The airport refund scheme every Aussie traveller needs to know about

Australia’s tourist refund scheme (TRS) isn’t just for international visitors. It also allows Aussie travellers to claim back GST paid on eligible purchases before jetting abroad.

From clothing through to jewellery, electronics, luggage, unused make-up and more, a successful claim puts that tax back into your pocket. It also supports Australian businesses by encouraging travellers to shop here rather than overseas.

Some will always take advantage. A Sydney-based international student was recently arrested for allegedly making false GST refund claims worth more than $5 million. I can’t say that my own legitimate claims – most recently, for a small camera – even come close.

Genuine claims require spending at least $300 (including GST) at a single business. This can be across multiple transactions, provided the receipts show the same ABN and collectively add up to $300.

On a single trip, you can claim purchases made from every ABN at which you’ve spent $300-plus. I often overhear claims being rejected where travellers have shopped at different locations of the same franchise, as each location had a different ABN, so check that carefully.

Your tax invoices must be physical and original. You can’t show these on a phone or laptop, but if you’ve shopped online, you can bring a printout.

You’ll also need to have shopped within 60 days of your international departure, and tax invoices of $1000-plus require your name. When a retailer can’t add this electronically, I’ve had success in asking staff to handwrite my name, imprint a company stamp and sign the annotation before I claim.

Tax invoices must include a brief description of the goods plus the retailer’s address. Meet all these requirements? Download the My TRS Claim app for Android or iOS before embarking. Follow its prompts to draft your claim, which will generate a QR code.

On travel day, pack the goods you’re claiming into your carry-on baggage. You’ll need to present them at the airport TRS counters after passport control, together with your tax invoice(s) and that QR code to complete your claim.

Bulkier items can be inspected by border force before check-in, and you can then pack those goods into your checked bags. Once inspected, border force will provide a form confirming the sighting, which you’ll present at the airside TRS counter instead of the goods.

Check your airport website or ask at the information desk to locate border force landside (the public areas of an airport that people can visit without going through security or passport control).

GST refunds can be paid by bank transfer or processed onto your credit card. Be mindful that credit card reversals can reduce any frequent flyer points that had been earned on the refunded amount, so I always opt for EFT.

You can bring the items back to Australia, subject to the usual duty-free limits, which also apply to anything you’ve bought abroad. For adults, the limit is $900, while for children it’s $450.

Family members travelling together can pool their limits – handy for chunkier TRS claims. For instance, a family of two adults and two children receive a total combined tax-free allowance of $2700.

If exceeding the limits, Australian Border Force advises that you must tick “yes” to question three on the incoming passenger card, which asks about goods “purchased duty and/or tax free in Australia”.

Purchases of more than $300 but less than $990 (including GST) are the sweet spot for solo travellers. You’ll be home with flying colours – and cash back in your bank account.