Claiming VAT back when leaving the country

[RAZZELL]

I live in Thailand on a Non-O.

 

I am thinking about traveling back to the UK around Christmas/New Year.

 

If I buy some presents etc or maybe an expensive watch can I claim the VAT back at the Airport?

 

On this link http://vrtweb.rd.go.th/index.php/en/component/vrt/main?layout=faq

 

it states:

 

"Refunds will not be granted if you reside in Thailand or your stay exceeds 180 days."

 

Is this correct?

 

 

Many thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DrJoy]

I am not sure but VAT refunds are only for Tourists.

[RAZZELL]

29 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

I am not sure but VAT refunds are only for Tourists.

I am not sure that is strictly true.

 

When the UK had a VAT Retail Export Scheme, even a UK citizen was allowed to claim the VAT back if they could prove the goods were being exported for a certain period, from memory it was 18 months.

 

 

RAZZ

Edited September 2, 2021 by RAZZELL

[CharlieH]

Reside, or stay more than 180 after the purchase.

 

Thats my understanding.

 

So, if you have a visa that shows you reside here and you are returning (re entry permit) then I would say NO.

Is the small % worth the hassle ?

 

 

[RAZZELL]

4 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Reside, or stay more than 180 after the purchase.

 

Thats my understanding.

 

So, if you have a visa that shows you reside here and you are returning (re entry permit) then I would say NO.

Is the small % worth the hassle ?

 

 

Well, 7%, if they refund the whole amount or perhaps 6.5% (after admin fees) of a high value watch is worth it.

 

 

RAZZ

[Upnotover]

3 minutes ago, RAZZELL said:

Well, 7%, if they refund the whole amount or perhaps 6.5% (after admin fees) of a high value watch is worth it.

 

 

RAZZ

A high value watch in Thailand is likely to be rather more expensive than the same thing in the UK in my experience, even with the difference in VAT rates.  And don't forget you are in theory liable for import tax and VAT in the UK if the total of such items exceeds £390 in value.  A THB 100,000 watch would cost you £489.18.  If you declare it or not is of course up to you.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, DrJoy said:

I am not sure but VAT refunds are only for Tourists.

That was certainly true when I was a tourist and claiming VAT refund on exit. It stated it clearly on the form.

[DrJoy]

Thailand VAT refund rejection grounds-

• A claimant carries a diplomatic Passport and/or resides in Thailand.
• A claimant is an airline crew member that is on duty when departs Thailand.
• A claimant did not depart Thailand from an international airport. 
  A claimant did not carry the goods out of Thailand on the departure date.
• Goods were not taken out of Thailand within 60 days from the date of purchase. The purchase date is counted as the first day. 
  Goods were taken out of Thailand without inspected by a Customs officer.
• luxury goods were taken out of Thailand without inspected by a Revenue officer.
• The total value of purchase is less than 2,000 baht per day per store.
• The VAT Refund Application for Tourist form (P.P. 10) was not issued on the date of purchase.
• The name or passport number on the original tax invoices that are enclosed to the VAT Refund Application for Tourist form (P.P. 10) is not a claimant.
• The original tax invoices were not enclosed to the VAT Refund Application for Tourist form ( P.P. 10).
• Goods were not purchased from the shops participating in the VAT refund for tourists scheme.
• The tax invoices were not issued from a store that mentioned on the form. 

[DrJoy]

3 hours ago, RAZZELL said:

I am not sure that is strictly true.

 

When the UK had a VAT Retail Export Scheme, even a UK citizen was allowed to claim the VAT back if they could prove the goods were being exported for a certain period, from memory it was 18 months.

 

 

RAZZ

Vat Refund for Tourists conditions- 

Goods must be purchased from stores displaying the "VAT REFUND FOR TOURISTS" sign.

 

Goods must take out of Thailand with the traveler within 60 days from the date of purchase.

 

Goods must be purchased at least 2,000 baht (VAT included) per day per store.

 

On the purchasing date, tourists must present Passport and ask the sales assistant to issue the VAT Refund Application for Tourists form (P.P.10) with the original tax invoices. 

 

Tourists must present the goods and VAT Refund Application for Tourists form (P.P.10) with original tax invoices to a Customs officer for inspection before check-in. 

 

In case of luxury goods (jewelry, gold, ornaments, watches, glasses, and pens of which the value is over 10,000 baht), the tourist is required to hand carry and show the goods again at the VAT Refund for Tourists

Office, after passing the immigration checkpoint. 

Tourists can claim a VAT refund at the VAT Refund for Tourists Counter at an international airport, or drop the documents into the box in front of the VAT Refund for Tourists office, or mail the documents  to the Revenue Department of Thailand. 

