The Soviet era of total shortages is long gone. Domestic counters are literally “groaning” from imported abundance. The era has passed, but the harmful bacillus, which encourages our compatriots to look for exclusive items in the West, has taken root in our consciousness forever. And it doesn’t matter that you have to overpay for this “exclusive” (which has ceased to be such for 20 years now). Do the math: air tickets, visas, hotels, transfers - all this ultimately results in solid numbers. Maybe that’s why (in order to sweeten the expensive pill), the leadership of the EU countries came up with a plan for the Russians, Chinese, Japanese TAX FREE?

And the EU leadership is also making sure that we remember for a long time the long tails of queues “for something” in beautiful Soviet time. After all, it is almost impossible to get a refund after a shopping spree in Italy without tedious waiting. But, jokes aside, our story is on a serious topic. So…

Dedicated to all Russians shopping in Italy...

What is TAX FREE?

International VAT refund system for people not residing in EU countries. This means that Russians (Chinese, Arabs, Japanese) making a trip to Italian stores can soften the bitterness of losing their money by returning a small percentage.

What is the refund amount?

IN different countries TAX FREE percentage varies. Tax free in Italy - 22%. It's official. In fact, its value varies greatly. Stores enter into unfavorable agreements with intermediaries for tourists, which we will talk about later. As a result, a Russian citizen receives 11-13%, instead of 22%. The exception is exclusive stores (jewelry, fur). In them, the returned amount sometimes reaches several thousand euros.

Minimum purchase price

The total amount of purchases is above 155 €. They must be completed during the day and certainly in one store, less often - in one trading house. For example, Milan Center La Rinascente At the Global Blue office, a general tax free invoice is issued for all purchases in different boutiques.

Which stores offer Tax Free?

We noticed shop windows with a logo or Global Blue, or Tax Refund or Premier Tax Free- that way. There are more than 18,000 such outlets in Italy.

How to ask a seller about Tax Free?

After choosing a product and going to the checkout, say: "Tax Free, per favor". Say the phrase before making a purchase.

What documents are required?

Personally, you need a passport. For large purchases, branded equipment (for example, Apple) without a passport, a discount will not be issued.

The store is obliged to issue:

• Fattura- a special invoice, which indicates: the purchase amount (as in the receipt) and the return amount (without this figure, customs officers will not put the required stamp). Sellers may fill out your personal information themselves or ask you to do so.

Return methods

1. In the city before leaving.
2. At the airport of Rome, Milan, Naples, Rimini, Verona, Pisa, Bologna.
3. In Moscow.

Return in the city

Without waiting for the return flight, you can return the taxi free at the city offices of the return points. A list of Global Blue offices is available on globalblue.ru. A list of TAX Refund points is available on the website taxrefund.it. When going for money, take:

1. Product.
2. Fattura.
3. Passport.
4. Return ticket.
5. Credit card.

The tax-free return procedure looks like this. Employees, after checking the checks, pay the money, while recording the credit card details. You undertake, in turn, to send stamped checks to the office address on time. Otherwise, the amount paid and a fine for failure to fulfill the agreement will be debited from the card.

Expensive fur and jewelry boutiques provide a similar service without intermediaries. This is the most profitable return for the buyer. Such stores return the maximum percentage (22%). That is, you are buying a product that is “cleared” of value added tax (VAT).

There are special boxes at the airport for stamped checks in a branded envelope (issued along with the fattura). The envelope can be sent from Russia by post, having attached the necessary stamps.

Standard return procedure at Italian airports

1. Take your boarding pass.
2. Approach the dogana (customs point) with documents (coupon, passport, checks, fattura) and with things purchased in the country. Do not cut off labels from products.
3. The customs officer, after checking the purchases and receipts, puts a stamp.
4. Find items Global Blue, or Tax Refund or Premier Tax Free and present stamped receipts.
5. You receive the money in cash or leave your credit card details, to which the entire amount will be transferred in 3-5 days.

