Celine Sunglasses - Post Any Pictures and Questions Here!
- Thread starter Fran0421
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I also emailed her in french and got a response... I haven't responded yet b/c the whole SS # and passport thing really doesn't smell right to me. I've ordered from foreign retailers before and have never been asked for this. Call me paranoid, but I'm def going to ask my attorney first.
It's for the VAT refund...I've bought things before in person at printemps and in order to get your VAT back when you leave the country you have to have your passport and proof that you are a US citizen...so it makes some sense to me. You would normally be supplying US customs with this information anyway.
it might depend on where in the US you live, but she told me 35 euro to California
Yeah, since we're not physically there to do the paperwork ourselves (it has to be done before you leave the country), they just take it off to make it easier. I'm not 100% sure, but I think the actual VAT refund comes from the store itself that you purchased from, so ff this is the case, then it makes sense that they would adjust the price for you without it.
The reason that you've ordered internationally before and never had to deal with this (as have I) is because this kind of thing is only available in the bigger dept stores in Paris (Galeries Lafayette and Printemps) as a courtesy if you spend more than 175 euros in one store. It's all pretty confusing and I know that it feels strange to need to disclose that information but having purchased from the B&M store too I noticed that they needed the same stuff for all the forms. I imagine if you wanted to opt out of your VAT refund you would not have to supply it.
Thnx hun!
Has anyone else ordered from her recently? I think I'm going to take the plunge and just do it, but she hasn't gotten back to me for a few days...
No, it makes zero sense. I order from Paris & other overseas boutiques more frequently than I shop in the US! I have never once provided my passport, let alone a copy of my social security card. And frankly, what if a non-US citizen - a resident alien - wanted to order? IE my parents? They couldn't? That doesn't make sense, either.
Maybe I'm a bit irked because I won't be able to order from that particular boutique, but I just think that what they are asking is a major breach of privacy. I really think that identity theft/etc. should be taken very seriously.
ITA.
I have shopped overseas on numerous occasions and this is a first. Passport AND SS CARD?!
