wow, the post is really crazy these days. I bought some stamps on ebay from someone in Scotland last week, and they arrived on Wednesday. On the other hand, postcards I sent from London arrived here within four days. So who knows? I'll just wait and see.

My girlfriend received her refund last week, which was 6 weeks after our return from Paris. The form has a tracking number on it and a phone number you can call to see what the status is. Have you tried that? Or does you form not have any of that?

We submitted our refund form for the Oyster card June 1 and received a refund check in the mail about July 1. The check was in pounds (of course), and we deposited it into our checking account.

We did not make any purchases of gifts or goods while we were there, so I cannot tell you anything about the tax refund.

Still waiting.
I wonder if it really will take six months, as Jennifer suggested!

The last time we did this (VAT refund) we got one refund at about six weeks, and the rest came in months later (probably more than six months). We opted for the credit card refund option and got a separate small refund on every bill submitted, not one larger refund.

Well, it seems the joke is on me. At least partly!

I have a checking account I use only for travel. I opened it up today to take a look at the balance, and lo and behold, there were two refunds for two purchases I had made while in London. The deposits were made in mid July!!

Now, I'm still waiting for my Oyster card refund...

I'm on just over three months since putting in for my VAT at Heathrow. Still no refund.

Sandra, it took us 3 weeks to get our Oyster card refund after our May 2016 trip to London.

As I recall my Oyster card refund from last fall took about 3 weeks to arrive. The VAT refund took about 4-5 weeks I think.