Australian Tourist Refund Scheme
The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) allows Australian citizens and overseas tourists to claim a refund on goods purchased in Australia and brought overseas: 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST) or 14.5% Wine Equalisation Tax (WET). Tax (WET). Note that working airline and marine personnel are not eligible for refunds under TRS requirements.
In Australia, there is a formula for calculating the tax refund amount for purchases, i.e. As long as you have purchased something within Australia and completed your tax refund on departure. It is equivalent to purchasing it at a 90% discount. And do those who have not refunded tax on their previous purchases feel they have missed out on a billion dollars?
The Conditions for Tax Refund
- Must be purchased within 60 days before departure, subject to the tax invoice issued by the merchant.
- You can apply for a tax refund if the total amount of the valid invoice (including GST/WET) from the same shop is AUD300 or above. Making purchases on the same occasion or simultaneously is unnecessary. As long as the ABN (Australia Business Number) numbers on the invoices are the same, you can accumulate the amount of spending to participate in the tax refund. Some Australian chain shops have the same ABN number even though the shops differ.
Valid tax invoices include the following:
- Contains the words “Tax Invoice”;
- The merchant’s Australian Business Number (ABN);
- The name of the merchant;
- Purchase price of the goods, including the GST paid;
- Description of the item;
- Date of purchase.
- Items purchased on the official website of Australia can also participate in the tax refund, but be sure to ask for the purchase invoice in advance and the name on the invoice is the same as the tax refund.
- Valuable items, luxury goods and watches must be refunded by the purchaser himself/herself. This requirement means that the buyer’s name, address, email or passport number must be stated on the invoice if the invoice is over AUD$1000. It also requires a real-name refund, meaning the name on the invoice must match the name of the person making the refund.
What Goods Are Not Refundable?
- Beer, spirits, cigarettes, tobacco, cigars, etc.
- Items already duty-free or zero GST/WET on the receipt are not refundable (e.g. health medicines, food, etc.).
- Service purchases, e.g. car hire, accommodation, travel insurance, etc.
- Gift cards or vouchers for local use in Australia.
- Goods imported into Australia via the Internet.
- Used goods, e.g. clothing, perfume, chocolates and other unwrapped food items.
Australia Tax Refund Procedure
Before you can get a tax refund, you need to prepare the following items: a passport, items to be refunded, a valid tax invoice (Tax invoice) and a credit/debit card. There are two ways to get a tax refund in Australia: Airport Tax Refund and TRS Official App Tax Refund.
Airport Tax Refund
1: Tax refunds have two types, depending on whether the size and liquid capacity of the goods purchased meet the requirements of the airport security check.
Items that can be carried on board the plane must be processed at the tax refund counter in the terminal after passing the security check, including all handbags, wallets, sunglasses, etc. All jewellery and watches. Small electronic products include mobile phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, etc.
Oversized items and items that must be checked in must first go to the Customs & Australia Quarantine Office upon arrival at the airport, where they will be inspected by Australian Customs staff and stamped on the relevant original valid tax invoice before boarding and checking in. After the security check, proceed to the tax refund counter in the waiting area with your stamp.
2: Check-in and security check. Check-in, check-out, fill out your exit card, go through security checks, and go through border control, which is the same in every country.
3: Find the counter labelled TRS in the airport after the security check. Present your passport, boarding pass, original tax invoice (not yet stamped), stamped invoice, and the goods you are waiting for a tax refund at the TRS counter. Sometimes, the staff must make a copy of your passport and boarding pass. For example, if you are applying for a refund of tens of thousands of Australian dollars in goods,
4: Choose the payment method for your tax refund:
Credit/Debit Card (Amex, Diners, JCB, MasterCard, Visa);
Australian bank account;
Cheque (paid in different currencies).
5: Wait for Australian Customs to proceed with the refund operation, which will typically be processed within five working days for credit/debit card and Australian bank account refunds and within 15 working days for postal cheques.
Tax Refund Locations for TRS at Various Airports in Australia:
Perth Airport: the customer service office is located at the Qantas Customer Service Compliance Desk near the escalator.
Cairns Airport: Customer Service is located on the right-hand side of the CHECK-IN counter.
Adelaide Airport: Customer Service is located near the escalator.
Brisbane Airport: Customer Service is located near the car park walkway.
Darwin Airport: Customer Service is located on the far right-hand side of the concourse.
Melbourne Airport T2: Customer Service is located near the escalator on the right-hand side of the concourse.
Sydney Airport T1: Customer Service is located by the escalator behind the concourse.
If you are worried about getting a tax refund at the airport window, you will encounter a crowded queue. Then, you may wish to download a tax refund magic tool on your mobile phone: Tourist Refund Scheme, referred to as TRS. Then, with the generated two-dimensional code, you can easily apply for the tax refund through the fast channel to shorten the process.
TRS App Tax Refund Process
1: Open the app and click “Information” on the top.
2: Click on “My Travel Details” and enter the interface to fill in your personal information; fill in your passport country, passport number, whether or not you are an Australian citizen, and the time of departure.
3: Next, click “My Invoice” and enter your invoice information, including ABN, invoice number, and invoice date.
In the “My Invoice Items” section below, you must select the type and amount of items you want to refund.
4: Click on “My Payment Details” again and choose your tax refund method; you can choose from a credit card, Australian bank card and cheque. A credit card is the easiest and fastest way to get your tax refund, and I recommend it!
5: Once you have completed all the above steps, click “Show My Application” and tick “I Agree.” You will be given a QR Code when you leave the country. You can use the QR Code on your mobile phone, ticket and passport to get your tax refund through the fast track.
Australia Tax Refund Tips
- There is a TRS counter before and after customs. The first one is for the staff to check the tax refund goods that need to be transported and then stamp on the invoice, while the counter after the customs is for tax refund!
- You should go to the airport 90 minutes before getting your tax refund. That is to say, change your boarding pass, check-in luggage, then the security check, out of customs, into the TRS tax refund hall queue when you want to be 90 minutes from the departure time of your flight!
- According to industry practice, tax refund counters will stop processing 30 minutes before flight departure. You should reserve time to avoid delaying your trip. You must leave the tax refund counter 30 minutes before departure to avoid missing the flight.
- If you buy duty-free goods in advance in DFS Duty-Free in Australia, the items bought will be sealed in a plastic bag. The critical thing to note here is that because these items are already duty-free, there is no need for a refund. You can safely and securely pack them in your luggage without carrying them.
FAQ
The Australia Shopping Tax Refund Guide is a comprehensive resource that provides valuable information on how international visitors can claim tax refunds on their eligible purchases made in Australia.
Non-resident international visitors who have made purchases in Australia and meet specific criteria are generally eligible for a tax refund. This includes tourists, students, and working holiday visa holders.
The amount you can receive as a tax refund depends on the goods purchased and the total value of those goods. Generally, you can expect a refund of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) component, which is 10% of the purchase price.
There are various ways to claim a tax refund in Australia, including at the airport before departing or through a tax refund agency. You must follow the specific instructions provided by the retailer or the agency to process your refund successfully.
Not all purchases are eligible for a tax refund. Generally, purchases of goods that will be taken out of Australia within a specified time frame and meeting specific minimum purchase requirements are eligible for a refund.
