The ultimate European union countries’ shopping tax refund guide for 2017

In 2017, Paris Louvre Duty Free decides to collect some useful informations to help you figure out European Union countries’ shopping tax refund policies. The guide will explain clairly all the existing updated tax refund pocedures, we wish that this articles will provide you some convenicence during your visit.

 

Duty-free shopping conditions in France for 2017

Tax refund and tax-free these two words we have heard a lot, then how to benefit these tax refunds when we buy products in France ?  What kind of conditions  that UE’s law requires for duty-free shopping?

According to the the french official customs anouncement the following people can enjoy duty-free service

• Residents of non-EU countries can apply for tax refund
•  Citizens over 16 years old of age
• Stay in France for less than 6 months

If you are a tourist, or a business visitor, to prove the aforementioned conditions, All you need to do is to show your sales advisor your passport and the corresonpding visa.

 

What types of goods can be applied for duty-free and tax refund?

 

Tax refund goods should be sold for tourists,  the following products can not benefit the right to tax refund

• Petroleum products
• Arms
• Cultural products
• Cars’ derived  products for private use
• Some products that are restricted by the Washington Convention, such as narcotic drugs

Goods sold in the Paris Louvre Duty Free Shop do not belong to the aforementioned categories. If you have a doubt, you can contact Customs for more information.

How to complete the tax refund procedure ?

The purchased product should presumed for personal use.

 

• You should spend more than 175 euros,  in the same store at the same day
• After the purchase, please remember to ask your sales advisor for your export tax refund document ( Bordereau de vente à l’exportation). The duty free shop will go through the Pablo tax refund system to declare your shopping details to the customs)

• You must scan the refund ticket within 3 months after your purchase. If you are out of the EU for 3 months, you will not be able to benefit the tax refund.

You should carry the good claimed on the refund ticket to facilitate the occasional check .

There are several tax refund process?

In Paris Louvre Duty Free Shop, we use the electronic tax refund system called “Pablo”, which you can scan at the airport for a refund. (see the picture above)
Customs artificial tax refund system with stamps – this tax refund process is complicated, you should present your purchased items and invoices to the customs then receive a stamped ticket which should be sent back to the store where you’ve bought your items.

Departure and tax refund tips

Departure from France

France airport departure tax refund steps

• If it is a manual costums’ tax refund, the customs will give you two stamped tax refund tickets that you need to send back to the store or tax refund companies(Global Blue, Détaxe etc..) to complete the tax refund steps.
• If the merchant uses the Pabblo electronic tax refund system, you can simply scan your tax return at the departure.

You should note that in the case of customs checks that you must be able to provide them the goods on your tax refund ticket.

Railway station, harbor and highway depqrture’q tax refund steps

It’s the same process, you need to declare tax refund to the Customs at the departure.
Departure from other EU countries

When leaving the country, you will need to declare to customs your purchased items, and return the customs’ ticket to the store where you purchased these items.

This declaration must be sent to your shopping mall or directly to the tax refund company (Global Blue, Détaxe etc..) within 6 months after your return

There are two cases:

• You will complete the tax refund process and get your refund after your return – it could take months !
• Another situation merchants can give you a refund in advance – ( Louvre duty-free shop  could provide tax refund immediatly)

TIPS for tourists exit EU countries :  Always buy your products in a same shop, before your departure! Otherwise, your tax refund process will be multiplied and it could be a waste of time !

You forgot to apply for tax returns at the departure?

When you leave the country and forget to declare your tax refund? It does not matter, Louvre Duty Free Shop will help you to solve these problems!

Departure from France

You will need to apply for a later tax refund request to the customs authorities where you leaved.

Such as the Charles de Gaulle Regional Customs

The website of the relevant French customs authorities is :

Https://pro.douane.gouv.fr/rush/API_Service.asp?sid=&app=

You will need to prepare some notes to explain why you didn’t declare when applying to customs

• The reason that you can not declare at the departure, such as airport traffic jam
• The exact time of your departure, and the name of your departure customs’ authority

At the same time, you need to provide the following documents

• Photocopy of your national ID card or passport
• The proof that your purchased goods is leave the country with you (Your local country’s French consulat can provid an certification which you need to pay about 18 euros, or your country’s customs’ certification)
• Your flight tickets or other tickets that can prove your departure.

 

If you leaved from another EU country , and forget to declare tax refund

You will need to send all the above documents to the following address.

Direction régionale des douanes de Paris
30 rue Raoul Wallenberg
75019 PARIS
Dr-paris@douane.finances.gouv.fr

 

-Paris-Louvre duty free shop’s original shopping guide.

 

Categories: Paris shopping guide