About the scheme
You can claim a refund on goods and services tax (GST) and wine equalisation tax (WET) that you pay on certain goods you buy in Australia.
The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) is open to all overseas visitors and Australian residents, except for operating air crew.
To claim a refund you must:
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spend $AU300 or more (including GST), this can be a total of multiple purchases
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have purchased the goods no more than 60 days before departing Australia
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have paid for the goods yourself
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have an original tax invoice for the goods
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wear or carry the goods on board as hand luggage (unless they are liquids, gels or aerosols or oversized or bulky goods which must be checked-in) and present them along with your tax invoice, passport and boarding pass to a Tourist Refund Scheme desk prior to departing.
Arrangements for TRS-claimable goods in checked baggage
Goods should be worn or carried as hand luggage unless they are liquids, gels or aerosols, or oversized or bulky goods, which the airlines require to be checked in.
Goods that will be included as checked-in baggage must be presented to the Australian Border Force Client Service Counter prior to check in to be sighted and verified by an Australian Border Force Officer.
The Australian Border Force Client Service Counter is open two (2) hours prior to the scheduled departure time and is located near International Arrivals on the ground floor of the airport.
After you have passed through departure immigration, go to the TRS facility located in the international terminal, where you can lodge your TRS claim.
To make sure you have enough time to make your TRS claim, you should complete your departure immigration clearance at least 90 minutes before the scheduled departure time of your flight.
TRS facility location
The TRS facility at Canberra Airport is located in the international terminal. When presenting for immigration clearance, advise the Australian Border Force Officer of your intention to lodge a TRS claim.
If you have a domestic flight before your international flight
If you wish to make a TRS claim and you have oversized goods, liquids, aerosols and/or gels, you must advise the check-in agent at the domestic airport that you want your bags tagged only to the port from where you will be departing Australia. You will then need to collect your luggage at the domestic terminal, transfer to the international terminal and then have your goods sighted.
Once your goods have been sighted, you will need to proceed to the departures area and complete check-in procedures for your international flight. You then need to make your TRS claim.