7/29/2019 Vat Refund

1/7

Are you eligible to claima VAT refund?

You are eligible for a VAT refund if:

You normally live outside of the EU

If you live outside of the EU and you are working / studying in theUK, you may still be eligible if you can prove you are leaving the EUfor more than 12 months

EU residents may also qualify if you leave the UK for a destinationoutside of the EU and do not return to the EU within 12 months.

In all cases you must:

Be able to prove that you belong to one of the categories

above by showing the customs ofcial your passport, visaor other documents

Take the goods outside of the EU by the end of the fourth calendarmonth after purchase (eg: goods bought on 1 or 31 January wouldhave to be exported by 30 April).

7/29/2019 Vat Refund

2/7

Are you eligible to claim a VAT* refund?

How do I claim?

You can claim for anything you buyfrom a participating retailers whichhas VAT included in the price, exceptfor the following:

Services (eg hotel bills)

Goods bought online or by mail order

Unmounted gemstones

Consumable goods youve alreadystarted using

Goods that need an export licence(except antiques)

Goods worth over 600, beingexported for business purposes

Goods to be exported as freight.

When you purchase goods, inform the retailer immediately thatyou wish to reclaim VAT. The retailer will give you a VAT RefundForm to complete and sign.

1Get a VAT

refund form

Please ensure you complete the VAT Return Form (sample shown).2

Completethe form

To reclaim VAT on goods that need to be packed into your checkin baggage, go to Customs before Security. They will check andstamp your VAT Refund Form. To collect your refund visit a VAT

refund desk.

It depends on the kind of VAT form youve been given.Some only permit a refund to your credit card, or by chequesent to your home. Others allow a cash refund (there maybe a fee to pay), which can be paid in a different currency.

For further details and opening times, visitheathrow.com/VAT

If youre claiming for jewellery or electrical items worth over250 and the item can be placed in your hand luggage, youmust visit Customs after Security, where they will check andstamp your VAT Refund Form. To collect your refund visit aVAT refund desk.

5Collectyour refund

4Go to Customs

afterSecurity

3Go to Customs

before

Security

If you live outside the European Union you can reclaim UK sales tax (VAT)for many things you buy while visiting Britain. The VAT rate is currently20% so you could make substantial savings.

http://www.heathrow.com/VAThttp://www.heathrow.com/VAThttp://www.heathrow.com/VAT

7/29/2019 Vat Refund

3/7

Sample VAT Return Form

Full Name Permanent Address - not in the EU

County

Passport or ID Number

Issued by the Government of

I arrived in the EU on (DD/MM/YYYY)

Signature

I will leave the EU on (DD/MM/YYYY) Date (DD/MM/YYYY)

My nal destination is (for example Japan, Turkey, USA)

Customer declaration

The information on the is correct.

I am: Not a resident in the EU

A non-EU resident studying or working in the UK who intends to leave theEU for a minimum of 12 months, or

An EU resident who intends to leave the EU for a minimum of 12 months.

I intend to export the goods listed in part B of this form from the EU by the lastday of the third month following todays date.

I am exporting all of the goods (listed in part B) from the EU. I will delete and goods listed inpart B that I decide to leave in the EU before I present this form to customs.

This form must be fully completed. You must produce this form and the goods to customs atthe point of departure from the EU. The form must be stamped by customs in the EU.

Bank / Credit card account number Expiry date (MM / YY)

Mrs Joanne Smith

123456789

1 1

0 30 3

2 0 1 1

2 0 1 2 1 0 2 0 1 1

J.Smith

United States of America

USA

1 3 4 5 5 5 2 5 8 7 6 9 8 5 1 8 1 1

1111 21st StUpper East SideNYC

Washington

Add your passportor identity number

Your naldestination(outsidethe EU)

The date you arrivedin the EU, and yourdeparture date

Name of theCountry whichissued the passport

or ID number

Your permanentaddress (not inthe UK or EU)

Make surethe formis signedand dated

Account details(bank or credit card)and expiry date (fornon-cash refunds only)

Enter yourfull name

7/29/2019 Vat Refund

4/7

Further informationIf you have further questions about the VAT refund scheme, visithmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppingor call the VAT helpline on0845 010 9000.

*In the UK, Value Added Tax (VAT) is charged on many goodsand services. Tax Free Shopping allows travellers leaving theEuropean Union (EU) to get a VAT refund on goods they buyhere and take home. It cannot be used for services.

With the exception of business passengers.

