[sreraku]

15 October 2018 at 20:44:19 #818707

All,

I will be going from Geneva to Paris in TGV. I might buy some stuff in Switzerland. Now, how do I get the VAT stamp from Swiss customs when I am going from Geneva to Paris? Appreciate your response.

Thanks

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[Removed user]

15 October 2018 at 22:55:31 #897985

There is a booth in the customs hall that you pass through to ‘cross the border’ into France on the way to platforms 7/8 but as the area isn’t staffed all the time because its a Schengen open border it may not be open.

[sreraku]

16 October 2018 at 4:14:33 #897986

Thats a bummer. The schengen makes it easy to cross borders but makes it difficult for VAT returns. They should fix this issue actually

[Removed user]

16 October 2018 at 6:52:48 #897987

Hi Sreraku,

Our Partner, http://www.travelerswifi.com, has a good article on claiming VAT when leaving Switzerland you might find helpful: http://www.travelerswifi.com/ blog/vat-how-to-get-it-back-and-save-on-shopping-in-switzerland/

[cam223]

19 October 2018 at 15:44:27 #897988

If you leave Switzerland without getting the appropriate documentation, you won’t be able to deal with it later. We were fortunate to find an official in Basle coming from Paris to Switzerland, otherwise we would have lost the VAT refund. Airports do not have this issue, it’s the train stations that are either not staffed at all or just part time. There’s a lot of online information about how you can get the refund once you return home, but that almost never works and it involves getting a consulate involved, etc. .