Yaroslav, St. Petersburg:

“I left my card details at the Rome airport (in January 2019). I waited 2 weeks in vain. I thought my blood was crying! It’s good that I kept the piece of paper with the phone number from Premier Tax Free. I called. I had to “growl” in Italian-English. I received mine after 3 weeks. Unpleasant story."

Rome. Tax Free at Aeroporto di Fiumicino

There are 2 customs offices in the building. The first is intended for passengers wishing to send items purchased in Italy as luggage. Huge queues, in which it is easy to lose 2 hours, are 100% inevitable. The undoubted advantage of this item is a superficial inspection of purchases.

Olga, Petrozavodsk:

“I once received TAX FREE by showing a used Naf Naf dress instead of a purchased Max Mara outfit.”

You will see the second dogana behind the store Salvatore Ferragamo after going through passport control. This dogana undergoes the procedure for those who “prefer to carry everything they own with them” rather than check it in as luggage. The queue here is small, but things are examined more carefully.

Opposite this customs house there is a crowd of people at the window Global Blue. Direct refunds occur in this window. Be patient and time (the final step will take another 40 minutes).

Milan. Tax Free at Aeroporto di Milano - Malpensa

The first customs office (registration hall) checks checks more quickly than the passport control point. In the window Premier Tax Free(return) for some reason there are always fewer people than in the other two. Experienced shopping lovers in Milan know this and initially look for stores that have entered into contracts with this intermediary company. Return office hours are available at airportmalpensa.com.

Vera, Tula:

“The worst airport in terms of refunds! Active Arabs and disciplined Chinese visit Milan with the only mission - to collect more goods. Three-hour queues, noise, hassle. You wouldn't wish it on your enemy! Passengers who get lost in queues are often called over the loudspeaker, and they drop everything and run to the plane.”

Rimini. Tax Free at Aeroporto di "Federico Fellini"

Map of Federico Fellini airport.

Customs is located next to the check-in counters for planes flying to Russia. Customs officers are extremely picky: they open the boxes, check the letters on the store receipt with the letters on the product label. The inspection takes 20 (at least) minutes.

Cash pick-up points are located on the second floor. You need to get to them before going through passport control.

Moscow. Return Tax Free

In Moscow, refunds are made by:

• First Czech-Russian Bank;
• SMP Bank;
• Intesa;
• Promsvyazbank;
• MDM Bank.

Not all Moscow bank branches can make payments., therefore, before you go for hard-earned money, call and check the address of the desired branch. The receipts you present must be stamped by Italian customs officers.

Do not forget!

• TAX FREE checks for Italian purchases are valid for 3 months. Make sure you meet this deadline!
• For each Fattura, upon receipt of cash, a commission of 3 € is charged.

Farewell parable

At the planning meeting, the director of the holding instructs managers:
- Ask the client what he wants more: a discount or the product itself. If a discount is more important to him, offer the product for triple the price with a 50% markdown - let him be happy!

Sometimes, when picking up an item worth more than 155 €, an excited shopper does not notice that she is choosing an unnecessary item (skirt, trousers). At home she sighs in disappointment: “Why did I grab this?” The resulting benefit is zero. Don't make mistakes!

Thirty kilometers southeast of Rome is located small town Fiumicino. It is unlikely that its name would be widely known to tourists if there were no main airport Italy, named after the great genius Leonardo da Vinci.

It was built in 1961 with the aim of relieving the very compact Ciampino airport. Having undergone numerous changes, it has become a convenient and safe air harbor, through which approximately forty million passengers pass each year. Its services are used by all VIPs visiting the country, influential politicians and businessmen.

The airport area is divided into several terminals:

T1 serves passengers who have Schengen visas. T2 is intended for charter flights. T3 accepts international flights, whose passengers undergo passport control, as well as aircraft of the Italian company Alitalia.T5 serves flights to the USA and Israel. The airport has a cargo terminal, four runways, a waiting room, escalators, a baggage claim, a huge hall, and other specialized premises, the diagram of which can always be seen on the electronic display.

The terminals offer free Wi-Fi access and non-smoking rooms. In the terminal building itself you can have a snack in a cafe, exchange currency, buy souvenirs or necessary medicines.

