GST Refund

[robd]

If you pre register your receipts, you can be in and out in two minutes.

Ahem...... Not in Melbourne today.

Jnr queued for about 35 mins and moved about 3 feet. She reckons, had she stayed, it would have easily taken another 45mins. She gave up.

 

[Cynicor]

Max 10 min on Monday in PER. Good value for my time, considering I had no lounge access (whY on Skyteam!!!).

 

[Lizzi]

Max 10 min on Monday in PER. Good value for my time, considering I had no lounge access (whY on Skyteam!!!).

Yeah I've never seen more than one person in the queue there!

 

[auriga]

Any experience of what is Sydney typically like early mornings? ( say 7.30 to 8am)

 

[kpc]

Any experience of what is Sydney typically like early mornings? ( say 7.30 to 8am)

In my experience, horrible! !

 

[MarkD]

So the general consensus is take your tax invoices, and wing it? If its busy forget it, if quiet get some $$ back I can live with that

 

[Fifa]

I completed the TRS form online and went to the fast track queue in SYD last week only to met by a closed sign on the counter so I retraced my steps and joined the rabble.
Ages later I was finally served and asked what time the other queue opened. The guy said "just line up and we'll serve you next".
I did mention it would be helpful if they removed the closed sign and he just shrugged his shoulders!

 

[burmans]

I completed the TRS form online and went to the fast track queue in SYD last week only to met by a closed sign on the counter so I retraced my steps and joined the rabble.
Ages later I was finally served and asked what time the other queue opened. The guy said "just line up and we'll serve you next".
I did mention it would be helpful if they removed the closed sign and he just shrugged his shoulders!

Ah yes, and some wonder why some are rude about civil servants (note: my wife works for the public service so I know some do a great job but not all!).

 

[clazman]

i think the consensus is the majority ruin it for the minority in the civil service.

 

[JohnK]

Any experience of what is Sydney typically like early mornings? ( say 7.30 to 8am)

It's a mess. I have missed out getting refund a few times. Now go to airport earlier than usual.

 

[11sjw]

Do tell us how we do that?

Like everything these days "There's an App for that!!"

Generates a code that is scanned and it's all done off your iPhone/Android Phone

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Seeking some advice here as have never claimed GST refund before:

1. If item is over AD1,000 refund form must be completed and presented at airport and item in question presented for inspection - is that correct?
2. Once goods 'exported' and inadvertently not handed over to 'giftee' what are peoples experiences of checks / inspections on return?
3. Should said item be removed from original packaging and loaded into checked luggage rather then in hand luggage?

TIA - after a number of meetings involving bucket loads of encouragement from infinity and boomy I have decided to embark on 'a life of crime'!

 

[medhead]

Seeking some advice here as have never claimed GST refund before:

1. If item is over AD1,000 refund form must be completed and presented at airport and item in question presented for inspection - is that correct?
2. Once goods 'exported' and inadvertently not handed over to 'giftee' what are peoples experiences of checks / inspections on return?
3. Should said item be removed from original packaging and loaded into checked luggage rather then in hand luggage?

TIA - after a number of meetings involving bucket loads of encouragement from infinity and boomy I have decided to embark on 'a life of crime'!

1) never heard of a refund form for Australia. Items over $900 or $1000 haveto show your name and address on the tax invoice
2) the legal answer is that you must declare all goods on which you've claimed a GST refund if the total value is over your allowance limit.
3) makes no difference except in the volume that you have to carry. No need to leave things in their packaging.

 

[Cynicor]

Seeking some advice here as have never claimed GST refund before:

1. If item is over AD1,000 refund form must be completed and presented at airport and item in question presented for inspection - is that correct?
2. Once goods 'exported' and inadvertently not handed over to 'giftee' what are peoples experiences of checks / inspections on return?
3. Should said item be removed from original packaging and loaded into checked luggage rather then in hand luggage?

TIA - after a number of meetings involving bucket loads of encouragement from infinity and boomy I have decided to embark on 'a life of crime'!

1. Nothing different. Tax invoices have specific requirements to meet though, as I am sure you are aware.
2. Never had them before, not happened. Use the gates and you'll likely be fine. Or give them to someone else to take back in. Legally- you must declare these things, you horrible criminal. I can't believe you are eve contemplating this when there are starving kids in Africa. Or something.
3. Hand luggage for departing AU, maybe checked if not 'valuables' for arrival. I would remove packaging though, definitely. Used goods depreciate and may be below the limit.

 

[ICUDr]

https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente/Tour/Are-you-a-traveller

This might be of help.

I have done it in 2 different occasions, both times I bought a watch to each of my parents that live overseas. On my return to Australia I wasn't asked or check for anything.

There is a way where the item can be paid in full before departing and then given to you sealed in a plastic bag. You just have to drop a the GST form at the airport.
The advantage of this is that you can leave all the packaging back at home or send it on your checked baggage.
The Hour Glass and the Cartier shops in Brisbane did it for me.

