Recent Experience/Observation with TRS

OzFrugie on 10/03/2018 - 21:23
Last edited 10/03/2018 - 22:54

Just want to share my recent experience/observation with Tourist Refund Scheme aka TRS.

I recently did an overseas travel and had a thing > $300 which I did a claim on with TRS.
After the immigration and security checks, I went straight looking for the TRS office to do my claim.
So long I had not had overseas travel, I did not know that the office is now located on the right-hand side (from the security checks area), not on the left.

When I arrived there it was pretty much packed and busy with mostly Asians (no racism intended).
They were everywhere - queuing up, on the counter filling up the form, and even on the floors outside filling forms as well!
Anyway, I queued up for a bit until I realised that the two Asian (Chinese?) ladies in front of me were not actually queuing up even though they were on the line/lane. When I asked them if they were queuing, they did not understand what I was talking about.
I then saw an officer and asked where the line was. He said there wasn't any!
So, not sure why people were standing around on the lane?!

So, I went up and got the form from the officer lady, and she told me to fill it in and then put the white form with invoice in the envelope provided and I could keep the pink copy.
I asked where I should go next after I filled the form in, expecting she would tell me where I should go to meet an officer to show my goods, proving that I had the goods I was claiming with me to be taken overseas and matched the item on the invoice.
To my surprise, she said just bring the paperwork back to her after I filled it in and that was it!
I didnt even have to take out my goods and showed it to anyone!

Since when has this been the procedure now, I wonder? Does anyone know?
Surely, doing it this way is very prone to invalid/incorrect claims/fraud, etc..

Another thing I notice also, in the form, it says the refund can take up to 60 days.
I am pretty sure it was not that long before. If I remember correctly, last time I did it few years back and only took about 2 weeks.
It has been more than 3 weeks now, and I still haven't got the refund.. :(

TL,DR:
* TRS office is now located on the right-hand side of the security checks area (was on the left in the past)
* Busy and packed with Asians
* No queue line
* Just need to fill in the form, no need to show the goods to an officer
* Refund seems much slower now and can now take up to 60 days

Note: This was at Sydney International Airport

Travel GST

Comments

  • zonra on 10/03/2018 - 21:41
    +1

    Asians
    Asian
    (Chinese?)
    Asians

    no racism intended

    No, no, definitely not.

    • OzFrugie on 10/03/2018 - 21:57

      I am just reporting what I saw and heard..

      • Marcsie on 11/03/2018 - 08:40
        -4

        How come you didn’t report any Caucasian you saw there ? lol

        • OzFrugie on 11/03/2018 - 09:08
          +1

          Huh? I am saying mostly Asians because that was what I saw.
          If I saw Asians, i shouldve said Caucasian?
          Isn't that racist?

        • Marcsie on 11/03/2018 - 09:36
          -3

          @OzFrugie: so you didn’t see any Caucasian at the airport ? lol

        • Eeples on 11/03/2018 - 10:27

          @Marcsie:

          He described the TRS area not the whole airport.

          The TRS was mostly full of Asians…. it is a discription that will make it easier to find.

        • OzFrugie on 11/03/2018 - 14:47

          @Marcsie:

          I saw few Caucasians but mostly Asians in there.
          I.e. Numbers of Asians > Caucasians.

          Thats the definition of 'mostly'.
          I thought everyone here is educated enough to know what 'mostly' means.
          Looks like I am wrong..

    • assface on 10/03/2018 - 23:22
      +3

      That is not racist. If you are offended you should close your eyes.

    • billy3000 on 11/03/2018 - 19:50
      +1

      why not just say it was full of people queueing.. or not queueing?

      is identifying a group of people by race racist? it does smack of it perhaps .. would you say the same thing in an Asian airport?

      including it as a summary point in the tldr is ridiculous if racism was not intended.

      perhaps unintended racism..

  • thetrain on 10/03/2018 - 21:52
    +1

    Hmmm maybe the paper forms are slower.

    I used the electronic/online version where you type in details/amount/bank account before you get to he airport. It generates a barcode, walk into TRS, scan barcode and all done.

    They did check my goods though so not sure why that changed

    In regards to Asians, that's expected as it is common custom to buy lots of goods/presents when overseas. It's good that there's lots of them, they're supporting our local retailers!

    • OzFrugie on 10/03/2018 - 21:59

      How long ago did you do that i.e. When they still checked the goods?

      Yes, no issue with many Asians in there. I just reported what I saw when I was there.

      • thetrain on 11/03/2018 - 00:31

        July last year

  • 2jzzzz on 10/03/2018 - 22:00

    Your experience is when it's peak or no staff. You still have to present goods if asked, if you don't, no refund.

    • OzFrugie on 10/03/2018 - 22:02

      Maybe.. I didnt see anyone on the counters..

  • ronnknee on 10/03/2018 - 22:10

    At least at Sydney Airport, they only offer forms when it's super busy (eg. the weekend before Christmas break), otherwise it's the standard process ie. using the app to prefill the details and/or presenting the items. The form process had taken 2 months for the refund to go through while the standard process had taken 2 weeks max.

    • OzFrugie on 10/03/2018 - 22:53

      Yes, this was at Sydney Int'l Airport.

      Are you saying that using form is not standard process and only apply during busy times?
      And also using app is the standard process (and refund will take 2 weeks max)?

      What if one does not know about this standard process (i.e. the app) and just go straight to TRS office?
      Would they then need to download the app & complete the form within the app right there and then (on the spot)? Or would they have a choice of using form (even though it's not busy)?

