Frequently Asked Questions on tax-free shopping in Northern Ireland (UK)

• Say goodbye to high fees! Download the app and register your account before making purchases in person or online in Northern Ireland (UK).
• You can shop in all stores that will issue a VAT invoice in the name of Airvat (see “How to get a valid invoice?”). Cash register receipts, credit card receipts, or shop’s own VAT refund forms are not acceptable.
• Upload clear images of your invoices into the app as early as possible. You can upload as many invoices as you wish and each invoice can be of any value.
• Finished shopping? Generate an electronic tax-free form in the app. You will need to print, date and sign your Airvat tax free form before presenting it to Customs at the airport.
• Ensure that you have all your unused shopping ready and proceed to get a customs stamp before your departure from Northern Ireland (UK), or the EU, if Northern Ireland (UK) is not your last exit point from the EU.
• Post to us the original stamped form. Your VAT refund will be paid directly to your bank account without any hidden fees or exchange rate mark-up.

• Following Brexit, tax-free shopping is only available within the territory of Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.
• There is currently no tax-free shopping in the rest of the UK, i.e. in Great Britain, which includes England, Scotland, and Wales.

• Cash register receipts, credit card receipts, or shop’s own VAT refund forms are not acceptable.
• The invoice must be issued in the name of Airvat and contain the following information:
  1. State Airvat as the customer or buyer
  2. Retailer’s name, address, and VAT number
  3. VAT rate and amount
  4. Invoice date and number
  5. Goods description and quantity
• For purchases below £250 only, a simple till receipt is also accepted if the following information is present:
  1. Retailer’s name, address, and VAT number
  2. VAT rate and amount
  3. Invoice date and number
  4. Goods description and quantity
• You must upload a full clear image of the entire invoice capturing all four corners.
• Invoice images taken from screens of other devices or photocopies are not accepted.

• You will need to ask the store to issue a VAT invoice in the name of Airvat before making a purchase.
• The information required to issue invoices in the name of Airvat is listed below. In the app you will find a handy invoice request screen to help you communicate this to the sales assistant.
  Airvat ltd
  20-22 Wenlock Road,
  London, N1 7GU
  England
  VAT no. 312092250
• Don’t ask for the shop’s own VAT refund form, or mention “tax-free” to avoid confusion.
• We strongly recommend asking the shop assistant for the invoice before making a purchase to avoid any disappointment after you have made a payment.
• You do not need to justify yourself when asking for an invoice to be issued to Airvat. Every shop has a legal obligation to issue an invoice if requested by the customer.

• Occasionally you might experience difficulties getting an invoice in the name of Airvat.
• Some shops may have older cash registers that are not capable of issuing instant invoices. Instead the retailer’s back-office would have to process your request, which may take several days.
• There is also a chance of the sales assistant just not being familiar with the retailer’s invoicing procedure. In this case ask to talk to the manager, or try another branch of the same retailer where staff could be more helpful.

• Upload your invoices as early as possible. This will allow sufficient time for the purchases to be reviewed.
• Most invoices are processed within 4 hours, however, this can take longer during busy periods or outside of usual business hours.
• In the unlikely event that your invoices have not been processed within 24 hours, or you have an imminent departure, please contact us at info@airvat.com

• Anyone who does not permanently live in Northern Ireland, the EU, or Great Britain (i.e. England, Scotland, and Wales), and is visiting Northern Ireland on holiday or business.
• UK or EU nationals living outside of Northern Ireland or the EU for 12 months or more. Note that you may need to provide proof of your non-UK / non-EU residency e.g. foreign visa, residence permit, or evidence of occupation or study.
• Anyone studying or working in Northern Ireland or the EU can get a tax refund on purchases made in the final 3 months before permanently moving out of Northern Ireland or the EU. Note, you may need to show evidence to Customs officers that:
  1. (i) you do not plan to return back to live in Northern Ireland or EU for at least 12 months (examples of acceptable evidence are a non-UK / non-EU employment contract, University enrolment, or tenancy agreement translated into English), and
  2. (ii) your study or employment in Northern Ireland or the EU has ended (for example, a graduation certificate, employment or tenancy termination letters).
• Important! It is your responsibility to be able to prove to Customs officers that you live or intend to live outside the UK or EU. Do not attempt to make invalid VAT refund claims as defrauding Customs is a serious criminal offence.

