Duty free query

[tim-b]

Recently flew from Vienna to Japan, and took the opportunity to do some duty-free shopping. While paying at the checkout, the cashier explained I had to take my receipt to another office to reclaim the tax (after telling me I was eligible). So I took the receipt, which had a form on requiring name, address, passport no. etc. to the refund office. The chap there informed me that I could not reclaim the tax because I live in the EU (Germany). I explained that I was flying direct to Japan and thus the purchases were for export, but the guy was having none of it and told me it has always been this way! - well not for me it hasn't!

A quick google doesn't bring up any specific info about this, just wondered if anyone has had any similar experience because I'm completely baffled why this happened.....

I still have the receipt/form which the guy stamped all over and signed to say 'invalid' or similar, so will follow it up if he's wrong, but I can't imagine someone whose job it is to issue refunds would be mistaken on issuing a refund? Any ideas?

[Sean Slaney]

In order to qualify for a Tax Rebate you need to be in residency abroad. Just exporting the goods will not qualify.

[tim-b]

Hmm, so is that different to duty-free then? Because usually you just show your boarding card to qualify and don't need to claim rebates, right?