To further enhance the convenience of tax refund procedures for overseas visitors shopping in Anhui Province, the Provincial Tax Bureau recently issued the “Notice on Implementing the ‘Instant Departure Tax Refund’ Service for Shopping by Overseas Visitors.” Overseas visitors shopping at the first batch of 15 designated “Instant Departure Tax Refund” stores, including Anhui Intime Commercial Co., Ltd. and Chizhou Shangzhidu Shopping Center Co., Ltd., can enjoy the “instant departure tax refund” service.

The notice states that overseas visitors who shop on the same day at the same “instant departure tax refund” store in Anhui, with a single purchase amount eligible for an “instant departure tax refund” service and an actual refund amount not exceeding RMB 20,000, and who sign an agreement committing to depart from Hefei Xinqiao International Airport or Huangshan Tunxi International Airport within 17 days (inclusive) after the issuance of the “Departure Tax Refund Application Form for Overseas Visitors”, can enjoy the “instant refund” service upon completion of credit card pre-authorization. They will receive a cash amount in RMB on-site equivalent to the tax refund amount (i.e., the prepayment).

When the overseas visitor departs within the promised 17-day period via Hefei Xinqiao International Airport or Huangshan Tunxi International Airport and passes customs inspection in accordance with the agreement and tax refund policies, the tax refund agency will cancel the credit card pre-authorization and complete the tax refund procedure. If the visitor fails to meet the above requirements, the agency will recover the prepayment via credit card pre-authorization and handle the tax refund business according to the general regulations.

Source: Anhui Daily