Tourists claiming value-added tax refunds of less than NT$1,000 (US$35) on goods under NT$50,000 will soon be exempt from producing the items for customs inspection upon departing Taiwan.
“The new policy, which is expected to take effect in April, should shorten waiting times at customs and encourage overseas visitors to spend more while shopping,” an ROC Ministry of Transportation and Communications official said Jan. 9.
“Since introducing the minimum tax refund policy in July 2011, only 1.21 percent, or 1,947, of inspections have revealed fraudulent claims,” the official said. “The government’s decision reflects this trend and is a win-win result for all parties.”
Customs Administration statistics showed that the number of tourists claiming VAT refunds on departure reached 400,578 in 2012, up 45.5 percent year on year. Refunds reached NT$690.86 million, a record rise of 46.5 percent from 2011.
A total 90 percent of all tax refund claims were made at Taiwan Taoyuan International and Taipei Songshan airports, with visitors from mainland China and Japan accounting for 60 percent and 7.68 percent, respectively.
