Best way to 'detax' after H in Europe
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I am going to Paris soon. Given the concerns about the departure areas of airports not being secure I wonder if it is wise to just skip the vat process at the airport and take care of it at the embassy when I return.
If anyone has gone through the process at the embassy could you please summarize how you did it and what your experience was like?
Many thanks.
If anyone has gone through the process at the embassy could you please summarize how you did it and what your experience was like?
Many thanks.
I had to do this last year with a B purchase from Switzerland. I got bad info from St Mortiz local Global Blue office about reciprocity from purchases between CH and EU and left via Milan (EU).
Luckily, I live in a city that has a CH Counsel office, not an Embassy. I contacted them and they needed a few days to get with their counterparts to figure out what to do (they had never been confronted with this). After a few days, they had me stop into their office to show proof of the bag along with receipts for verification. They then contacted the Embassy official in San Francisco and confirmed purchase and import. I then FedExed my receipts for official stamp to SF Embassy, they did their thing and sent back to me.
I submitted it to Global Blue and got my refund about 30 days later.
They were so great!
DeTaxing at Orly:
In the West Terminal, Pablo is located on the bottom floor near "H" Gate (how appropriate
).
Pablo rejected my scanned barcode, so I used the phone to call for assistance. The first person I spoke with insisted that I had to be there 2 hours prior to departure. I explained that my flight was in 1.5 hours, how I please have an agent stamp my form. she said "hold on" and hang up on me. (I thought I was on hold, but later found out that she hung up.) I called again and spoke to a different agent who said he'd be there in a 10 minutes. Didn't take that long. He didn't even look at my purchases, but he examined the form, my boarding ticket and passport. Got the stamp.
Quite a hassle!
In the West Terminal, Pablo is located on the bottom floor near "H" Gate (how appropriate
).Pablo rejected my scanned barcode, so I used the phone to call for assistance. The first person I spoke with insisted that I had to be there 2 hours prior to departure. I explained that my flight was in 1.5 hours, how I please have an agent stamp my form. she said "hold on" and hang up on me. (I thought I was on hold, but later found out that she hung up.) I called again and spoke to a different agent who said he'd be there in a 10 minutes. Didn't take that long. He didn't even look at my purchases, but he examined the form, my boarding ticket and passport. Got the stamp.
Quite a hassle!
Ladies so all I need to do is request for the detox forms at the stores and take them to the airport. Is it mailed there for the credit card rebate? Also how early do I need to be at the airport?
Yes. Request the forms. At the stores. You will need to bring your passport for the paperwork. I would get to the airport 3 hours prior to an international flight to be safe. Use the Pablo machine to scan your forms. Any that are rejected (usually the expensive ones) you will need to take to the agent to scan so do all of this before you check your luggage because they might ask to see your items. Also print out your boarding pass at the hotel. They might want to see this.
Once scanned by either method there are boxes for the different tax refund services or the mail right there. If it goes in the mail make sure it has postage. One of my stores forgot the stamp so I got one from my concierge.
Many stores will offer you the option of cash back at the airport or on your credit card. For some you get the same rate. For others you get more if you take it on your card. If you asked for cash, rather than mailing the form you take it to the cash window to get your cash.
For any of the forms I send off for credit card refunds I take photos with my phone to save because I have sometimes not received my refund and had to inquire about it. Both times it was premier service center and Chanel purchases. Since there is no physical stamp applied any more you can take the photos ahead of time in your hotel rather than at the airport. You will then have the reference numbers.
One more tip if you are from the US. Declare everything you bought because now that everything is computerized the customs agents in the US can instantly call up your vat forms from Europe and tell if you didn't declare something.
I hope this helps.
Heathrow has detax after security as well as before, at least in T2. So if your last stop is London, do that. Although, not to go off topic, I don't think it's much more dangerous before security, sadly.
Thanks. I have already returned. Cdg was fine. I didn't dilly dally but did what I needed to do.
Thanks. And mine was intended to address the original question I posted which you tagged- did it seem safe to do all of this at cdg,
I'm not sure this is accurate. Can you share what kind of agent told you this? I heard from an agent at this time US customs can not see your detaxe info from the Pablo service or French detaxe. Definitely not an issue if you don't claim the detaxe.