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VAT Refund

How long (approximate) does it take to to obtain the VAT refund? We chose to have the
refund applied back to our credit cards. Thanks in advance, Marie

Posted by
5835 posts

If you go to a staffed VAT kiosk you can either get a cash refund (discounted) or credit card credit. The last time I did a VAT refund was two years ago at the Helsinki airport and took cash. They would only credit the card that made the original purchase. (Long story short is I walked to the VAT refund kiosk in the next terminal and didn't have my wife's credit card).

I would assume that if they credit your card, it would be essentially be a minor delay much in the same way purchase transactions my be recorded a day or two latter than the actual purchase dated.

It would be a different story if you send in you paper.

Posted by
1362 posts

3 years ago processing it through Rome Airport (Fiumicino) & last year out of Paris (CDG) it took about 3 weeks from both trips.

Posted by
3656 posts

Fastest that I have ever received a refund is 3 weeks coming out of CDG and using the Pablo system. Usually, it takes 6 to 8 weeks. Just got a refund earlier this week from a departure on August 13 from CDG.

Posted by
10120 posts

Mine took about a year because I screwed up the paperwork. I didn't expect to get anything, so I was pleasantly surprised when it showed up.

Posted by
238 posts

Two years ago we departed from Shannon and it took 34 days for our refund to be credited to our account--not bad really.