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How to Apply for GST Refund in Singapore |
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SHOPS DISPLAYING THE "TAX REFUND" LOGO
When the TOURIST has purchased goods worth S$300 or more, he or she may ask the sales assistant for a GST Claims Form. The sales assistant will need the tourist's passport to check eligibility. The form will be completed in duplicate and handed over to the tourist. Mohammed Mustafa & Samsuddin Co. (Mustafa) in Singapore is one among many such stores providing this service to tourists.
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One can accumulate the purchases to make up the minimum value of S$300 if bought from the same shop or outlets of the same chain. Purchases from different shops cannot be accumulated to make up the minimum value of S$300. Claims form will only be processed during departure from Changi Airport or Seletar Airport. There are GST Refund Counters at both Terminal I and Terminal II of Changi Airport and at the Customs office of Seletar Airport.
For Changi Airport, tourists need to proceed to the counter located before the Immigration Checkpoint if their purchases are bulky items such as television sets. They need to proceed to the counter located after the Immigration Checkpoint if purchases are hand-carried items. No refund can be made without verification by Customs.
At the GST Refund Counter, Customs will verify the purchases and then stamp the Claims Form in endorsement of the claim for refund. The tourists should then seal each form in the postage pre-paid and self-addressed envelope earlier provided to them by the shop and drop it into a mailbox at the GST Refund Counter.
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On receipt of the claims form, which has been endorsed by Customs, the shop will mail the tourist a cheque made out in Singapore dollars for the amount of GST due to him or her. If the tourist has made a purchase using a credit card, the refund can be made to his or her credit card or charge card. The shop may levy an administration charge but should inform about the same at the time of completing the claim form. If one does not receive the refund within 3 months of departure from Singapore, the concerned shop must be contacted.
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SHOPS DISPLAYING GLOBAL REFUND "TAX FREE SHOPPING" LOGO
When you shop at a store displaying the Global Refund" TAX FREE SHOPPING" logo, ask for the Global Refund Cheque from the sales assistant. On confirmation of its eligibility, the sales assistant will complete the Global Refund Cheque in duplicate and hand the same over to you.
One needs to spend a minimum of S$100 on goods at a shop or at different outlets of the same retail chain displaying the tax-free shopping logo.
Present the items purchased together with one or more completed Global Refund Cheques at the time of departure within two months from the date of their purchase at the GST Refund Counters of Terminals I or II of Changi Airport.
After obtaining the Customs endorsement on the completed Global Refund Cheque(s), tourists need to proceed to the Cash Refund Office, which is situated inside the departure lounge after Immigration clearance.
A cash refund, after deduction of a handling fee, will be paid to the tourist on presenting the Global Refund Cheque. One can also request for the refund via mail. (If one does not receive the cheque within 4 weeks of his or her departure from Singapore, please contact Global Refund Singapore Pte Ltd, 100 Cecil Street, and The Globe #07-01, Singapore 069532 (http://globalrefund.com)
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