How to get VAT refunds on your next Europe trip

My wife is French, so I go back to France at least once a year. As with any good Paris trip, it’s always full of wine, cheese and a little too much shopping. 

We buy our fair share of art, shoes and all of our French favorites. We may or may not have once spent $300 on tea, bulking up at Palais des Thés, our favorite shop in Paris. Not to mention all the visits to my wife’s favorite shops and boutiques. 

While we always try to use the Value-Added Tax (VAT) refunds, this year it was remarkably easier to obtain a substantial refund when shopping in France and across Europe. Updated apps and simplified processes make it so simple to claim the money back, saving us up to 18% on many of our purchases! 

You don’t need to give me a license to shop, and saving a few hundred bucks is basically just money towards our next trip. Here’s our advice for navigating the VAT refund process. 

1. Check the requirements of the country (or countries) you are visiting 

VAT rates in Europe can vary from 8.1-27% depending on the country. Several countries also have minimum spend requirements, are restricted to certain sectors, or impose other restrictions. You can check out the rules for your destinations on the Global VAT Compliance website.

Planning tip: Your refund will likely be less than the listed rate because of processing fees, so do keep that in mind before spending 27% above your budget. 

2. Download and make an account on the Global Blue app

It should take less than 10 minutes to download and make an account on Global Blue. You’ll just need to provide your passport information, permanent address, contact information and a method of refund (such as a credit card). 

Planning tip: If you are traveling to France, Belgium or Spain, I also recommend downloading the Zapptax app. It operates similarly to Global Blue, but I found it more user-friendly. It is only available in those three countries, but it’s worth downloading if you’ll be shopping in any of them. 

3. Ask for a VAT receipt whenever you shop 

While I used to associate VAT refunds with high-end luxury stores, nowadays over 300,000 stores across more than 40 countries offer some form of a VAT refund. I was shocked when a tiny leather shoe store in France whipped out a Global Blue scanner. 

You can find eligible stores by looking for a Global Blue logo in the store or by using their online tool. When in doubt, there’s no harm in asking before you check out! 

The merchant will have to fill out the refund document, and they will need your passport to do so. Oftentimes, a photo works in lieu of a physical copy. 

With most purchases, Global Blue will automate the process, allowing you to show the app’s barcode (which you can download to your Apple Wallet) rather than filling out a tax form with every purchase. You may have to fill out a Tax Free Form here and there. 

Planning tip: Using purchased goods before going through customs may affect your refund eligibility. Try to resist the urge to wear your brand new leather shoes out on the town the moment you buy them (difficult, I know). 

4. Keep track of all of your receipts 

In order to make the process easier, I asked for and held onto every receipt. I got copies sent to my email, held onto printed physical copies, and took photos of those physical copies. The most important thing you’ll need is the barcode at the bottom of most receipts, but you won’t need these until you get to the airport. 

Planning tip: Some larger purchases may require additional paperwork. For example, a piece of artwork that I purchased also came with a certificate of authenticity. 

5. Visit a kiosk at the airport 

Head to the airport an hour earlier than usual to make sure you have enough time to go through the customs validation. After customs, you’ll stop by a self-validation kiosk or VAT refund service center. Here, you’ll present your completed Tax Free Form, passport and original purchase receipts for validation. 

The stamping period and rules vary country to country, but you can check where the refund points are on this map. 

Planning tip: If you are leaving the European Union via train, the tax form submission process is slightly different. Larger train stations like Gare du Nord, which is the only station in France that leaves the EU, often have kiosks and refund service centers. However, I recommend checking the app for the exact process for your route. You can also send your forms and receipts in the mail, but I advise making a copy of them before doing so.  

6. Receive your refund 

You should receive the refund with the payment details that you added to your account. If you go to a refund office, you can get a cash payment immediately. Otherwise it can take a few days to a few weeks to process your refund.