There are numerous ATMs at the airport where you can withdraw euros from your card. Other currencies can be obtained at exchange offices open from 6.00 to 23.00. >There is a luggage storage facility on the territory of the third terminal, open from 6.30 to 23.30. The cost of this service per day is six euros.

It will be interesting and useful for parents to know that at Fiumicino Airport there is a mother and child room where you can leave your child for certain time. There, experienced nannies will look after him while moms and dads are busy shopping, completing documents or other matters. Passengers can also be provided with qualified medical assistance if necessary.

Moving around the airport

You can travel between airport terminals by shuttle buses, which are free of charge. The interval between flights is 20 minutes. One of them serves terminals T1, T2 and T3, and the other circulates between T3 and T5. You should know that from 01.00 to 04.00 these buses arrive only when passengers call. For this purpose, there are intercom buttons installed at bus stops. Additionally, terminal T3 can be reached by a small automatic train.

Registration procedure

All tourists are warned in advance that it is best to arrive for the registration procedure and preliminary ticket control 2.5 - 3 hours before departure. This is due to the duration of this procedure, especially when it comes to departure to the USA and Israel. But for clients who use the services of the airport’s VIP lounge, they have the opportunity to go through passport and customs control, receive registration documents and baggage checks without queuing or long waits. They offer an airport bar menu, free and unlimited Wi-Fi, and the latest newspapers and magazines.

Return Tax-free

For tourists arriving from countries outside the EU, there is a Tax-free service, which implies a refund of 20% of the cost of purchased goods whose price exceeds 155 euros. There are several intermediary companies involved in VAT refunds. One of them is Global Blue.

If the seller of the goods has an agreement with her, then the money will be returned to the client before boarding the plane. Other companies transfer money to clients’ cards after they have departed from Italy. The only condition is the presence of a Tax Refund check, which must be stamped by customs.

Nearest hotels

Unfortunately, sometimes weather or other unforeseen circumstances force passengers to wait overnight for departure. To avoid spending this time at the airport, you can use the services of hotels located near the terminal exits. There are only three such establishments, and they include:

Hilton Roma Airport

This is a fairly expensive 4-star hotel, where clients are provided with a high level of service, varied cuisine and multiple Additional services, included in the price of accommodation, which is about 200 euros per night.

Hilton Garden Inn Rome Airport

The hotel also belongs to the 4-star class and has approximately the same range of services as the option described above. The cost of a room per night is approximately 130 euros.

Welcome Airport Hotel

It belongs to the 2-star budget establishments, where you can spend the night inexpensively but quite comfortably while waiting for your flight.

To save money, you can go to Fiumicino, where you can find a hotel where accommodation will range from 30 to 70 euros per night.

How to get from the airport to the center

The trip from Leonardo da Vinci Airport to Rome does not take much time and does not present any difficulties, as passengers are provided with numerous types of transport.

Bus routes

Perhaps the most easily accessible means of transportation is the Cotral bus. But there are two significant drawbacks, which include the inconvenience of carrying bulky luggage and the lack of night flights.

Railway transport

The most economical way to travel is by rail. The disadvantages of this option include the low speed of this type of transport and problems with transporting large luggage.

Taxi

This is a convenient but expensive form of transport. Its cost, according to the municipal tariff, is 40 euros. This includes baggage allowance. The number of passengers should not be more than four people.

When using the services of local taxi drivers, you need to be prepared for what he may call more high price, counting on the inexperience of the tourist. But a correct indication of the real price puts everything in its place, although it slightly lowers the driver’s mood.

Transfer

This is the most convenient way to travel from the airport to Rome, with virtually no disadvantages. It attracts attention, first of all, to passengers traveling with children. Having discussed this detail in advance, the client receives a car with seats equipped for children, and a spacious luggage compartment, where large carry-on luggage, a stroller, and so on can fit. You can also order a car equipped with an additional air conditioning system. And for tourists from Russia, a Russian-speaking driver is provided who can tell a lot of interesting things about Italy, its traditions and local attractions.

