Where’s My VAT Refund?
When I was in Iceland, I bought my son a soccer jersey at an awfully inflated price. The clerk convinced me to buy it by showing me how much I would get back from my VAT refund. She provided me with the proper receipt and official flyer. Before departing for my flight, I was given three choices of what to do with my refund.
- Take it on the spot in Icelandic currency.
- Donate it to charity.
- Get a credit on my credit card in “up to two to three weeks.”
Of course, I opted for the third option. I waited patiently for nearly a month. No VAT refund. One day I went on TripAdvisor and learned that many people never saw their refunds.
Luckily, I took pictures of my receipt and the flyer the merchant gave me. I referred to the flyer to see if there was an email address I could write to and I was in luck.
With access to an email address and a copy of my receipt, I was able to contact the VAT refund officials
I was so glad I took a picture of that receipt because having a copy of it got me my refund. My advice—always keep proof by taking a picture of anything you may need later.
~Bella