Hi all, I know that there are a lot of similar posts to this one but I have specific questions: I am dealing with a merchant in the North of Germany that has no experience with VAT refunds for non-EU residents. I intend to drive the item across the border near Schaffhausen. I have located the "Ausfuhr- und Abnehmerbescheinigung für Umsatzsteuerzwecke" form online and am prepared to fill out the form myself. My question is - are there border stations near Schaffhausen that refund the VAT immediately as one crosses the border? If I end up having to send the stamped form back to the merchant, how obligated is he to process my refund? He is a small, 1 man company without any experience in VAT refunds. I have no intention of returning to the shop and I will most likely never shop there again. Or is my best option with a Global Refund kind of operation? Any suggestions on which one to use? The VAT is approximately 250 Euro. Thanks for your help.

AFAIK no border post anywhere will refund the VAT, they merely confirm that you left the EU by stamping a form already completed by the vendor.

After all, the vendor charged you VAT in the first place, he's the one to refund it - in theory. In practice this is usually handed over to some third party organisation who take a handsome cut of your refund, if indeed there is any refund at all.

My experience with so-called 'VAT-free shopping' in the UK got me back between 10% and nothing of 17.5%...

If you pay by credit card, some traders will refund the VAT portion on receipt of the stamped form. As I understand it, they need the stamped form for their records to explain why they've not charged you VAT.

Of course, it being about €250 of German MWST, that'll be about 150CHF Swiss MWST when you declare your import of whatever you've bought.

last weekend, i did some shopping at metzingen, asking for the 'tax-free' forms with receipts. then while entering CH, i got them stamped by both Swiss and German customs. when i asked whether i needed to pay swiss VAT, they said it was below 300, so, i can go to a refund office and take back the cash directly.

well, being not too high a purchase, the refund is around 20 EUR. Is it worth going and getting it back from a refund office at Hauptbahnhof, or will the 'administrative charges' eat it up already?

also, in germany i was suggested, i could send back the receipts in the envelopes they provided. is this a better way (other than the time delay)?

thanks...

Not sure why you got a Swiss stamp and I think its likely to confuse others who may think this is part of the process.
As AbFab mentioned, you just need a German stamp to say that you've left the EU.