Global Blue Italia srl

Terminal 3, Boarding Area, Reception 326, Leonardo da Vinci, 00050 Fiumicino

Opening hours:

Mon-Fri:07.00-22.00

Sat: 07.00-22.00

Sun: 07.00-22.00

Note:

0 - 25.00 EUR - 3 EUR

25.01 - 80.00 EUR - 4 EUR

80.01 - 150.00 EUR – 5 EUR

150.01 - 800.00 EUR – 8 EUR

Note: Alipay box is available

Note: At Fiumicino Airport (Terminal 3), you can obtain an electronic customs stamp through the OTELLO system directly at the Global Blue Returns Office. To obtain an electronic customs stamp, you must provide Global Blue employees with the purchased goods, passport and plane ticket (boarding pass). Keep in mind that the electronic customs stamp can be obtained no earlier than 5 hours before the flight departs.

Note: The following payment methods are available: Alipay wallet, Wechat wallet and CUP wallet.

Global Blue Italia srl

Terminal 3, Departures, Terminal "E" - after passport control, Leonardo da Vinci, 00050 Fiumicino

Opening hours:

Mon-Fri: 07.00-22.00

Sat: 07.00-22.00

Sun: 07.00-22.00

Note: The maximum amount to receive a cash refund is 1500 EUR / Tax Free form.

Note: The maximum amount for receiving a refund on a credit card is 4999.50 EUR / Tax Free form

Note: Any Global Blue Tax Free forms are accepted for payment.

Note: If you receive a cash refund, there will be a charge per "form". There is no charge if you receive your refund on a credit card. The amount of the fee charged depends on the amount of compensation.

0 - 25.00 EUR - 3 EUR

25.01 - 80.00 EUR - 4 EUR

80.01 - 150.00 EUR – 5 EUR

150.01 - 800.00 EUR – 8 EUR

800.01 - 2999.50 EUR - 1% of the refund amount

Note: Alipay box is available.

Note: At Fiumicino Airport (Terminal 3), you can obtain an electronic customs stamp through the OTELLO system directly at the Global Blue Returns Office. To obtain an electronic customs stamp, you must provide Global Blue employees with the purchased goods, passport and plane ticket (boarding pass). Keep in mind that electronic customs stamps can be obtained no earlier than 5 hours before flight departure.

Note: Refunds may be paid on credit cards Alipay. Provide Alipay with the barcode to scan. Refunds will be transferred instantly.

The following payment methods are available: Alipay wallet, Wechat wallet and CUP wallet.

We have prepared an overview of tax free return points at the main airports in Italy, as well as a list practical advice, which will help you not only get your legitimate money back, but also save your nerve cells.

IN THE SHOP

Tax Free in Italy can be obtained if the cost of your purchase exceeds 154 euros. It is better to have your passport with you. Of course, in large department stores such as La Rinascente, Prada and Louis Vuitton boutiques and outlet villages, you are unlikely to need it.

However, if you decide to purchase equipment in Italy, especially an iPad, Macbook or iPhone, then without a passport Tax Free will not be issued to you - in terms of Apple products, the Italians are very strict.

The three most common Tax Free return systems: Global Blue, Tax Refund and Premier Tax Free: their logos are below.

Most often in Italy tax free is obtained through Global Blue, however, if you are offered one of three companies to choose from, choose TAX Refund(yellow envelope). The fact is that at Italian airports there are always an order of magnitude fewer people at the TAX Refund counter than at the Global Blue office.

RETURN TAX FREE TO CITY

Important point. To get Tax Free back, you don’t have to wait for your return flight; this can be done at one of the Global Blue or TAX Refund offices in the city.

It is better to have everything with you at once, namely: 1) a passport, 2) receipts for purchases, 3) the purchases themselves, 4) a return ticket.

Unfortunately, without any problems, tax free is not returned directly in the country in all cases; in terms of clothing and accessories, as a rule, no difficulties arise, but for Mac products, the money will be returned to you only at the airport and, most likely, to the card.

List of nearest return offices tax free Global Blue V major cities Italy can be viewed here: , right on the website you can calculate using a calculator how much is refundable.

