Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS)
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Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS)
Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS)
Tourists travelling overseas may be able to claim a refund of the Goods and Services Tax (GST - 10 per cent) and Wine Equalisation Tax (WET - 14.5 per cent) that they paid on goods bought in Australia. The refund only applies to goods travellers take with them as hand luggage when they leave the country. It does not apply to services or goods consumed or partly consumed in Australia or to goods purchased before 1 July 2000.
However, unlike other tourist shopping schemes, the goods can be used before leaving Australia. The refund will be paid on goods costing $A300 (tax inclusive) or more, bought from the same store, no more than 30 days before departure. To claim a refund, travellers must get a tax invoice from the store where they buy the goods.
If travellers are leaving Australia by air, they should look for the TRS booth in the departures areas of international terminals at Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Cairns, Adelaide, Darwin, Coolangatta and Broome, after they have passed through passport control.
At the booth they need to produce
- the goods
- the tax invoice from the retailer
- their passport
- their international boarding pass
They will then be paid a cash refund or assisted to complete their non-cash payment option.
More information is available from Customs on 1300 363 263 (within Australia) or +61 2 6275 6666.
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| Patricia Walters-Fischer |
