How to shop tax free
When you spend at more than 300,000 stores in the world's top shopping districts, Global Blue Tax Free Shopping saves you money. With more than 23 million travellers enjoying Global Blue's Tax Free shopping service every year, why not join them? All you need to do is look out for or ask for the Global Blue logo when you shop.
Shopping
When you pay for your purchase, ask the store staff for a Global Blue Tax Free Refund Form.
If you have a Shop Tax Free card, show it to the store staff. Your personal information will be automatically filled in on the tax refund form.
Customs stamping
Keep unused goods and bills in their original condition for inspection.
No stamps = no tax refunds.
You must have your Tax Free form validated by customs before you return to receive your refund.
Apply for a tax refund
Please go to the nearest tax refund point or office with a blue star sign. Sometimes a refund point or office is located at a currency exchange office.
Present your completed and stamped tax refund form to receive a cash or credit card refund.
Short on time? Most customs offices have a Global Blue mailbox next to it, so complete the refund form and send it to the Global Blue Tax Refund Processing Centre with your ticket to apply for a credit card refund. We recommend that you enter your email address on your tax refund form in case we need to contact you.
The refund you receive is VAT minus Global Blue's processing fee.
Contact Global Blue.
The completed tax refund form can be sent to Customs stamped at:
Global Blue, po.Box 363 810 00 Bratislava Slovakia, Europe.
Parcel delivery address:
Global Blue, Prievozska 4D Block E, 821 09 Bratisl**A, Slovakia, Europe.
Use the Global Blue prepaid envelope provided at the Tax Free Shop. Alternatively, you can bring your own envelope but you will need to pay for the postage.
Before sending the mail, it is recommended that you keep a copy of your own copy and write down the form number (document ID number) of each tax refund form for reference.
Global Blue will only accept completed Tax Free Forms and Receipts that arrive within 21 days of purchase to avoid a charge to your credit card and a penalty. For customers who have received a tax refund through China UnionPay, the tax refund form must be sent within 15 days.
Global Blue has launched a new service for UnionPay credit cardholders, allowing international shoppers to apply for VAT refunds to be transferred to UnionPay accounts before their tax refund purchases are cleared.
Global Blue has launched a new service for UnionPay credit cardholders, allowing international shoppers to apply for VAT refunds to be transferred to UnionPay accounts before their tax refund purchases are cleared.
These exciting new services are available across Global Blue's entire tax refund network, and you can now get your tax refund with your UnionPay credit card, no matter where you choose to buy your tax-free items.
UnionPay Tax Refund will provide a faster and easier tax refund shopping experience, so you can spend more money at your destination. Please keep in mind that for all refunds made with UnionPay, the tax refund form must be stamped with a customs stampYou must return your tax refund form to Global Blue within 15 days of your purchase
Global Blue is now offering Alipay members an exciting new way to get a tax refund on their purchases – the refund will be instantly transferred directly to the Alipay wallet.
Global Blue is now offering Alipay members an exciting new way to get a tax refund on their purchases – the refund will be instantly transferred directly to the Alipay wallet. Alipay members can access this service at 14 major airports in Europe, and receive refunds in their home currency within seconds, all of which can be viewed through the Alipay app.
How does it work? Once you've made your purchase and filled out the Tax Free form, all you need to do is open Alipay and show the barcode generated in your smartphone to the airport tax refund staff.
The staff will scan the barcode and approve the payment to your Alipay account. Within seconds, your Alipay account will receive your tax refund. It's that simple!
Where can I get an instant tax refund?
Participating airports include Milan Malpensa, Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin-Tegel, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Rome, Helsinki, Stockholm, Munich, Copenhagen, Zurich, Frankfurt and Oslo.
Chinese customers visiting these locations can now enjoy a faster tax-free shopping trip and an upgraded in-airport experience. Plus, the refund is in your home currency, so there are no currency conversion fees, saving you time and money.
February** Dynamic Incentive Program
The latest innovation, Mobile Customer Care, will make your tax-free shopping even easier.
Mobile Customer Care can help you at the key stages of your tax refund shopping journey, seamlessly guiding you through the tax refund process via your smartphone and helping you track the progress of every Global Blue tax refund on your journey.
How does it work? After you make a Tax Free purchase, a notification will be sent to your smartphone with a link to Mobile Customer Care** where you can track the status of your refund and see what to do next. Each step is tailored to your shopping behavior, conveniently aggregating all the transactions within your itinerary.
The day before your departure, a reminder will be sent to your smartphone and a guide on how to find the refund point at the departure airport. Once your refund has been processed, you will receive a confirmation prompt with a link with all the details of the transaction.
Mobile Customer Care is currently available in English, Chinese and Russian and is available at participating retail stores in Italy and the UK. Over the next 12 months, the service will be rolled out to new countries and retail stores around the world.
Global Blue Official Website:
For more details, please refer to my other article on Blue Tax Refund: European Tax Refund Explained 5 - Global Blue Tax Refund Guide.