List of return points TAX Refund can be found here: but it is incomplete, one of the company’s offices is located in Milan, on via Bigli in close proximity to.

And one more thing, important. Tax free checks for purchases made in Italy are only valid for three months, so if you don’t meet this deadline, you can safely throw them away along with the blue envelopes, they are absolutely useless.

PROCEDURE AT ITALY AIRPORTS

The standard tax free refund procedure is as follows:

1) Take your boarding pass.

2) If you are going to check in the items from which you want to get tax free as your luggage, then inform the girl (or boy) at the check-in desk about this, but do not check the bags into your luggage, just take a coupon.

3) After receiving your boarding pass, you and your luggage go to the customs point (in Italian dogana), usually the girls at the reception desk explain with gestures where it is.

4) At dogana, the officer checks your things with those stated in the receipts (therefore, you should not bury them deep in your suitcase, but it is better to take things out of the bags in advance, so as not to delay other passengers).

5) If the customs officer is satisfied with everything, he stamps your checks, and with certified documents you go to the Global Blue or TAX Refund point; in some airports they are located in the check-in area, in others in the Duty Free area.

6) Show the checks stamped by the officer at the Global Blue or TAX Refund point, the money is either given to you in cash, or they take your card details, to which the required amount will be transferred within 3-5 business days, in the second case, you must save the paper , which will be given to you by an employee at the Global Blue or TAX Refund point, if the money is not transferred within two weeks, then call the phone number indicated on the paper and start swearing.

ROME. Fiumicino Airport

The required time to obtain tax free is 1.5 hours

There are two customs offices at the airport. The first counter is located almost in the center of the first floor and is intended for those who want to check in their purchases as luggage after receiving tax free. You need to come here with your boarding pass.

Dogana employees check things with an average level of meticulousness, they may ask you to take boots out of your suitcase, but no one will check the brand names on the receipt with the tags sewn to things (this is how we once received tax free for a Max Mara coat left in Rome until the fall, by presenting customs officers worn Naf Naf).

The line at the first dogana is an absolute inevitability. Fiumicino is a large, international airport, and not only Russians, but also Arabs, Chinese, and Japanese want to get their rightful money here, and therefore, so that standing in line is not nervous, but meditative, it is better to arrive in Fiumicino in advance.

One more thing, the employees of the first dogana like to often take breaks for a smoke or coffee, which automatically has a positive effect on the length of the queue.

Fumichino’s second dogana is for those who live by the principle “I carry everything with me,” that is, for those who do not want to check their purchases in their luggage. Located behind anti-terrorism and passport control in the center of the hall (right behind the Salvatore Ferragamo and Burberry boutiques). Here the line at the customs office is short, the staff works quickly, and you don’t have to wait much, but they inspect the things mentioned in the checks more carefully.

The long queue in Fiumicino is traditionally at the Global Blue return window, because people who have printed checks at both customs go there, you will have to lose 30-40 minutes in it. There is a window - exactly opposite the second dogana.

MILAN. MALPENSA AIRPORT (Aeroporto di Milano -Malpensa)

The required time to obtain tax free is from 3 hours to infinity

From the point of view of obtaining tax free, in my opinion, this is the worst airport in Italy. However, there are more than objective reasons for this.

Firstly, the overwhelming majority associate Milan, of course, not with Leonardo’s “Last Supper” and the Duomo Cathedral, but with shopping; accordingly, residents of the UAE, China, Russia and other main consumers of luxury goods come here with one mission - “to ruin » boutiques on Via Montenapoleone or nearby outlets.

In this sense, it is especially funny to observe a crowd of Chinese at the entrance to a Louis Vuitton boutique, asking passers-by to buy for them a third bag from the French fashion house with their own money - according to international rules, Louis Vuitton does not sell more than two products per person.

Actually, then you will meet this whole motley crowd of Russians, Chinese and Arabs in Malpensa. The Chinese are disciplined people, they can stand in lines for hours, and therefore to think that one of them will run out of patience and give up the idea of ​​getting tax free means engaging in vulgar self-deception. In a word, if you are returning home from Malpensa, then remember that you should budget about three hours to receive tax free.

