TRS in Sydney no longer require to see the physical goods for TRS claims where the total purchase amount is less than $1000. Instead you fill in a form and place the receipts with this form in a collection box.
Source - I went through international on Boxing day.
I saw this collection box a month and a half ago, wasn't sure how it worked so just went to the counter instead. My concern would be there's a delay in processing your refund and not sure how you would get your receipts back in case you need them for warranty purposes.
Melbourne have to see absolutely everything up at the counter past passports unless it is liquid, aerosol or gel as per security screening, or oversize which airline will not allow to be carried. So all clothes, electronics, jewellery has to be carried if you want your refund. Even all the baby formula, health supplement and homewards have to be carried.
Baby Formula??? I thought you need min $300 to make a claim. That's at least 15 tins of formula. How can anyone carry 15 tins of baby formula in their hand luggage?
I guess he/she purchased baby formula plus health supplements and something else together totaling $300+
Nope, Ive seen the Chinese go into Coles/Woolies and buy $800 worth of formula to travel home with. Aus apparently has the best quality, much better than China.
$800 worth of formula = 40 to 50 tins. Bravo!
health supplements like capsules filled with liquid can be packed I believe. I packed my krill oil and it was ok. But it was at Sydney
What about perfumes. You cant carry all of them in your carry on luggage. Can you just show a receipt for them and it should work?
For liquid type materials, you have to approach the custom office to review and certify before you check in your luggage. Check with the airline staff or custom officers.
if you have the goods with you, what do they do with the receipts? make a photocopy? write something on the receipt? or take it from you?
this will be my first time claiming TRS, and I would like to keep my receipt.
You have to attach your original invoice/receipt with the form. But if you are just dropping off the invoice/receipt, there is a box on the form to ask if you want the invoice/receipt back. You can check that, and they will send it back to you when complete.
As sometimes, people can ask the cashier to print a second copy of the receipt, just for the TRS purpose.
They would just put a trs claimed stamp and return the original receipt to you.
Can I use TRS if I'm an Australian citizen that is taking goods abroad?
If so, what is stopping someone from collecting a refund and bringing the goods back in without paying the $1,000 GST fee?
Yes. You can claim trs.
Cool. I conducted some more research on it and it turns out you don't even need to have the goods physically, and so you don't get dinged on the way back.
I should have read the post more properly.
no, that is not true.
you still need to present the goods physically unless you are using the new method mentioned by OP.
wish it is for Melbourne as well.
any official sources or articles to back this up…
good news