Australian Tax Refund Guide

When shopping in Australia, most goods are subject to a goods and services tax (GST) of approximately 10% or a wine tax (WET) of 14.5%, and TRS (Tourist Refund Scheme) is a benefit that people who shop in Australia can enjoy!

What conditions must be met to get a tax refund?

• The purchase date of the product must be60 days before departure, the tax invoice issued by the merchant shall prevail;
• If you shop at the same store once or multiple times, the correspondingValid invoiceAmount (including GST/WET)Cumulative amount is AUD 300 or more;
• Products inGST/WET paid during purchase, tax refunds cannot be processed for goods that are not subject to tax.

A valid invoice must contain:

• The words "Tax Invoice"
• Business Name
• The business's Australian Business Number (ABN)
• The purchase price of the goods, including GST paid
• Product description and date of purchase

Additionally, tax invoices for purchases of AUD 1,000 or more must show both the buyer’s name and address.

What is the tax refund process?

The tax refund counters at all major airports are open 24 hours a day and can be processed in advance on the day of departure.

Depending on whether the size of the purchased goods and the liquid volume meet the requirements of airport security, the tax refund process can be roughly divided into two types:

• If you can bring your belongings on board, you can go to the tax refund counter in the departure hall after passing security check.
• Oversized goods that must be checked in, such as liquids exceeding 100ml (fish oil, cosmetics, propolis, wine, etc.),Passengers must first go to the tax refund service counter (before entering customs) after arriving at the airport. After inspection by Australian customs staff and stamping on the original relevant valid tax invoice, they can check in and check in their luggage.After security check, go to the tax refund counter in the departure area with the stamp to apply for tax refund.

When you arrive at the TRS counter, you will need to show the staff:

• Personal passport
• Boarding pass
• Relevant valid tax invoice originals and goods, or stamped invoice originals

Please note that there is a TRS counter before and after entering and exiting customs. The staff at the front counter will check the tax-free goods that need to be shipped and then stamp the invoice, while the counter after customs can be used to process tax refunds.

• It is recommended that you do not check in items that you can carry with you, so that the staff will not randomly check the items when you apply for a tax refund.
• According to industry practice, the tax refund counter will stop processing 30 minutes before the flight takes off. Please reserve time to avoid delaying your trip.

Can I get a direct cash refund?

There are currently three refund options available after applying for a tax refund:

• Credit/Debit Cards (American Express, Diners, JCB, MasterCard, Visa, UnionPay credit cards (UnionPay debit cards are not accepted))
• Australian bank account
• Cheque (payable in different currencies)

Tax refunds are processed within 60 working days and refunds to credit/debit cards usually take a relatively short time to process.

How to get a tax refund quickly?

Available TRS APP (Search in the mobile app store: TRS)Fast tax refund.

Directions:

• After opening the TRS APP and accepting all the terms, you will see a lot of information about tax refunds.
• Fill in your personal information truthfully in "My Travel Details" and save it.
• Add the invoice in "My Invoices", fill in the item category and amount for which you are applying for tax refund and save it.
• Select your refund method in My Payment Details: credit card, Australian bank card or cheque.
• After agreeing to all instructions in "My Claim", aQR code. Then take this QR code through the fast lane of the TRS counter together with your passport, boarding pass and relevant invoices for tax refund.
• The TRS app is available for download on Google Play, App Store, and Windows Phone Store;
• It can be used in major airports such as Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Gold Coast, Perth, etc.
• It is recommended to download the APP in advance and fill in the relevant information, so that you can easily go through the fast track with the generated QR code;
• The APP on each mobile phone can only receive a maximum of 10 invoices and generate a QR code. If there are more than 10 invoices, you can generate multiple QR codes through the web version (each group of 10 invoices generates a QR code), then print them out and show them to the staff.

How much is the tax refund amount for Australia?

In Australia, the amount of tax refund you can get depends on the price of the goods you purchased and the applicable tax rate. The following is the relevant information about the amount of tax refund in Australia:

Tax refund calculation

• Goods and Services Tax (GST)：Usually 10% of the commodity price. Refund amount = Item price - Item price/1.1.
• Wine Equalization Tax (WET): For alcoholic beverages, the tax rate is 14.5%.

Example of refund amount

• Goods and Services Tax (GST): For example, if you purchased a ring with a tax-inclusive price of AUD 660, you can claim a tax refund of AUD 660 - (660/1.1) = AUD 60.
• Wine Equalization Tax (WET): For alcoholic beverages, the tax refund amount is calculated slightly differently.

Please note that the specific amount of tax refund depends on the type of goods you purchase and whether you meet the tax refund conditions. It is recommended that you keep the invoice properly when shopping and learn the latest tax refund policy before leaving the country.

How many days does it take to get a tax refund in Australia?

In Australia, the tax refund amount is usually paid after the tax refund procedure is submitted.Within 1-2 weeksArrival

1. However, the entire tax refund process may take longer, as follows:

Tax refund process timeline

• Airport Tax Refund: After presenting relevant documents at the TRS counter at the airport, the tax refund amount is usuallyWithin 5 working daysProcessing credit/debit card and Australian bank account refunds, postal cheques15 working days.
• TRS Official APP Tax Refund: Apply for tax refund through TRS official APP. You can show the QR code when leaving the country and go through the fast track tax refund procedure, but the tax refund amount will still be credited to your account after submitting the application.1-2 weeks.

Please note that the specific time of tax refund may vary depending on different situations. It is recommended that you consult the relevant department or check the latest policies in advance before applying for tax refund to ensure that you have enough time to prepare relevant materials and go through the tax refund procedures.

Australian Tax Refund Calculator

When you are applying for a tax refund in Australia, using a tax refund calculator can simplify the calculation process and help you quickly estimate the amount of tax you can refund. Here are the methods and precautions for using the tax refund calculator:

How to use the tax refund calculator

1. Download and install the TRS APP: First, you need to download and install the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) official APP on your mobile phone.
2. Fill in your personal information and travel details: In the APP, enter your personal information such as passport number, departure date, and travel details.
3. Upload invoice information: Follow the prompts to upload your purchase invoice, including merchant name, business number (ABN), invoice number, invoice date and product category.
4. Calculate tax refund amount: The APP will automatically calculate the tax refund amount you can apply for based on the invoice information you uploaded.

Tax Refund Calculator Notes

• Ensure invoice information is accurate: The product information on the invoice must correspond to the tax-refundable products one by one, otherwise it may affect the tax refund amount.
• Prepare in Advance: It is recommended to complete the tax refund application at least 24 hours before departure to ensure sufficient time to process the tax refund.
• Restrictions on tax-free goods: Tax-refundable goods must be new and unopened and purchased within 60 days before departure.

By using the TRS APP tax refund calculator, you can easily calculate the amount of tax refund and prepare relevant materials in advance to ensure that the tax refund process is completed smoothly when you leave the country.

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