Advice: in Malpensa, it’s better to check things in as luggage, the dogana counter at the check-in point (ground floor, right side, if you stand with your back to the entrance, then the very corner) works more efficiently than the one located behind passport control - those who took purchases are sent there with you on board.

In the dogan queue for passport control, you will have to find yourself in a crowd not only with the Chinese, Russians and Arab beauties, but also with the flight attendants of Singapore or China Airlines, and they often buy things by the suitcase. Therefore, here the wait for things to be checked lasts for an hour and a half.

They check things carefully at the Malpensa customs, sometimes even checking the tags on clothes with the names on the receipt. The queue at the TAX Refund window is 30 minutes, at Global Blue you sometimes have to wait for an hour and a half, but at Premier Tax Free there are almost no people. Cash return offices are open on average from 7 to 23.00, full schedule available on the airport website: .

Often, an attempt to get tax free in Malpensa results in you being late for your flight, and your name is announced over the loudspeaker throughout the airport, and your walk through duty free turns into a jog to the desired exit. In a word, draw your own conclusions, arrive at the airport in advance and load several Buddhist meditation mantras into your player to combine standing in lines with evening (or morning) meditation.

VENICE. MARCO POLO AIRPORT

Time required to obtain tax free: from 15 to 40 minutes

Venice airport is small but pleasant in every way. There is only one dogana office here, located at the entrance. The lady in the office sometimes checks things, and sometimes she trusts receipts, but she stamps them quickly (at least I never got into a queue).

They give out money after passport control at a round counter. Most often in cash, transferred to a card if desired. If you are flying on a connecting flight in another European city, the process will take only 15 minutes, if with compatriots it will take 40 minutes.

VERONA. VERONA AIRPORT (Verona Aeroporto)

Time required to obtain tax free: from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours

The local dogana is located at the far edge of the airport (ground floor to the left most corner), you need to go there with your boarding pass, regardless of whether you are taking things on board or checking them in as luggage.

The customs office is not even a room, but a kiosk-type booth. If the booth is empty, customs personnel can be called at the number indicated on a piece of paper attached to the window (although local customs officers do not speak English very well). They check things every other time: they may not ask about clothes at all, but they ask to show jewelry, iPads and iPhones along with the box.

Another tip, when you stand in line at the window, do not lean against the glass door, they often forget to lock it, and if it opens accidentally, you will be charged a fine of 2,000 euros.

The refund point is located before passport control and the duty free area in the center of the first floor. A nice Russian girl works here, she processes everything very quickly, but, unfortunately, cash is not returned at Verona Airport, everything is strictly on the card.

PISA. GALILEO GALILIE AIRPORTAeroporto)

Time required to obtain tax free: from 30 minutes to an hour

The most difficult thing at Pisa airport is to find the dogana office, for inexplicable reasons it is located in the arrivals hall, not the departures hall, next to the toilets. Often the door is locked, in which case it is necessary to alarm the officers by ringing the doorbell. Customs is open both for those who plan to check their belongings as luggage and for those who take purchases on the plane.

Checks should be stamped after receiving your boarding pass, but if you arrived before you checked in for your flight, then the loyal officers at Pisa Airport can certify checks without a boarding pass. They also inspect purchased items every other time; they easily turn a blind eye to small purchases scattered throughout the suitcase (especially if there is a line behind you). Refund offices are located in the passenger check-in area, that is, before passport control.

MILAN AND BERGAMO. ORIO AL SERIO AIRPORTAeroporto)

Time required to obtain tax free: from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours

The airport is small and dirty, there are two customs offices. The first dogana is located at the check-in counters; you need to go here regardless of whether you are taking things on board or checking them in as luggage. The length of the queue directly depends on the number of your compatriots in it; they look at things meticulously and demand to see all the items stated on the receipts.

If you do not seem like a suspicious person to the customs officer (that is, if you bought only clothes, bags and shoes), then your check will be stamped and you will calmly receive the money right there at the return point (it is located in the airport department before passport control).