[DrJoy]

Who can claim a VAT refund

1. Those who are not Thai nationality 
2. Those who don't have domicile in Thailand. 
3. Those who are not an airline crew member departing Thailand on duty. 
4. Depart Thailand from an international airport. 
5. Purchase goods from stores displaying a "VAT REFUND FOR TOURISTS" sign. 
6. Present the goods and VAT Refund Application for Tourist Form (P.P.10) and original tax invoices to the Customs officer before check-in at the airline counter on the departure date.

[impulse]

3 hours ago, Upnotover said:

A high value watch in Thailand is likely to be rather more expensive than the same thing in the UK in my experience, even with the difference in VAT rates.  And don't forget you are in theory liable for import tax and VAT in the UK if the total of such items exceeds £390 in value.  A THB 100,000 watch would cost you £489.18.  If you declare it or not is of course up to you.

He may or may not be able to get back the VAT at departure, but he won't get back the exorbitant Thailand luxury import duties.

 

If you're gifting a watch, buy it back home and save a bunch of coin.  Unless it's a fake Rolex.  Those are cheaper in Thailand.

 

[Mbolo]

I have gotten VAT refund on goods and I'm on a retirement visa...been here years.

[RAZZELL]

9 hours ago, impulse said:

He may or may not be able to get back the VAT at departure, but he won't get back the exorbitant Thailand luxury import duties.

 

If you're gifting a watch, buy it back home and save a bunch of coin.  Unless it's a fake Rolex.  Those are cheaper in Thailand.

 

I'm afraid you are not correct. With the current £ / baht exchange rate prices are nearly exactly the same or sometimes cheaper.

 

Eg. Rolex Yachtmaster 2 UK rrp £9550 Thai price less than £9200.

 

So if I got the Vat back I'd save maybe £950.

 

RAZZ

 

 

Edited September 3, 2021 by RAZZELL

[LivinLOS]

25 minutes ago, RAZZELL said:

I'm afraid you are not correct. With the current £ / baht exchange rate prices are nearly exactly the same or sometimes cheaper.

 

Eg. Rolex Yachtmaster 2 UK rrp £9550 Thai price less than £9200.

 

So if I got the Vat back I'd save maybe £950.

 

RAZZ

 

 

There were usually ways of getting VAT free rolex's.. I used to have a good way.. Hell I think I have the card of the rolex shop in T5 heathrow which would be worth a try for next trip. 

[RAZZELL]

6 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

There were usually ways of getting VAT free rolex's.. I used to have a good way.. Hell I think I have the card of the rolex shop in T5 heathrow which would be worth a try for next trip. 

I'm not sure how the VAT is working now at the Airports...the one at Heathrow is owned by Watches of Switzerland.

 

The original Retail UK scheme has now ended.

 

RAZZ

 

 

[AlQaholic]

Even as a tourist, good luck with the @!!@$ queue at the airport:)

 

[jomtienisgood]

15 hours ago, DrJoy said:

I am not sure but VAT refunds are only for Tourists.

Indeed, as OP published the context issued on a Government site.... 

[RAZZELL]

11 hours ago, jomtienisgood said:

Indeed, as OP published the context issued on a Government site.... 

Yes, but I know a guy who has claimed on a Retirement extension. Hence the question.

 

 

[RAZZELL]

11 hours ago, AlQaholic said:

Even as a tourist, good luck with the @!!@$ queue at the airport:)

 

If you're talking about Heathrow...the queues are only for those with kids as they can't use the electronic biometric machines.

 

 

 

[jomtienisgood]

14 hours ago, RAZZELL said:

Yes, but I know a guy who has claimed on a Retirement extension. Hence the question.

 

 

I understand and not saying it is not true BUT there is a big difference between claiming and obtaining... 

[impulse]

On 9/2/2021 at 8:03 PM, RAZZELL said:

I'm afraid you are not correct. With the current £ / baht exchange rate prices are nearly exactly the same or sometimes cheaper.

 

Eg. Rolex Yachtmaster 2 UK rrp £9550 Thai price less than £9200.

 

So if I got the Vat back I'd save maybe £950.

 

RAZZ

Interesting that the cheapest Yachtmaster 2 on Amazon is $19,000 in the USA.  Rolex websites states list price is $18,750.

 

I wouldn't touch one in Thailand listed at half of that amount.  Even used.

 

Edit:  Just to add, the idea of saving about 10% by buying a luxury watch in a country where you'd have no recourse if its provenance were proven "questionable" seems like false economy.  Especially if it was a gift, as in the OP.

