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I made significant purchases in Sweden and need a stamp for tax refund. I leave Denmark for Norway by ferry and then fly from Bergen to Paris. From Paris I will go to Zurich by train 3 days later and then fly from Zurich back to the US. Where is the easiest place to get my stamp?

Thanks everyone! I am hoping there will be option on board with DFDS the ferry company I am taking from Copenhagen to Oslo. It sounds like my only other chance is at the Bergen airport (they are not on the EU but have an agreement with Sweden). My concern there is I am flying to Paris, which means I am not leaving the EU. I'm hoping they don't ask where I am flying to. It amounts to a savings of about $240, so I'm hoping I can make it happen!

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    You have a complex journey, and in theory you may need to pay VAT on entry in Norway, and on entry to Switzerland (and possibly also on entry again in EU). I'm curious to see the answers, but I think you are outside what legislators were thinking.
    – Giacomo Catenazzi
    Commented May 21 at 8:41
  • I think the only places that come into question are Sweden and Paris. Norway and Switzerland are closely associated with the EU and part of the Schengen area but they are not member states and do not fully apply EU VAT rules. Easiest thing is probably to do it in Sweden and just ignore the fact that you are transiting through the EU again after that (but that might not be totally kosher as Giacomo noted). I don't know more than this :(
    – Relaxed
    Commented May 21 at 10:28
  • Returning the goods back into the European Customs Union (Paris) will not be a problem since you have the tax receipts. Good luck in finding a french custom's official to verify (with the stamp) that the goods are leaving the European Customs Union before entering Switzerland on the train. Better to find a provider to ship the goods from Sweden to the US (and getting the verification stamp) - that would also spare you any problems with Norway and Switzerland.
    – Mark Johnson
    Commented May 21 at 10:42
  • What kind of goods are your 'significant purchases'? Is it something a tourist usually bring along when travelling abroad, or is it something obviously not related to your trip?
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented May 21 at 12:21
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    I think you should ask before boarding the ferry. I have recently used a ferry from the same company between the Netherlands and the UK, the customs and passport checks were all done before and after the crossing, nothing on board.
    – Willeke ♦
    Commented May 22 at 14:58

2 Answers 2

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Since your travel is Sweden (EU) -> Denmark (EU) -> Norway (not EU) -> France (EU) -> Switzerland (not EU), there only two possible places (those were you are exiting the EU):

  • Before boarding the ferry leaving from Denmark to Norway
  • On board the train from France to Switzerland.

Your itinerary is more complex than the usual "I exit the EU and that's it", but I don't think there are are reasons why you couldn't apply at either (though I haven't had the courage to dig into the relevant VAT regulations for details).

Once upon a time there were regular (but not systematic) customs checks on long distance trains from France to Switzerland. I have no recent experience with that, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were close to inexistent nowadays, and at the very least you can hardly count on them, and the alternatives if you don't see a customs officer are complex (you would need to travel back to a manned border post on a road - there are very few of those remaining).

So your best best is probably when leaving Denmark to Norway. You haven't specified which ferry route you are using, but it's likely there is a Danish customs office at the embarcation port. They are listed here, along a number you can call for instructions if there isn't an office at the relevant port.

Make sure you check the conditions of the specific tax refund provider using by the shop you will be purchasing from (especially how/where you can get the actual refund).

Also make sure the office is open at the right hours, and that you budget enough time, customs offices are sometimes quite a bit outside the regular path for private users (for instance in Hirtshals it's actually 3 km from the harbour!), and there could be some waiting in line with truck drivers, especially if a ferry just arrived.

Some countries (like France) offer a service (for a fee, subject to conditions) where you can go to their consulate in your home country to receive the stamp if you couldn't get it on departure. I haven't found an equivalent for Sweden (the service offered by France is applicable only for purchases made in France).

Alternatively, you may ship the goods directly outside the EU. You will need to have relevant documentation, contact the tax refund processor for details.

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  • My experience: controls are on train to Switzerland are seldom (and usually quick to check abandoned bags, and drug check with dogs). But once I saw customer office checking a shopping bag (from Italy, I think from some fashion house) and delivering a fine because the purchase was not declared. In any case: I saw it only once, and fines should not be high (VAT is low, and if it is just a tourist mistake: there is no attempt to hide things) (so no fraud) the risk and fines may be low.
    – Giacomo Catenazzi
    Commented May 21 at 15:34
  • @GiacomoCatenazzi That would be a Swiss customs officer (which indeed OP does not want to look into what they bring in) but OP would need a French one (to stamp the form).
    – jcaron
    Commented May 21 at 17:36
  • @GiacomoCatenazzi When crossing a border, you must with only few exceptions actively declare whatever you bring above the allowed amount. Potentially that also means that you have to cross the border at a location where you can find a customs office instead of travelling by train, if there are only random checks on the train. Switzerland has very high fines compared to surrounding states, e.g. CHF 1200 (same amount in €) for three days illegal parking in Zürich, so I would be surprised if the fines for smuggling are low.
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented May 22 at 6:49
  • @Tor-EinarJarnbjo In this case, though, OP is not resident and just a temporary visitor, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem (though they could, if they wanted, insist on payment on taxes on entry to be refunded on exit). The same applies for entry into Norway and back in the EU. Of course OP may have to declare and pay taxes in their country of origin when they get there (depending on the country).
    – jcaron
    Commented May 22 at 8:06
  • @jcaron: Exactly and that is why I asked in a comment on the question what kind of 'significant purchases' have been made. Also as a temporary visitor, there are restrictions on what you are allowed to bring undeclared and if the items are 'stamped out' or formally exported from the EU on the ferry from Denmark to Norway, it is not only perhaps a problem in Norway or Switzerland, but also bringing the goods back into the EU.
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented May 22 at 10:07
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For future reference there was a customs office in Copenhagen at the port for the ferry to Oslo. The agent was happy to give me the stamps, so problem solved!

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