If the officer doubts you (usually this happens if you are bringing Mac products and jewelry home), then you will get a receipt stamped only after passing through passport control in a separate dogana window.

By the way, there are no queues for the second dogana, however, there is also no refund office after passport control at Bergamo airport, so you will have to get your tax free in Russia.

RIMINI. FEDERICO FELLINI AIRPORT (Aeroporto di Rimini “Federico Fellini”)

Time required to obtain tax free: from 1 to 1.5 hours

Rimini Airport is the most “Russified” of all Italian airports. This is both good and bad. Good, because dogana is located directly at the check-in counters for flights to Russia, and the word “Customs” is written here in Russian.

The bad thing is that Rimini customs officers are picky, they check the names of the brands on the tags with all the items on the receipts, they open boxes of jewelry, so the process of inspecting things takes at least 20 minutes.

Passengers checking in their luggage and shopaholics who decide to take their purchases on board stand in adjacent queues; the former's belongings are checked right at the check-in counter, after the checks are certified, the suitcases are placed on the belt and sent on the plane.

Money issuing points are located on the second floor of the airport; you need to go there before going through passport control. The duration of the process of obtaining tax free depends on the number of charters flying out of Rimini today, and how quickly your neighbors on the plane will present their things to the dogana officer, but usually everything is done in an hour and a half.

BOLOGNA. GULIELMO MARCONI AIRPORT (Aeroporto G. Marconi di Bologna)

The required time to obtain tax free is about an hour

Bologna Airport is a great original in terms of tax free. The dogana office is located in the arrivals area (right wing, first floor), where people depart after check-in for the flight. The customs office is located far away, so it’s better to take things for which you decide to get tax free. hand luggage, no one wants to push a packed suitcase back to the check-in counter.

They do not check purchases very carefully; sometimes they are content to simply glance at the package and not even ask to open it.

If there are no difficulties with checking your belongings, then the main attraction of Bologna Airport is finding a money issuing point. Previously, oddly enough, they were returned in duty free stores, which are behind passport control, now - in a currency exchange kiosk on the second floor of the airport, which is located before the passenger screening area and passport control. In principle, you spend the most time looking for a kiosk, good, even though the airport is not that big.

Another important point is that the kiosk is closed early in the morning and late in the evening, so if you have a night flight, either put the stamped checks in the mailbox (it is also located in the check-in hall before passport control), or you will have to receive the money already in Moscow.

RECEIVING TAX FREE IN MOSCOW IN CASH

If you decide to get tax free not at an airport in Italy, but in Russia, then remember that your checks in any case must be checked and stamped by a customs officer.

Yulia Malkova- Yulia Malkova - founder of the website project. In the past, he was the editor-in-chief of the elle.ru Internet project and the editor-in-chief of the cosmo.ru website. I talk about travel for my own pleasure and the pleasure of my readers. If you are a representative of hotels or a tourism office, but we do not know each other, you can contact me by email: [email protected]

Italy provides all tourists who are not residents of Eurozone countries with the right to receive TAX FREE. You can use this service if:

— make a purchase in stores where you will see company logos on the windows: Global Blue TAX FREE (the most popular), TAX REFUND or PREMIER tax free. If you don't see them, don't hesitate to ask the seller if they issue TAX FREE.

— make purchases with one receipt for an amount of at least 154.94 euros. If you were unable to pay for all your purchases with one check, then when making several purchases on the same day in one store, you can add up all the checks to create the minimum amount above.

Registration of TAX FREE:

At the checkout, using your passport, the seller will issue you a TAX FREE check. Please carefully check that your information is correct: last name, first name, country of residence, address and passport number.

It is important to remember that the TAX FREE check is valid only for 3 months!!!

Return TAX FREE:

METHOD #1: a tourist can return TAX FREE, without waiting for the day of departure from the country, at one of the offices of the above-mentioned companies located in the center of Rome. You must have with you: receipts for purchases, an international passport, the purchases themselves unpacked with all tags and price tags, and a return ticket. They will fill out the paperwork and give you the money. When leaving the country at the airport, you will need to stamp previously issued checks at the customs point (Dogan in Italian) and present your purchases.