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by impulse

[RAZZELL]

28 minutes ago, impulse said:

Interesting that the cheapest Yachtmaster 2 on Amazon is $19,000 in the USA.  Rolex websites states list price is $18,750.

 

I wouldn't touch one in Thailand listed at half of that amount.  Even used.

 

Edit:  Just to add, the idea of saving about 10% by buying a luxury watch in a country where you'd have no recourse if its provenance were proven "questionable" seems like false economy.  Especially if it was a gift, as in the OP.

 

 

I hardly think Cortina, KingPower, Nam Sawang, PMT, Siam Swiss, Sirichai or Time Midas, will sell a "questionable" watch...they are all official Rolex dealers.

 

Yachtmaster 2

 

List price in Thailand 410,400 baht. (If you can get one)

 

https://www.namsawang.com/en/yacht-master

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by RAZZELL

[LongTimeLurker]

On 9/2/2021 at 6:21 PM, RAZZELL said:

I am not sure that is strictly true.

 

When the UK had a VAT Retail Export Scheme, even a UK citizen was allowed to claim the VAT back if they could prove the goods were being exported for a certain period, from memory it was 18 months.

 

 

RAZZ

But from the times I took advantage of that you had to show that you were not a resident of UK at the time of purchase, so effectively 'a tourist'.

[LongTimeLurker]

On 9/2/2021 at 7:05 PM, CharlieH said:

Reside, or stay more than 180 after the purchase.

 

Thats my understanding.

 

So, if you have a visa that shows you reside here and you are returning (re entry permit) then I would say NO.

Is the small % worth the hassle ?

 

 

I disagree, it's 180 days BEFORE the purchase, as after 180 days you are considered a resident for tax purposes.

[LongTimeLurker]

On 9/2/2021 at 7:11 PM, RAZZELL said:

Well, 7%, if they refund the whole amount or perhaps 6.5% (after admin fees) of a high value watch is worth it.

 

 

RAZZ

If you're returning here, buy the watch in UK and you get 20% back instead of only 7%!!!

[MrJ2U]

On 9/2/2021 at 5:53 PM, DrJoy said:

I am not sure but VAT refunds are only for Tourists.

Lots of paperwork.

 

Its kind of like going to immigration after a long holiday.

 

I buy a lot of watches and I find them cheaper anywhere but Thailand.

 

Try Amazon. UK .

Great selection and plenty of promotions and discounts.

There real also.

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by MrJ2U

[RAZZELL]

11 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

If you're returning here, buy the watch in UK and you get 20% back instead of only 7%!!!

No, you don't. You obviously haven't read the thread. The Retail Export Scheme ended. I'm not even sure what the "vat free" shops in the Duty Free are charging now?

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/duty-free-extended-to-the-eu-from-january-2021

 

VAT Retail Export Scheme

As part of these changes, VAT refunds for overseas visitors in British shops will be removed. Overseas visitors will still be able to buy items VAT-free in store and have them sent direct to their overseas addresses, while the costly system of claiming VAT refunds on items they take home in their luggage will be ended.

 

 

And by the way the companies that ran the scheme like Global Blue took an admin fee of around 3.5% so you never got back the full 20% - even at the airport it never seemed to be the full 20%!

 

RAZZ

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by RAZZELL

[RAZZELL]

11 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Lots of paperwork.

 

Its kind of like going to immigration after a long holiday.

 

I buy a lot of watches and I find them cheaper anywhere but Thailand.

 

Try Amazon. UK .

Great selection and plenty of promotions and discounts.

There real also.

 

 

 

Amazon sell Rolex?

 

RAZZ

[jomtienisgood]

13 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

If you're returning here, buy the watch in UK and you get 20% back instead of only 7%!!!

Probably correct but you never get the full VAT return..... 

[RAZZELL]

59 minutes ago, jomtienisgood said:

Probably correct but you never get the full VAT return..... 

It's NOT correct! Did you read the links?

 

How many times do I have to post...THE RETAIL VAT SCHEME HAS ENDED IN THE UK.

 

You can no longer claim the VAT back in the UK and take items back in your luggage...only way to do it is to get the product shipped to your overseas address.

 

 

A few more links:

 

https://www.cityam.com/brexit-impact-heathrow-loses-legal-bid-over-end-of-tax-free-shopping-for-tourists/

 

https://news.sky.com/story/burberry-warns-on-uk-sales-impact-of-axing-vat-free-shopping-12193526

 

 

 

RAZZ

Edited September 5, 2021 by RAZZELL