Is TRS a lot more stricter now?

My parents were on an international flight last week and when processing GST refunds there were a couple of regulations that resulted in them not being able to claim GST back on a couple of items. I've never heard of those before and was wondering if anyone's came across these before:

  • As Australian residents, they were only able to claim GST for items with a total price of $900 if they were bringing them back to Australia. Now, I know that you have to declare anything over $900 when entering Australia but I've never heard of anyone being denied GST refund on items over $900 when leaving Australia. And this wasn't per item, it was price of total items which meant that you could never get more than $90 back.

  • My mum bought some fairly expensive jewellery for her relatives that were over $900 and had to argue that they were gifts in order to claim GST on them. The TRS lady did not believe that they were gifts and marked all the packaging, took all my mum's details and said that she would be thoroughly checked on return to make sure that she wasn't bringing them back to Australia.

  • One of the invoices has the word "reprint" on it (Ted camera's for a GoPro my dad bought thanks to Ozbargain!) and she would not process it because of that. The "reprint" is on the original invoice Ted's camera sent along with the gopro so it's as original as we could get it. She stamped the invoice with 'Rejected' straight away without even consulting my parents.

My parents were pretty upset, not so much because they weren't able to claim back GST on a couple of items since those were just a bonus, but by how rude the TRS lady was. So I thought I'd ask to see if anyone's came across these regulations before or if my parents just came across a more stricter (and definitely ruder) than usual TRS officer?

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Comments

  • Jewelry is always a tricky one, especially some people try to claim TRS on their engagement ring which most likely IS coming back to the country.

    • Simple. Don't wear it on the way back.

      • done this once too. the sales lady was smart enough to only write a ring instead of an engagement ring. easier to say it was a gift.

        missus (or then GF) didnt wear the ring on the way back, just kept it in a box.

        didnt get searched.

        • Heard of anyone that has been searched for a ring?

          How do they know when you return? Someone mentioned the smart gate colour is different for people who have claimed high value items.

        • @G Wok:

          nope

          i have no idea how would they know. but if you think about it, you dont actually declare anything at the smart gate, it's only after you collect your luggage that they look at the declaration form.

  • They are usually a cranky bunch but never had an issue claiming GST. took a 10k watch for a family member who lives overseas and i just had to tell them it's going to a family member overseas and not coming back into Australia. She just warned me that if i get caught bringing it back in, there will be penalties and I'll have to pay back the GST. didn't bother me since i wasn't bringing it back in the country.
    They didn't search me when i came back to Australia either although they did search for food items

  • So can I confirm if I am claiming something below $900 and bring it back under the duty free allowance, is this completely legal and do I have to declare it on the way back?

    • completely legal. claimed trs on my bose qc35 and never had to declare it on the way back.

  • +1

    Last two times, my flight was early morning and both times the TRS counter was closed :(

  • +2

    Have had a few reports of friends going through TRS with a much more strict warning approach.
    Just let them know you are fully aware that if you are bringing in more than $900 worth of goods on the way back you know to declare.
    If they ask for your return ticket.. it means they're flagging your passport so you WILL be checked on the return leg home.
    Make sure you don't have those specific goods on you personally if this happens.

  • +2

    I find that The Reject Shop are pretty good when returning goods which have broken, which almost anything beyond $2 has done so at some time.

  • I was able to claim a TRS refund on a $2355 invoice in Sept 2015 without being asked if I were going to get it back.

  • The answer is yes.

  • It depends on who you get, what their mood is and how strict they feel like enforcing the rules.
    I've had an occasion where I was lining up for TRS and a lady ahead of me approached the counter and pull out a clump of about 50 receipts, all for small items like groceries, food etc. I could see the TRS agent just screaming inside.

  • +8

    Looks like you got a TRS person having a bad day. I've been through there many times with zero hassle, except for the occasional long line. Pro tip, use the app if possible as the line is much shorter.

    My advice
    The TRS people go through what I would describe as absolute hell. I've seen it all in that little room. Copping yelling and screaming because a tourist has checked in their goods. Wanting refunds when they don't even have the receipt, then getting angry about it. Huge language barriers and general contempt from the many of the tourists or international students they are serving.

    I could not imagine a worse job. So, this is what I do.