• Almost all personal goods, bought in person or on-line, where the invoice has been issued in the name of Airvat (also see “How to get a valid invoice?”).
• Most common tax-free shopping purchases are clothes, fashion accessories, jewellery, portable electronics, watches, cosmetics, souvenirs, and edible gifts (e.g. chocolate).
• Goods must be taken out of Northern Ireland or the EU in your personal luggage by the end of the third month following the month of purchase.
• Your items must be unused, still in their original packaging, and be available for Customs inspection when leaving Northern Ireland or the EU.

• Purchases made prior to registering your Airvat app account.
• Purchases for which the retailer already issued their own VAT refund form.
• Services (e.g. hotel stays, tickets, restaurant food, car rentals).
• Books
• Children’s clothes
• Used or partially consumes items, e.g. opened perfume bottles.
• Goods not exported in your personal luggage but instead sent by courier or post directly to your home country.
• Goods intended for resale or commercial use.
• Anything that you can’t physically put in your luggage to take home and show to Customs for inspection before departure.
• Restricted goods such drugs, medicine, chemicals, weapons, explosives.
• Any goods requiring export licences or affected by sanctions.

• Yes! You can order online even before arriving in Northern Ireland (UK) and have the goods delivered to your hotel or friends and family.
• Ordering online and collecting your purchases at the retailer’s shop is also eligible for a VAT refund (i.e. click and collect service).
• The online store must have a UK tax registration or be registered for the EU VAT one-stop-shop (also known as OSS).
• Order confirmation emails or pro-forma documents are not acceptable, you must obtain a full invoice from the retailer. Your purchase invoice must be issued in the name of Airvat (see “How to get a valid invoice?”). For this you will usually be able to specify Airvat’s details in the “billing address” section in addition to your own delivery address, or contact support for the invoice.
• Important: do not specify the Airvat address for delivery as we will not be able to accept any parcels for you.
• The goods must be delivered in Northern Ireland (UK) and exported in your personal luggage. Also be sure to create your Airvat app account before making internet purchases and uploading online shopping invoices.
• All the other conditions for tax-free shopping apply as normal.

• No, there is no minimum spend requirement per purchase with Airvat in Northern Ireland (UK).
• You can upload as many invoices as you wish and each invoice can be of any value.

• A tax-free form or a VAT refund form (formally known as the VAT407 form in the UK), is a simplified export declaration.
• The tax-free form contains some officially required information, such as your passport details, home address, and trip details, which you have to provide when registering your Airvat account.
• Airvat app will generate an electronic tax-free form in the app listing all of your verified purchases after you have finished shopping.
• Ensure that the information listed in the tax-free form is accurate as it is likely to be checked by Customs.
• You will need to print, date and sign your Airvat tax free form before presenting it to Customs officers at your departure point to obtain a stamp.
• Attach the correct postage and send the stamped original form to our office before we can issue the refund payment.

• You will need to print, date and sign your Airvat tax free form before presenting it to Customs at the airport.
• Customs will stamp the form after checking your goods and travel documents.
• Important! Customs will invalidate the entire refund if you part consume or fail to show any of the items listed on your tax form.

• Your refund will be paid as soon as Airvat receives your original stamped tax form in our office.
• Ensure to pay the correct postage and send the original stamped form to us:
  Airvat ltd
  5 Campden House,
  29 Sheffield Terrace,
  London, W8 7NE
  United Kingdom
  

• No, you must obtain a customs stamp before leaving Northern Ireland (UK), or the EU, if Northern Ireland (UK) is not your last exit point from the EU.

• Select your preferred refund method inside the app.
• We support Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, WeChat Pay, and bank transfers.
• Your refund method can be different to how you paid for the goods, however, the account details for the payment of the refund must be registered in your name and linked to your permanent non-EU residence address.
• We do not offer cash refunds at the airport. All payments will be made electronically directly into your nominated account.
• Your refund amount as stated on the tax form will be paid in EUR and converted by your receiving bank into the currency of your nominated account.
• Airvat does not charge any hidden payment fees or mark-up the exchange rate.

• Yes. We take a flat 20% fee from the VAT amount without any hidden charges or exchange rate mark-up.
• Your tax-free form will state the refund amount. You can also view this information inside the app as you make purchases, or it can be calculated using our VAT refund calculator.

Email us on info@airvat.com