Value added tax refunds

Seriously not worth the hassle.

They apply to specific goods in specific cases, nearly always there will be a sign advising you of this. You get a form which is the filled out by the merchant. You then take the goods to a customs officer at the last airport you visit in the EU (so if you travel to Paris before leaving Europe you get it checked there) whom you show the goods to. They then stamp it and you put all the forms in an envelope and mail them (preferably from Europe). Sometime six to eight weeks later or so later you get your refund.

Unless you are buying a big items, it is not worth it. We have tried several times and always seem to be missing some small item of paper work or the wrong form or didn't check the right boxes, etc. Have never received a refund.

Wow, ok. I was hoping to buy a bunch of souveniers at a department store before I left, and figured I'd give it a try. Rick even says that it's nearly impossible in Italy to get this money back. Has anyone out there been successful, is what I was wondering. If so, what are the tricks to it?

I should also have mentioned you typically have to spend a high $ amount before they'll even let you claim it. In Italy, for example, you have to spend a minimum of 155 euros before they'll even let you do it, which is A LOT to spend in any one place.

The only time I claimed it was not in italy, but in Germany, the merchant actually handled the paperwork (near a military base) otherwise more hassle than worth unless you are buying hundreds or thousands of $ worth of stuff.

I was planning on spending around 200 bucks.

Unless you spend over the minimum at a single store you will not qualify for a refund. My mom and sister traveled for six weeks and only went over that level twice (once for jewelry and once for clothing) and neither was much over the limit.

Actually, I have done it several times; but I admit it is one of the murkier processes of foreign travel. There is, as one other poster noted, a minimum expenditure before the merchants will even go through the paper work. You need a form from them. At the airport of your EU departure city you must be prepared to show the merchandise to the official who stamps the forms. This is to prove you are really taking the stuff out of the EU, so don't put it in your checked luggage. It is not always easy to find this office (or to find someone in it), so it's best to locate it before your flight. Check the airport website for this info. You usually then have two options: (1) mail the paper work or drop it in a receptacle for that purpose. You'll get a credit to your cc, maybe 6 weeks to 2 months later. Or,(2) take an instant refund at another counter with a hefty commission subtracted. I have usually done the latter on the principle that a bird in hand is better . . . One suggestion: if you are dealing with an independent merchant in Italy, and you are spending the requisite amount, ask for the VAT refund papers. He might offer you a discount on the spot instead. Happened to me in Deruta. Another suggestion is to shop in the duty-free shops after you get your boarding pass. They usually have food items special to the country, which make nice souvenirs and gifts; and you don't have to haul them around while you're traveling. Just be careful about the 3oz. liquid rule. If you have to change planes, you'll go through security again and will have liquids over that amount confiscated. Chocolates make much appreciated gifts and no hassle with TSA.

I did it in Italy and had no problem, maybe i just got lucky! I spent about 180 euros in a jewelry store in Florence, got the form from the store and filled it out according to the directions, which took me all of about 3 minutes if I recall. I was flying out of Rome so I asked people at the airport where to go and since I was carrying on the items, it was in the terminal - I followed the signs to find it, I stood in line, showed my boxes, gave the forms, and got $40ish. Was it a huge amount of money? no, but was it worth the little energy I expended for $40? Sure why not? If it'd been a big hassle I wouldn't have bothered, but I really found it to be almost no inconvenience at all... like I said maybe I just got lucky.

When I purchased extra special, sort of expensive items in Rome and Florence, the shopkeeper filled out a form that noted the purchases, the total price and the VAT amount. I filled in the section on the form for my personal information including passport number. For those items, we kept them in our carry on bag so that they could be inspected at the airport in Rome. We stopped at the VAT refund desk in the airport, gave them the form, showed them the items and received our refund in the amount of $50 USD. It was easy and I can always use $50 bucks. One tip about the process at the airport in Rome: stop at the inspector first and get the form stamped; then stand in a different line, present the stamped form, and get your refund.

I realize there's a mail-in process for this. And I thought that seemed like a hassle and a long wait for the refund so I took advantage of the Rome airport VAT refund desk. Really glad I got it organized and gave myself enought time to get it done.

Did it on my last trip in May and had no problems at all. Much easier than I had imagined. I bought some ceramics in Florence and some linens in Siena. In each store the sales assistant happily filled out the forms and then I just added my passport number later as I didn't have it with me. The receipts were stapled to the form and when I got to the airport I went to the counter and gave them the forms with my credit card details and that was it. The refund came through in a couple of weeks. I could have got cash but thought it better to get put onto my credit card to stop me spending it.

In Florence there is an agency where you can get an immediate refund just near the Duomo.

Not all shops volunteer that you can get the refund so be sure to ask. I can't remember how much you need to spend but if it's over about 100Euro do ask.
It does need to be in one transaction in one store to qualify.

One other thing is they may ask to view what you have bought, didn't happen to me, but did to the girl behind me.

Good luck

I bought a gold necklace in Florence and the store deducted the VAT amount, filled out the form and explained about getting it stamped at customs and mailing it back. If they don't get it back, then they will charge me for the VAT amount. Seemed easy enough to me.