    1. I have everything ready before I get to the counter, no fking around.

      • I have the receipts out
      • I have the goods out
      • I have the phone app open and ready to scan
      • I have my passport out
      • I have my boarding pass out
      • I have my credit/debit card out

    2. I always approach with a massive smile, a very warm "hello, how are you" and usually a sympathetic and respectful comment about the situation around us or tell them about the weather outside. They are starved for decent human interaction and someone treating them like an actual person blows them away.

    I have never been grilled about my intentions with regards to bringing items back to Australia. I have never had dramas when my name or address isn't on a receipt for more than $1,000. A few times they haven't even bothered to see the goods, just money on the card and wishing me a great trip.

  • A fair while back I bought an iPhone for a colleague in Japan. I didn't really know the rules and the lady asked me if I'm bringing it back into the country. I wasn't thinking and I just said yes and she said since it's over $900 I can't claim it. Then I said oops actually it's for my colleague and she just continued to process it.

    So you might have gotten a strict one, or maybe they've just become stricter over time?

    But yes, all customs staff are a**holes…all over the world. I'm in Hawaii right now and the customs staff here….gosh….

    • -6

      But yes, all customs staff are a**holes…all over the world.

      Nominated for the "Most Ignorant Comment of the Month" award.

      • +1

        It's what I've experienced, how does that make it ignorant?

        I've had a customs lady at Melbourne airport shout out at the crowd "please line up in a single file", and then look at me and my family say "do you know what single file means? It means one line". How bloody rude.

        • +1

          Where you in a single file?

          Did she know you were a family? Likely not.

          Sometimes you gotta see it from others point of view also.

        • +1

          @xoom:
          No one was in a single file. She explained what a single file was before we had a chance to even move.

          I know when people are giving me attitude and she definitely was.

          Here's another. I don't declare a pack of gum, and I get pulled up for it. "Can you put it in your mouth? Yes. Then you must declare it."

          Ok fair enough. But then next time I declare my pack of gum - "why are declaring a pack of gum? Don't waste my time".

          Can't win…

        • -2

          @rlay3: why are you declaring a pack of gum? Because i was told last time to declare it.

          End of story. See nothing to it.

          Granted some of them could be power tripping. However how does it help your case by pouring petrol to the situation?

          You are dealing with few customs guys. Compared to the few customs guys dealing with hundreds if not thousands of travellers. Can you see the other sides view now?

        • @xoom:
          I'm just going to agree with your comment about power tripping and leave it at that

        • There are 4000+ customs officers in Australia alone. Probably getting close to half a million world wide.

          And you pretend to know they are all "a**holes" - including the one who processed your claim on the iPhone, after you incorrectly said you were bringing it back to into Oz?

          That is almost a textbook definition of ignorance.

        • @jackspratt:
          Oops what I meant was "there are customs officers who are a**holes all over the world"

          I've had a really shitty run with customs…I don't really wanna talk about it no more :(

        • @rlay3:

          LOL - I have to agree with this, had the exact same situation years ago - got extreme attitude about not declaring some small lolly item in my bag that I actually had from Australia and threatened with a fine for making a false declaration and she continued on about this incident would be recorded if there was a next time etc etc - really had to bite my tongue through all this and not giving her a serve about being overly extreme. Was told in no uncertain terms that I must declare EVERYTHING that is or could be considered a food item/product. Next trip, had a pack of gum and as absurd as it seemed to me, I declared it and you could see the custom officer had to restrain himself from bursting out laughing when told what it was and then waived me through.

          Unfortunately, the excuse of "last time I was told I didn't have to…" just doesn't fly with the person you are dealing with then and there.

          I'm glad they have removed that question from the declaration form.

        • @xoom:

          "Can you see the other sides view now?"

          No I can't. They are trained to carry out their duties professionally. If they can't do that, time they find themselves another job.

          What you are implying is that it is reasonable for them to be cranky or abuse their powers etc because they have to deal with thousands of people per day - just can't see that being a valid reason for professional conduct. You treat people on a case by case, individual basis - not as a whole - otherwise you create an "us and them" attitude that is never good.

        • @ATD: never said that it was ok for them to power trip. In an ideal world both the travellers and customs officers should be courteous to one another. Shame we don't live in this ideal world.

          Last time i declared medication on me the customs officer looked like they where prepping to inspect a drug mule. Then when they found out it was just my pseudo based sinus meds. They were oh. Ok. Thats cool.

          This goes both ways. Sometimes people forget the other is dealing with a human being. With emotions. So easy to say just suck it up and take the abuse for customs officers because its their job.

          All i am saying is we cant say all customs officers are grade a holes. Ok. Some are. Doesnt stop us reporting them right?