Addresses of TAX FREE Global Blue points in Rome:

— ACCORP FOREXCHANGE. Via del Lavatore 88/a. Opening hours: Mon.-Sat. 10.30-19.30, Sun. 11.30-18.30. Maximum return Money- 500 Euro.

— MACCORP FOREXCHANGE. Via del Caravita 6. Opening hours: Mon.-Sat. 10.30-19.30, Sun. 11.30-18.30.

— MACCORP FOREXCHANGE. Piazza della Rotonda 68/b. Opening hours: Mon.-Sat. 9.00-20.30, Sun. 9.30-20.00.

Addresses of TAX REFUND points in Rome:

— Best and Fast. Via Nazionale, 19. Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 7.45-21.00.

— ROMA Via Veneto. Via Lazio, 10. Opening hours: Mon.-Fri. 9.30-19.00, Sat. 9.30-13.00, Sun. - day off.

- ROME Piazza di Spagna. Piazza di Spagna, 38. Opening hours: Mon.-Fri. 9.00-17.30, Sat. 9.00-12.30, Sun. - day off.

- ROME Piazza di Spagna. Piazza di Spagna, 80. Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 9.30-20.00.

Addresses of PREMIER Tax Free points in Rome:

— Premier Tax Free. Via Gregoriana, 54. Opening hours: Mon.-Fri. 9.00-18.00.

— Forexchange. Via della Conciliazone, 43/A. Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 8.30-20.00.

— Forexchange. Termini Train Station, opposite platform 4. Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 7.00-20.00.

— Forexchange. Via del Caravita, 6. Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 9.00-20.00.

— Bank of China. Via Barberini, 97/103. Opening hours: Mon.-Fri. 8.45-16.00.

METHOD No. 2. TAX FREE can be returned at Fiumiccino Airport (Aeroporto nazionale Leonardo da Vinci Fiumiccino). In this case, I advise you to arrive early, because very often there is a long queue at the TAX FREE issuing points.

The procedure for obtaining TAX FREE is as follows:

- go to the passenger check-in counter and take your boarding pass, tell the woman at the counter that you want to get TAX FREE, she shows you where the customs point is (DOGANA in Italian).

— after receiving your boarding pass, you take your luggage and approach the customs point. Items for which you want a tax refund need to be prepared in advance so as not to waste time. Do not remove tags and price tags from them, and it is better not to unpack them.

- the customs officer, at his discretion, may ask you to present all purchases according to the receipts presented. If there are no questions, he will stamp your checks.

- with stamped checks you go to Global items Blue TAX FREE, TAX REFUND or PREMIER tax free, where you can receive money in cash immediately or on bank card within 3-5 working days. I advise you to keep the papers that the customs officer gives you until the money is transferred to your card. If the money does not arrive, you will need to call the phone number indicated on the papers to obtain information.

Customs (DOGANA) at Fiumicino Airport are:

- in the center of the first floor. After passing through customs, upon presentation of your boarding pass, you check your items as luggage.

— in the center of the hall behind passport control. For orientation: pass the Salvatore Ferragamo boutique, then the bar, on the right you will see the TAX FREE issuing points of all the above companies, behind them there is a customs point. After passing this customs, you take your things into the cabin of the plane.

TAX FREE Global Blue points at Fiumicino Airport are located:

— Global Blue Italia srl. Terminal 3, next to registration desk 326. Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 09.00-21.00. TAX FREE refund to credit card only.

— Global Blue Italia srl. Terminal 3 - Gate H1 (non-Schengen area). Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 07.00-22.00. The maximum refund is 999.50 euros.

Global Blue Italia srl. Terminal 5. Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 07.00-12.00. The maximum refund is 999.50 euros.

TAX REFUND points at Fiumiccino Airport are located:

— Terminal 3 (Check-in Area). Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 7.00-22.00.

— Terminal 3 (Departures Area). Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 7.00-22.00.