What if I was not able to get a stamp? /
If you are/were not able to get a stamp:
- Call the customs 24/7 helpline
Customs officers are present at the airport 24/7. Most customs desks show a telephone number which you can call outside of opening hours. Customs officers will come down to stamp your receipts. If you're not sure, ask the airport information desk for more information.
Information about customs at Schiphol can be found here.
- Declare your goods at your non-EU airport of arrival
You can 'declare your goods' and get a stamp which proves your items have been imported into a country outside the EU. These offices are located between the bagage claim belts and the exit. You might be asked to pay import taxes and duties.
- Visit an embassy or consulate in your non-EU country of arrival
You can go to the embassy of the EU country you departed from or the embassy of the country where you bought your goods. Call the embassy first to ask if they can help. Some embassies will direct you to a customs department. Bring the following with you:
- tax-free form
- purchase receipt
- purchased items
- flight itinerary showing when you exited the EU
- passport
- if you have an EU passport; another non-EU official government document proving you life outside the EU (visa, work-permit, residence-permit, etc)
Please note that without a stamp from customs, we can't process your claim. No stamp = No refund. The tax administration does not allow us to process claims without proof of export from customs, no matter what the reason was if you were not able to get a stamp. If you feel you were not in fault for not being able to get a customs stamp, please contact customs directly to file a complaint and request a rectification.