Paris VAT Refund Process 2023 – How to get the VAT refund in Paris!

How to get the VAT refund in Paris

I was just in Paris last weekend for a long weekend and I successfully did the VAT refund process at CDG airport! I was unsure on how it worked so I finally did it and I wanted to share the process step by step. The VAT refund is only for non-EU nationals travelling outside of the EU.

Here we go – here is the step by step guide:

1. Get to the airport on time as you need to factor in queuing at Detaxe: I was at Terminal 2 and there were many people trying to get the VAT refund in the morning. I got there 3 hours before my flight took off.
2. Have all of your products in their packaging and shopping bags: This is just in case the customs officer wants to inspect them. They should be unused or look unused.
3. Validate your forms of products purchased in France at the terminal at Detaxe: There are PABLO terminals at Detaxe in Terminal 2E and you self-validate with the barcode on your tax-free form. If it rings up as green, there is nothing more to do and it will be processed onto your card. If it rings up red, you need to queue at customs for them to check it which is literally next to the terminals as there are customs officers booths at Detaxe.
4. For purchases purchased in another Schengen port *BEFORE* leaving the Schengen area: If you shopped in other cities in the Schengen zone that are not France but you are leaving CDG, you need to go into the queue and have the customs officers check your items. They will ask you to see the bags – sometimes they may do a full inspection or not. Then the receipt. They will stamp it and tell you to put it in the envelope that came with the form and you put it in the drop off box at Detaxe (this is right at the exit of Detaxe).
5. You will receive email updates from Global Blue and after a few days, it will tell you if you have been successful getting your refund.

I just received my email saying it will be refunded on my card in 2-5 days. This is all you have to do in order to get the Paris VAT refund.

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