Terminal 1

Security

Up toStar Alliance,British Airways /BMI UK and

Ireland Lounge

UK baggage reclaim

reclaim

age arrivals

Up tolounges

2

43

1

5

2

6

7

4

5

1

1

3

Departures

Zone Y

Customs

To Security

Commercial exportsCash declarationsCustoms enquiries

To Security

VAT refunds

8

9

Customs

VAT refunds

From check-in

From check-in Departures

Departures

After SecurityDepartures

Before SecurityCheck-in

1 Boots

2 American Expressbureau de change

3 Outsize baggageand Zone Y

4 TravelexVAT refunds

5 Travelexbureaude change

6 WHSmith

7 Rolling Luggage

8 World Duty Free

9 Travelex VAT refunds,bureau de changeand cash machines

Bureau de change

Check-in

Security

Public areas

Passenger areas

Terminal 1

heathrow.com Heathrow Airport Limited 2013TRI v1 0113

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.heathrow.com/http://www.heathrow.com/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshopping

7/29/2019 Vat Refund

5/7

66

Down toCheck-In

9 Fromcheck-inafter Security

Customs

VAT refunds

1

1

1

2

5

6

910

7

8

43

Stairs and escalators toTerminals 1, 2, 4 & 5(4 & 5 by train) and

28

29

2726

20

21

19

18

11

10

9

24

3635

3433

32

31

30

1322

2525

2322

DO NOT USE

Stairs and escalatorsup to departures

Opposite the entranceto Zone D the entranceis outside the courtyard

Stairs and escalatorsup to departures

Stairs and escalatorsup to departures

Stairs and escalatorsup to departures

Stairs and escalatorsup to departures

Escalators upto departures

Customs

Red phone in Zone CCustoms enquiriesCommercial export

Entrance

Entrance

VAT refunds11

Further informationIf you have further questions about the VAT refund scheme, visithmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppingor call the VAT helpline on0845 010 9000.

*In the UK, Value Added Tax (VAT) is charged on many goodsand services. Tax Free Shopping allows travellers leaving theEuropean Union (EU) to get a VAT refund on goods they buyhere and take home. It cannot be used for services.

With the exception of business passengers.

1 World Duty Free

2 WHSmith

3 Rolling Luggage

4 Glorious Britain

5 Perfume Gallery

6 World of Whiskies

7 Thomas Pink

8 Sunglass Hut

9 Gucci

10 Herms

11 Travelex VAT refunds

Bureau de change

Check-in

Security

Public areas

Passenger areas

After SecurityDepartures

Before SecurityCheck-in

Terminal 3

heathrow.com Heathrow Airport Limited 2013TRI v1 0113

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.heathrow.com/http://www.heathrow.com/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshopping

7/29/2019 Vat Refund

6/7

Fromcheck-in

32

3

4

5

6

7

Customs

VAT refunds

12

4

10

8

11

6

12

7

Check-inzone B

Check-in

zone C

Check-inzone G

Check-inzone A

Entrance

Entrance

To departures

Toilets

Customs

Commercial exportsCash declarationsCustoms enquiries

Office on Level 1

1

VAT refunds

Use lifts opposite Zone G, closeto Hilton entrance for Level 1VAT refunds

Further informationIf you have further questions about the VAT refund scheme, visithmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppingor call the VAT helpline on0845 010 9000.

*In the UK, Value Added Tax (VAT) is charged on many goodsand services. Tax Free Shopping allows travellers leaving theEuropean Union (EU) to get a VAT refund on goods they buyhere and take home. It cannot be used for services.

With the exception of business passengers.

After SecurityDepartures

(Level 2 Before Security)Check-in

Level 1Before Security

Terminal 4Bureau de change

Check-in

Lifts

Security

Public areas

Passenger areas

1 Travelex VAT refunds

2 Harrods and Harrods Boutiques

3 World Duty Free

4 Harrods and Harrods Boutiques

5 Harrods - Signature Storeand Food Hall

6 Sunglass Hut

7 WHSmith

Customs

VAT refunds

heathrow.com Heathrow Airport Limited 2013TRI v1 0113

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.heathrow.com/http://www.heathrow.com/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshopping

7/29/2019 Vat Refund

7/7

3

From check-in

5

6

7

8

CustomsVAT refunds

*In the UK, Value Added Tax (VAT) is charged on many goodsand services. Tax Free Shopping allows travellers leaving theEuropean Union (EU) to get a VAT refund on goods they buyhere and take home. It cannot be used for services.

With the exception of business passengers.

1 Excess Baggage2 Travelex VAT refunds3 Rolling luggage4 WHSmith5 Boots6 Dixons ADD+

7 HarrodsDepartment Store

8 British AirwaysGalleries lounge south

Bureau de change

Check-in

Security

Public areas

Passenger areas

VAT refunds

Entrance

Entrance

Entrance

1

2

3

4

Customs

To departures

Commecial exportsCash declarations

Further informationIf you have further questions about the VAT refund scheme, visithmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppingor call the VAT helpline on0845 010 9000.

After Security

Departures

Before Security SouthCheck-in

Terminal 5A

heathrow.com Heathrow Airport Limited 2013

TRI v1 0113

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.heathrow.com/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxfreeshoppinghttp://www.heathrow.com/