        • @xoom: I agree that you don't group all custom/immigration officers together just like passengers. It's irrelevant of whether we live in an ideal world or not, custom/immigration officers are paid to carry out their duties in a professional manner - its that simple. Yes, they don't deserve to be abused, but they have official mechanisms to deal with that.

          I can relate to your medication story with my own, bought back 2 bottles of 100 tablet paracetamol for $1 a bottle that I thought was a bargain. Bag got scanned and the lady looked like she was doing cartwheels with a "We've got one!" before taking me over to inspect my bag. Pulled out the 2 bottles and asked what they were - I said as per the label, paracetamol. Asked why, I said because cheaper than what I could buy in Aus. She didn't believe that story because apparently she can buy them that cheap everyday of the week and said she was going to open one - I said fine. You could see the disappointment in her face when she opened it and saw they were just paracetamol tablets even after a close inspection. She then ummed and arrrghed and then opened the second bottle to my disapproval (think she thought out of a 50/50 she selected the wrong one). Same result again and she wasn't happy. Then challenged me why I had not answered yes for bringing in medication on the declaration - I replied paracetamol tablets do not come under the category of "medication". She didn't like it but she couldn't argue it - told me I could leave.

          Did I think she was being over zealous in her approach and her general attitude - yes. But, I just figured she thought she had found a bit of excitement in her day and it didn't turn out that way. Don't blame anyone else for it and it gave me more of a chuckle than anything even though she broke the bottle seal on both.

  • +1

    in Perth, we have the "drop-in" facility and the "show me the product and if I happened to have a bad day, say good bye to your GST refund" facility.

    Initially, I had always been using the show me the product facility and they have been good, never had any issue.

    One time, the officers were on strike and only the "drop-in" facility was available. Used it, and have since been using it.

    Fill in the TRS form, put it in along with your receipts, no inspections, no nasty custom officers (only had one bad experience so far), and refund in 1 week time. Happy days.

    Dont they have similar facility in other state?

    • +1

      I'm not sure about Melbourne. Everytime I've claimed something, the desk always seems to be staffed. How would they trust you that you're actually taking the item out of Australia without inspecting it?

      • Dont know, but it works!

  • It's very strict now. Recently read news that a foreign student almost got his visa canceled due to dishonestly claiming a GST refund on an expensive Tiffany ring.

    • Was it exported out of the country? If so then its legit.

      • To take it out of the country its legit till said student returns with said item back into the country.

      • Nah he bought a Tiffany ring (worthy $30k+)and claimed a GST refund of about $3000 on his holiday back home country. He informed TSR that he's not taking the ring back. But when he returned to Aus the custom found the exact ring in his luggage. He received a big fine and paid the GST back. He also got a warning.

        • serves him right for trying to rort the system.

    • Source

    • Yes definitely happened. Was a huge scene at the airport. They flagged him down at the border entry gate/smartgate thing.

  • The qr code line was slower then the non automatic line when I went….I waited over an hour …such bs. There were 4 workers to start with. After 30 mins of waiting 2 staff asked for replacment staff while they went on their lunch breaks but no staff came. Out of the 2 staff left - one was occupied with one customer for over an hour (since I got there and when I left - felt so bad for the worker - the customer had like a million items) now the other staff member was only helping out the non qr code lane which put our lane to a stand still for 15 mins until a new worker came. One customer waited over 45 mins until he was told he was in the wrong lane (he was in the qr code line- he wasn't a happy Chappy).

    This made my day unhappy as in the end I only got to spend 30mins in the Amex lounge as I took up the new Amex explorer card from the ozbargain deal.

    Don't ever get an invoice that says copy.. Or not original, they won't accept it - I sighted a couple people refused. The guy that was in the wrong lane got rejected…..at first but managed to fix it up somehow.

    I bought an iPhone over 1k and had my street address minus the number on the receipt but took it back to get it reprinted at big w of fears it would be refused. Just read their rules and make sure u follow it.

  • Personally never had any problems claiming phones, game console, laptops etc. Sometimes don't even get asked to see the product.
    Maybe I just get lucky but the TRS officers always seem really bored and actually happy that I come by and want to chat with me haha

  • You should be asking the govct TRS department and lodging a formal complaint if she did the wrong thing.

  • I've never claimed so no experience to share. But why Australian citizen or permanent resident are eligible for "Tourist Refund Scheme" as the title says "Tourist" in the first place? Other countries like Singapore only a tourist is eligible for GST refund.

