Overseas visitors are to be able to use credit cards to apply for value-added tax (VAT) refunds in Taiwan from Sunday, according to the National Credit Card Center (NCCC).
Electronic machines designed to issue VAT refunds are to be in operation at Taiwan’s nine airports and seven seaports starting on Sunday, which overseas visitors can operate with their credit cards to get tax refunds.
NCCC general manager Lin Dong-liang (林棟樑) said the new approach, which was based on tax-refunding systems in Singapore, would make getting a tax refund more convenient and save visitors time.
The machines are to be installed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) and Kaohsiung International Airport, as well as at airports in Taichung and Tainan and Hualien, Taitung, Chiayi and Penghu counties.
The seven seaports that are to have the machines are the ports of Taipei, Keelung, Suao, Hualien, Tainan’s Anping Pier, Shuitou Pier in Kinmen County and Magong Port in Penghu.
The machines are being supplied by Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), which is to charge a transaction fee of 14 percent for tax refunds issued through the machines.
Although the transaction fee might seem high, some visitors might prefer paying it instead of having to endure long lines at airports or seaports to collect their refunds before leaving Taiwan.
According to new regulations that are also to take effect on Sunday, overseas visitors who spend at least NT$2,000 in a single day at an authorized tax refund shopping establishment can receive a refund of the 5 percent VAT within 90 days of the purchase.
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