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VAT refund Italy

You are so right about problems with refund of VAT in Italy, but add Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to the problem as it is a final departure airport for most Americans. With all our VAT documents in hand, we found one Global Blue office in Rome near the Trevi Fountain, spent probably 20 minutes waiting as they worked the figures for the refund, and ended up with far less refund after the commission and fees and conversion of Euros to USD. Two purchases they claimed had "expired" for them to give a VAT refund (one week?? really...), so we would have to get those refunded at Paris airport. Paris airport...hope to never go through that airport ever again. There was no signage for "Customs" where flights arrive from other European countries, only "Connecting Flights", "Baggage Claim", and "Exit." We looked for customs, but we were directed to where U.S. and Canada passports were being checked. Once through that line, we had to catch a bus to the departing flights terminal on the opposite side. Now you have arrived at the duty free shops and fast food section of the airport. Global Blue? A tiny sign on an Exchange Money booth; and of course, since we couldn't locate customs, we didn't have the VAT documents stamped, so no refund. Upon arriving home in the states, you have to contact your nearest French consulate which will inform you that you need a pdf. map of the CDG airport FIRST in order to find the customs booth in relationship to where you arrive at their terminal. Much better to have the merchant ship your purchase home with no VAT and just shipping and insurance, that way nothing gets broken, and it was cheaper than losing the VAT refund with our Italy purchases. My extra memorable experience was using the women's restroom in CDG. The toilets flush with such force that the water entering the toilet sprays on the floor around the fixture. I made sure to stand back before flushing. As I washed my hands, I noticed an elderly woman enter the stall I had just exited. We all heard her yelling to the top of her lungs as she was in the stall. She reappeared and in French or some other language, began yelling at me. I looked at her and noted a logo on her jacket; she was an airport employee. She points to the stall and points to me. From what I could decipher, she was accusing me of getting water on the floor. I told her that the stall was like that when I entered it. She continued to yell at me, then approached me. With wet hands, I quickly ran from the restroom. I relayed all this to the French consulate in Atlanta, GA via email and emphasized that this experience was our last with CDG as we will never be routed through that airport again!

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