The TRS (Tourist Refund Scheme) allows travellers to claim tax back when departing Australia.
- Purchase goods worth $300 or more from a single retailer within 60 days of departure
- Present Tax Invoices, travel details, and your passport at the TRS Claim Office
- Get your 10% GST back, normally within 30 days
For a full list of what can and can’t be claimed, see the ATO or ABF websites.
Tax Invoice Requirements
The Tax Invoices you show need to have the Retailers ABN, date of purchase, a short description per item, amount of tax paid, and the total amount. The aussieskier invoice that we include in parcels we ship or the emailed invoice you receive for in-store purchases has all of these fields.
If the purchase is over $1000, your personal details must be on the invoice. If you are shopping instore and wish to claim, let us know and we can add your details to the invoice. Online shoppers, the invoice will have your name and address already on there. If you are shipping to new goodies to your business address, let us know and we can re-produce an invoice with your name and home address on there.
The TRS App
The one big change to the way the TRS works is the introduction of the app. It is available on both iPhone and Android, as well as a web-based option for those who don’t have smartphones. The App considerably reduces the amount of time and paperwork needed to make a claim.
In the app there are 3 pages of details you will need to enter:
- Details about yourself (Passport number, departure date etc.)
- Passport Number & Issuing Country
- Departure date
- The tax invoice details of what you wish to claim (ABN, type of goods, tax paid etc.)
- ABN of the retailer
- Invoice number/date
- Type of goods
- Amount of tax paid
- How you wish to receive payment
The information you enter will be stored in a QR code, you can then save it, screenshot it, or print it. Then present this QR code to the TRS officer along with the Tax Invoice(s) and Flight/Identity information.
For more information about the TRS App, visit the ABF’s TRS App help page.
Where to go to claim your TRS refund?
TRS requires you to carry the item onboard and claim after checking in and clearing security. Finding the TRS location past security is easy, look for the signs and the large queue. If you use the TRS app and have all of your details/documents ready, the express lanes move pretty quickly.
Oversized Items
Goods need to be sighted before clearing security at the Customs office if you are claiming goods that must be checked in. This includes skis or other oversized goods, as well as some liquids and aerosols. The Customs officer will stamp/sign your Tax invoice, then you are free to check your bags in. If you only have items to claim in your check-in baggage, you shouldn’t have to go through the process again after security.
- Melbourne: ABF Office, T2 Arrivals Terminal (Underneath QANTAS Departures)
- Sydney: ABF Office, T1 Arrivals Terminal (Near central glass lifts)
- Brisbane: ABF Client Services Office, Level 1 International Terminal
The claim must be made at the airport which you are clearing immigration and flying internationally out of. If you are flying domestic prior to your international flight and travelling with oversized gear, the procedure becomes quite complicated. In such a case, you need to have your bags tagged only to the airport you are clearing immigration, then collect your bags, have the goods sighted and then re-check them to your destination.
Returning to Australia
There are limitations on the value of items you can bring back to the country after claiming GST back on them. If the value of those items exceeds $900 per passenger ($450 per passenger under 18) of your travel party then they must be declared on re-entering and may be subject to GST charges.
See the ABF Website for more on the Duty-Free Concessions