 

[coriander]

I went to the US in October, claiming TRS on a camera ($1200), wedding ring ($2500) and set of Bose QC25 headphones ($330). On my return, ticked the box ">$900". I presented my card to the Border Force (BF) person on exit, he looked at it and asked me "what have you got?". I replied, "camera, wedding ring, QC25s." BF person "Great headphones, aren't they?" and waved me through. In Jan 2015 my son claimed TRS on a Macbook Pro, declared it coming in, was asked if he'd used it, said yes, off you go was the reply.

In the olden days before e-kiosks and smart-tickets, we took a family holiday and I had claimed TRS on a new dSLR & lens ~$3200 (and memory cards ~ $300 on a separate invoice). I ticked the ">$800" box and the lady at the immigration point asked what have you got. I told her SLR and lens because they were the expensive items, totally forgetting about the memory cards (expensive in those days!). I said I thought I was under the pooled family allowance (5 of us @ $800). I was shocked to be then told that the three kids were only "worth" $400, so my allowance was actually $2800 and that the total of my purchases was actually about $3500 (she could see my claim on her screen obviously linked to my passport number). No matter, customs officer said, you've been honest, off you go, no charge. WHEW!

With the large numbers of people entering Australia and the levels of automation now on incoming arrivals, I guess it'd be easy to not claim and you'd probably get away with it. Much like touching on with a myki - I've not been checked in the past two years, but still I ALWAYS touch on. Likewise, I always declare ">900" and have never had to pay back GST.

YMMV.

 

[coriander]

The advantage of this is that you can leave all the packaging back at home or send it on your checked baggage.

TRS officers only want to see the actual item - they don't care about packaging, cables, chargers, batteries. We've always taken advantage of the TRS facility to upgrade our cameras and phones.

There is a way where the item can be paid in full before departing and then given to you sealed in a plastic bag. You just have to drop a the GST form at the airport.

That's generally only for large items, eg surfboards that are inspected before they go in the checked baggage. Small items in sealed bags are non-existent nowadays - I haven't seen one since at least 2008: IIRC, that was in the (very) olden days when there were dedicated duty-free shops. Nowadays with every shop issuing a tax invoice there's no need for a sealed bag - plus the airport is no longer full of packaging rubbish after the duty-free invoice collection point.

 

[coriander]

Seeking some advice here as have never claimed GST refund before:

1. If item is over AD1,000 refund form must be completed and presented at airport and item in question presented for inspection - is that correct?

Not quite. You can claim GST back on any invoice over $300. The requirements are: a Tax Invoice bearing the ABN of the merchant and the total amount. If the Tax Invoice is over $1000 the Tax Invoice additionally must have your name (as it's written in your passport) and address (they can't check this address on the spot, though) on the invoice.

Should said item be removed from original packaging

No packaging required, just the item must be in your possession and available for inspection by TRS officer.

Edit: use the TRS app available from the Play Store or App Store: it simplifies your life.
Edit 2: Just did the TRS app procedure for a camera I'm taking out in a few weeks and I mistyped the ABN - app immediately told me invalid ABN (so it must have a "valid ABN" algorithm built-in).

Sorry for all the posts, but I've been claiming duty-free and GST since the early 80s on every trip OS, so am "suppository of information" based on personal experience.

 

[medhead]

TRS officers only want to see the actual item - they don't care about packaging, cables, chargers, batteries. We've always taken advantage of the TRS facility to upgrade our cameras and phones.


That's generally only for large items, eg surfboards that are inspected before they go in the checked baggage. Small items in sealed bags are non-existent nowadays - I haven't seen one since at least 2008: IIRC, that was in the (very) olden days when there were dedicated duty-free shops. Nowadays with every shop issuing a tax invoice there's no need for a sealed bag - plus the airport is no longer full of packaging rubbish after the duty-free invoice collection point.

A sealed bag is still an option from duty free shops, which still exist. (even if it's not that common) I didn't think issuing a tax invoice was the important part, more that duty free shops are allowed to sell items without charging tax, provided they do all the paperwork. If someone does get a sealed bag with all the required paperwork, then there is no need for them to show the items, in theory, provided they hand over the paperwork at the airport.

 

[phily]

1. Once goods 'exported' and inadvertently not handed over to 'giftee' what are peoples experiences of checks / inspections on return?
2. Should said item be removed from original packaging and loaded into checked luggage rather then in hand luggage?

You should declare such items on your return if they're worth more than $900, but if you don't then Customs are unlikely to be aware that you got a GST refund on your departure unless they decide for some other reason to do a full inspection and audit of your luggage etc.

Always remove packaging from anything that you're declaring and not wanting to pay duty if the value is over $900. If it's used, then the value is immediately depreciated by 20%.