      • z10cvbnm on 11/03/2018 - 08:57
        +1

        There are two queue in TRS, 1 for those have pre-filled the details through the app. Another is for those that do not have the apps (usual process - show the goods etc). Both of this is using the usual refund method (back to your credit card etc).

        I believe the forms you mentioned is an optional thing. A friend has done that when the TRS office was really busy.

        • OzFrugie on 11/03/2018 - 14:43

          The one using app doesnt have to show the goods?

        • z10cvbnm on 11/03/2018 - 15:08

          @OzFrugie: you still need to show the goods, but process is faster as all details have been prefilled. And line is usual shorter.

  • itsdougie on 10/03/2018 - 22:24

    Are the Border Force still trying to get a pay outcome? if so, unhappy public servants who probably dont care

  • altomic on 10/03/2018 - 22:34
    +9

    TRS office is now located on the right-hand side of the security checks area (was on the left in the past)

    i'll remember this for the next time I leave from the only international airport in Australia.

    • retiredfeline on 10/03/2018 - 22:44
      +3

      Either that or they switched sides in all international airports at the same time, quite a feat of coordination.

      • OzFrugie on 10/03/2018 - 22:55

        hahahah okay okay I get it.. Edited the post.

        • retiredfeline on 10/03/2018 - 23:03

          You must not have made a claim for a while, it's been on the right for a few years now.

        • OzFrugie on 10/03/2018 - 23:07

          @greenpossum:

          yeah as mentioned in the post

        • tomleonhart on 11/03/2018 - 05:31
          +1

          @OzFrugie: you must have not made a claim for a while, it has always been full of Asian in that line.

  • KaTst3R on 10/03/2018 - 23:32

    Im not sure what sort of response you are looking for but the TRS has always been like that since forever. Nothing out of the ordinary.

    • OzFrugie on 11/03/2018 - 00:29

      Are you saying TRS at Syd Airport has not been checking the actual goods since forever?
      When did that start?
      Is it your personal experience or you just heard from someone else?

      I did few claims in the past (few years back) and they inspected the goods..

      • KaTst3R on 11/03/2018 - 00:35

        Nope, never checked every time I TRS at Sydney Airport. Even at Melbourne airport, I was dying to show them my newly bought Iphone for the wife but nope, they didnt wanna see it.

        But if the amount is really large, like a couple of grand maybe the office will do a quick check. Anything around $1k or less, they never check.

        • OzFrugie on 11/03/2018 - 08:22

          Nah.. I doubt its the amount. It wasn't like someone asked first how much the item cost first before you went to the counter.
          Everyone used to line up and had to go to counter to deal with an officer who you would submit ur claim with.

  • PissLUR on 11/03/2018 - 17:32

    My Australian friend doesn't want to claim the GST component back as he reckons its only for tourist.

    • dane45 on 26/03/2018 - 09:49

      His loss then

  • ozkiwi75 on 25/03/2018 - 17:09

    I recently flew out of Brisbane airport, claiming a new iPhone through TRS. We had an early flight and the TRS service area was not being manned. There was just a sign explaining to fill out a form and place it with the receipts in a self addressed envelope (which was provided). Then pop it into a collection box which was placed in the area. Obviously there was no inspection of the phone as there was no one working at that time at the TRS desk.

    About 4 weeks after our departure I received a copy of the form. Just the form, not the receipt. This was my first time claiming via TRS, but I had read in the forums here that others had also receive their receipts back, with a stamp on it so that it could not be claimed again. I just assumed that meant it had been processed, but checking my bank balance there has been no deposit to date (now 6 weeks since our departure).

    There is now no evidence of what I have claimed if I need to follow it up as the form does not list the items claimed, and it's now just my word against theirs. Luckily I scanned a copy of the original receipt for warranty purposes. All I can say is that this system is very clunky with no transparency, nor trace-ability.

    TLDR:
    - Been waiting 6 weeks for my claim to get paid - still not paid
    - Received my form in the mail, but not a copy of the receipt like others have in the past
    - Not sure if this means they've 'lost' the receipt and I won't get my tax refund?

    • OzFrugie on 25/03/2018 - 22:34
      +1

      I got my refund after 7 weeks..
      My orig receipt was returned but if I remember correctly no stamp..

  • dingdong3000 on 25/03/2018 - 17:30

    Sydney International Airport check the goods if you're doing it electrically (using the app). Lining up can take about half an hour but i think it's worth doing, as it's a lot quicker to get the refund this way imo

  • congo on 28/11/2018 - 11:16

    Is there a TRS at Sydney port?
    Has anyone used it?

  • [Deactivated] on 17/02/2019 - 22:11

    I will be claiming 1300 worth of phone. Do trs check the item on the way back to Australia? I am. Travelling with my wife how do I spread the claim between us?

    • blutek on 19/02/2019 - 15:11

      Family pooling $900+$900. No need to declare on return unless new purchases go over the $1800.

    • sitdowndisco on 24/02/2019 - 22:11

      They don't check on the way back in. And if they did, the item will be depreciated as it's no longer new.

      Every time I've come back through Sydney in recent times it's been so busy at customs that they were just waving people through. Ain't got no time to check it some claimed a $130 refund on a phone.

  • blutek on 19/02/2019 - 15:09

    Used TSR last month in Sydney, refund was in a week. Had oversized, so paperwork check was done before bagdrop. Nothing sighted. Took a few circuits around the terminal shop precint to find the main TSR office (after security).

  • sitdowndisco on 24/02/2019 - 22:13

    My experience at TRS in recent years has always been the same. Staff getting the shits with the many people who don't have their paperwork in order, their goods ready for showing and generally just chaos. But when I get to the counter and have my paperwork in order, they process it in 5 seconds and don't even look at all my stuff.

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