Changes to Tourist Refund Scheme come into effect tomorrow

[SteveJohnson]

"The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) has been overhauled to allow travellers to claim a GST rebate on purchases under $300, along with doubling the buy-before-you-fly period."

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4646.asp

 

[jetlagger]

"The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) has been overhauled to allow travellers to claim a GST rebate on purchases under $300, along with doubling the buy-before-you-fly period."

Tourist Refund Scheme

I surely anticipate the TRS refund booths at the international airports have/will expand in sizing & staff levels to accommodate the increased patronage for the revised scheme. :shock:

 

[kpc]

Great news for travellers but customs officials hate it !! Will need to allow plenty of time to claim as the Qs will only get longer....potentially eating into F lounge time

 

[dajop]

Great news for travellers but customs officials hate it !! Will need to allow plenty of time to claim as the Qs will only get longer....potentially eating into F lounge time

I don't think it will have a massive impact, as the total still needs to above $300, and all purchases making up that $300 total still need to come from the same store/ABN receipt.

 

[whatmeworry]

Just remember instead of 30 days it is now 60 days! This will help when you need to upgrade a laptop or find a good sale!

 

[Alanslegal]

Just remember instead of 30 days it is now 60 days! This will help when you need to upgrade a laptop or find a good sale!

The doubling of time window is a great improvement/benefit

 

[JohnK]

And many times I find the queues at SYD airport (before midday) are way too long and there is simply not enough time from the time check-in opens to the cut-off before departure.

Way too many people and way too long to process each person and not enough customs officers on duty.

There has to be an easier way. Or perhaps that is the point.

 

[Pleb Status]

I have only ever had to fight with the tumbleweeds when using the TRS at PER Int.

 

[simongr]

The original link doesn't work.

I haven't had many issues with the scheme here - much smaller queues than LHR.

 

[Cynicor]

I have only ever had to fight with the tumbleweeds when using the TRS at PER Int.

Very true. I don't know if I've ever seen a queue at PER, at most maybe 1 other person there. I wonder what the customs officers do with the spare time?

 

[JessicaTam]

The original link doesn't work.

I haven't had many issues with the scheme here - much smaller queues than LHR.

Try this link.

MEL queues have never been too long - anything is better than the SIN system of queuing twice!

 

[AdMEL]

Could someone please elaborate on what the actual changes are - I'm not familiar with how it previously worked!

 

[simongr]

That new link is great thanks.

Key changes:

Travellers can claim through the tourist refund scheme on purchases made up to 60 days before leaving Australia (under old regulations they had 30 days). This will apply to sales made on or after 17 April 2013.
Travellers can submit more than one tax invoice to make their claim, as long as each is a valid tax invoice from the one Australian Business Number retailer and the total value of goods purchased is $300 or more (including GST).

This basically means that people can buy multiple items in one store and not have to pay for all items on one receipt. I see this most useful for example if you buy an ipad in store then go back and buy a cover and some headphones which themselves were less than $300.

 

[Alanslegal]

A soft bump

I bought an ultrabook for my sister on the week, it cost $1120. The invoice has my name and address on it.

Now, my sister wants to take it overseas in a few weeks and get the GST back. Is it possible given the invoice on my name?

 

[markis10]

A soft bump

I bought an ultrabook for my sister on the week, it cost $1120. The invoice has my name and address on it.

Now, my sister wants to take it overseas in a few weeks and get the GST back. Is it possible given the invoice on my name?

Very nice of you to buy your sister an ultra book for her trip. Just let her know her duty free allowance coming in will be $900-800 for the laptop value after depreciation), so $100 for everything else.

 

[burmans]

A soft bump

I bought an ultrabook for my sister on the week, it cost $1120. The invoice has my name and address on it.

Now, my sister wants to take it overseas in a few weeks and get the GST back. Is it possible given the invoice on my name?

Unfortunately the website states

You should note that it is a legal requirement that the person who purchases the goods must be the person who makes the claim for a refund of GST.

 

[kpc]

A soft bump

I bought an ultrabook for my sister on the week, it cost $1120. The invoice has my name and address on it.

Now, my sister wants to take it overseas in a few weeks and get the GST back. Is it possible given the invoice on my name?

Unfortunately the website states

You should note that it is a legal requirement that the person who purchases the goods must be the person who makes the claim for a refund of GST.

If the invoice is in your name Alan, then you have to claim the GST back, not your sister....can you get the shop to change the invoice to her name? (probably not, I suspect)

 

[Fifa]

You may get lucky...
My daughter claimed the gst back on an ipad mini that her boyfriend had given her for Christmas.
The receipt was in his name but she just handed it over with the ipad and her passport, fluttered her eyelashes at to the two TRS guys and received the refund, no questions asked!