Vat Reclaim

drrvasudevan

Hi,

I am not sure whether this is the right place to post.

I have recently become a British Citizen, & planning to stay in India for 1 year from the New Year. I have bought a laptop few days back and my query is with regards to the VAT.



1) As I will stay in India for 1 year and then return back, can i claim back the VAT at the airport/ before I travel?

2) If that was not possible, what if i intend to give give the laptop as a gift to my parents in India (i.e., the laptop stays in India for the rest of its life). In this situation, can i reclaim vat?

Much appreciated & Thanks

Buzby

No to both questions.

You should have purchased it Duty Free at the airport to qualify for any tax discount.

Wywth

I'm sure youir parents will be very happy with your generous gift of a brand new laptop. Have they wanted one for long?

Wouldn't you still need a laptop yourself if you give away the one I thought you purchased for yourself?

Don't they sell laptops in India? Probably would have been better to buy one there in case you find it doesn't work properly. At least it would have a proper plug on it suitable for use in India.

Ne5555

no you dont have to buy it in airport
but when you buy it you should ask for vat reclaim form which the store gives you and you get a form in airport after you pass security and you do post it in airport after security. Because you will put all your details in there HMRC will check your details and if its appropriate they would do the refund.
I presume you already bought the laptop so it is too late to claim.
if you havent bought it you should ask for reclaim form at the store when you are puchasing the item.

Ne5555

Wywth wrote: »

I'm sure youir parents will be very happy with your generous gift of a brand new laptop. Have they wanted one for long?

Wouldn't you still need a laptop yourself if you give away the one I thought you purchased for yourself?

Don't they sell laptops in India? Probably would have been better to buy one there in case you find it doesn't work properly. At least it would have a proper plug on it suitable for use in India.

Sometimes it is a lot cheaper to buy it over here.
For example I bought iphone for my sister and my dad and it was nearly half price, same warranty, brand new from Apple.
I bought it on my dad and my mum s name and they are not resident.
We got the VAT back (after 3 months)

drrvasudevan

My understanding is that a laptop that is bought in UK and which is going to stay out of this country for the rest of laptop's life would be eligible for VAT reclaim.
Will this remain the same regardless of the purpose (gift to family or even personal use outside country totally).
Please correct me if I am wrong.

System

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/sectors/consumers/overseas-visitors.htm

If you live in the EU

If you live in the EU, you may be able to obtain a VAT refund if you are planning to leave the EU for at least 12 months.
You must:

• leave the UK for a destination outside the EU - with the goods you have bought - by the end of the third month after the month when you bought them (for example, goods purchased on 3 February would have to be exported by 31 May)
• stay outside the EU for at least 12 months
• show customs officials the goods, your receipts for them and a completed VAT refund document when you leave the EU

However you come unstuck because you needed to get the relevant forms at point of purchase. Also not all retailers operate the VAT Retail Export Scheme so there was no guarantee that your retailer would be able to provide you with the form.

drrvasudevan

Wywth wrote: »

I'm sure youir parents will be very happy with your generous gift of a brand new laptop. Have they wanted one for long?

Wouldn't you still need a laptop yourself if you give away the one I thought you purchased for yourself?

Don't they sell laptops in India? Probably would have been better to buy one there in case you find it doesn't work properly. At least it would have a proper plug on it suitable for use in India.

The price difference in laptops between UK and India is that it is atleast £200 extra in India (spoke to Dell Sales team based in India). I just need one laptop to use. My parents have one and my brother has 2.
If HMRC would refund the VAT, I can give the new bought laptop to my parents as gift for better price and get the one they are already using.

drrvasudevan

!!!!!! wrote: »

However you come unstuck because you needed to get the relevant forms at point of purchase. Also not all retailers operate the VAT Retail Export Scheme so there was no guarantee that your retailer would be able to provide you with the form.

I have just made an online order on Christmas day and awaiting it. I have asked the Dell sales team before purchase about VAT reclaim policy and they have emailed me as follows
''Dell is a mail order supplier and not a Retail Store, Hence we do not offer any VAT refund forms to customer making a purchase with Dell directly, The only document or proof of purchase we issue is a “VAT Invoice” which has summary of VAT Paid towards the purchase''.


Not sure how this would be useful to reclaim VAT as I intend to travel to India on the last week of Jan 2013.