    • Look at the letter of the law, not the title of the scheme: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/4712272/redir

      • Still doesn't answer my question why allows Australian citizen or permanent resident as this scheme is prone to abuse also only created more work for customs officers as they need to make sure the goods are exported not imported back into the country and disadvantaged for the country where there is much needed customs duties means revenue?

        • +1

          Read the thread, it's an extension of the original scheme which allows people to use their duty free concession before going on the trip for something they want to use on the trip like a camera. If customs wants to make sure the duty is paid on return, that's easy, they can make a note, as passports are machine readable now. Whether they always do this is another issue.

          In fact it keeps money in the country. If someone uses their concession to import a camera from say HK, a local retailer loses out.

        • @greenpossum:

          Understandable but what happen if a traveler claimed an expensive item of more than $900.00 duty free allowance, isn't customs revenue will be lost if after the GST was refunded and the traveler secretly brought the claimed item? You can't trust everyone is doing the right thing do you?

        • @moonleaf: As I wrote a bit further down, not declaring being over the concession when you re-enter is breaking the law; there is a box on the entry card about that you are supposed to tick yes or no. So customs do have the means to catch you out and as I said if they want to they can make a note associated with that traveller's passport, no trust required. Note that the concession is same whether you bought the goods here or overseas so nothing has changed in that regard for ages.

        • @greenpossum:

          Alright got it. I still think even though they can flagged traveler's passport in the system, if that traveler did not bring back the packaging of the claimed item back to Australia so no proof.

        • @moonleaf: Smuggling has always been a problem, but the GST refund isn't the cause. In fact a locally bought item is easier to check. If I go to HK and get the shop to write a receipt for $800 for a $1000 camera, then customs has a harder time than if the invoice had been local.

        • @greenpossum:

          I know something is cheaper in Australia than overseas such as electronics, hence Australians bought here and claimed the GST on the way out.

  • Recently claimed a laptop (say 2700) and trips before that an iPhone, iPad, camera etc etc.
    Only the last time, the lady said "are you familiar with the rules if you bring this back into Australia" and I said: "Yes". Done.

    That was it, all other times no questions at all (except for checking the iPhone IMEI nr against the receipt).

    I do hold an overseas passport.

    • I recently claimed on an iPhone 7+. They didn't check the IMEI number.

  • Exact thing happened to me at gold coast .. sounds like the same lady too from your description, got rejected and she was extremely rude

  • -8

    You are rorting the system because you are greedy. Just curious, what nationality / race are you?

    • +4

      Hello ….. is that you, Pauline?

  • Australian Border force doesn't even have enough money to pay their staff let alone refund your parents gst.

  • How many days does it usually take to get money credited to your account?

    • My parents got theirs in 5 days

  • +1

    "more stricter" is painful too read

    • Haha, I was hoping no one would notice that…

      • +1

        lol. I was hoping it'd get off the front page soon

        • +1

          lol me too

  • they are cracking down on people exploiting the system, plus the government is in so much debt that this is one of the loss prevention strategies I guess

    • +2

      the government is in so much debt that this is one of the loss prevention strategies I guess

      Ahh.. That money for them $5000 helicopter rides needs to come from somewhere
      amirite

  • +1

    Hi All,
    Correct me if I'm wrong but I didn't think there is a limit on the value of good existing, just on goods entering.
    I believe the value of the goods entering the country is based on their CURRENT value, i.e not their retail value since they are most likely used. Therefore a $1500 drone with a TRS refund might only have a value of say $800 coming back. I guess eBay used items would be a good guide as to an item's actual value.

    • +1

      Apparently the discount on used items coming back is a flat 20%. I've found in past that they'll disregard anything borderli (e.g. $1300 camera kit - said it wasn't worth it).

  • +1

    reprint = rejected i get that, ask for original invoice, i get that. i had invoices rejected because of a typo in my name.

    and yes was told the same story on my OS trip in early May re limit but claimed it anyway.

    they cannot withhold the 'out' tax refund claim.

    however, i think there will be a major clamp down coming in july.

    sort of unfair, a truck load of tourist claiming thousands in front of me and we ozzie residents get nothing.

    doesn't make sense to me how we treat tax payers.

  • +2

    our melbourne airport is sub standard. starts with the car drop off area or lack of public transport options to get to the airport.

    trs people are rude and counter is understaffed. i waited 2.20 hrs last december. many other visitors got turned away by airport staff because their flight was closing.

    volunteers working the trs line are even ruder. why do they volunteer if they don't like their job?

    i'm embarrassed to see how they treat our tourist.

  • I think it is true that they are now strict.

    I recently heard an incident that happened to a colleague's friend who bought jewellery for about 5K.

    He was checked on his way back into the country.

    He was caught with the jewellery and had to pay 70% of the value of the jewellery as fine and was told that he will be checked everytime he enters the country from then on.

    I think he deserved it :)

  • +1

    Way too much (idiotic) sympathy for the customs people and/or the TRS system in the comments. People need to understand:

    1. You give me TRS, you prepare for whatever you may have coming. People have their rights to gamble/abuse the system if it's not well backed up by clear, written rules, not to mention people making genuine claims.
    2. Getting pretty tired/pissed by too many travellers lining up for TRS refund and/or language problems? Quit your job right now and there are lots of people who will happily replace you.

    Don't fcuking tell me how hard it is being a customs officer because you have to deal with so many people and process so many claims etc. You get paid to do your job and it's not in your job description that you need to work with attitude. If I'm a bus driver and there are lots of passengers on my bus, do I yell at them and give them attitude?

    I'm also shocked to see a number of commenters giving out false information while acting firmly that they are right. Yes, look for those with negs and you will see who I'm talking about.

    • +2

      I can see you've never had to deal with the great unwashed.

    • They should be reminded because of TRS they have a job. No excuse because he/she had a bad day, if they still want the job as they are paid to process TRS efficiently and professionally.

      It seems what has caused TRS claim issue is mainly Chinese tourists due to language barrier. As Australian tourism board is diligently attracting Chinese tourists to spend their money here, instead they are being mistreated at TRS counter because of the lack of information in Chinese language both on Australian Border Force website and Australian airports how to claim TRS.
      If willing it's not difficult to resolve such issues, make a brochure of how to claim TRS available in languages other than English, make TRS information available in languages other than English on ABF website, and employ a bilingual staff to be available when some tourists are still confused with the claim process, it will only make their job to process TRS easier and faster.

    • Yeah totally…I don't understand why people side with them either

  • +1

    Every single day is possibly a bad day with those TRS officers that I can tell you! On our recent trip, we showed them different MYER invoices because we bought various cosmetic stuff from different brands (all within MYER). We didn't notice until she told us some of the invoices are minutes away from each other and doesn't believe this is possible! I told her we've got a list to buy that's why the transactions were in short period. She still wouldn't believe it possible!

    I guess they have to deal with too many dodgy tourists try to rort the system therefore pressure from upper management to piss those off… Sad face!

    • +2

      It's still not an excuse/need to be rude because he/she had a bad day, staff with an attitude problem should be reminded he/she still has a job because of TRS. If they can't stand the pressure, they should consider getting another job to their liking.

      • Their attitude to clients always make me feel they're on brink of getting another job anyway.

  • Its good their stricter
    Stops the rort

  • Brought 10 x iphone7 to the Sydney TRS counter late last year
    Only got gst back for 8 of them. They said there was a maximum of $10k in value of goods that one can claim. I was going to argue and get her to show the written rules but mehhh no point arguing with these kinda people

    None of them are coming back to oz. All sold overseas

    Ah well, good money to make while it lasts. Guess can't do it again this year

    • +1

      There's no max of $10k as far as I know.

    • +1

      I specifically asked this question via email previously;

      "There is no maximum to the amount of goods that you can claim under the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) if you meet the eligibility criteria, as outlined on the website here.

      Kind regards,

      Dru
      Sydney Service Centre
      Department of Immigration and Border Protection
      www.border.gov.au"

      • I knew that biatch was a lazy bogan
        Just didnt have the time to argue with her
        And i dont think there was any point arguing as she had the power the reject all the claims since she got the "reject" stamp

  • only used TRS once for 2x S7 above $900 each, used the app, not a single problem, I was worried they would check for them on the way back, but it wasn't the case.

    worse is this family who just brought their receipts to the counter and asked what they could claim, wasted about 30 mins going through it, lots of items not meeting the criteria.

    I have had a friend who's receipt said duplicate, I think he edited it in acrobat.

  • Getting through TRS is not a problem if you're white.

  • Anyone had a problem claiming GST using a printed invoice from an email with delivery information?

    • +1

      Claimed in Sep with electronic invoices from Myer at Sydney airport. No problem at all.

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