Tax rebates for visitors to Canada
Mark Bartelt
We've had an out-of-country houseguest for the past couple weeks. Visitors
to Canada are told that it's possible to get their GST and (in Ontario, at
least) PST refunded for purchases made while visiting.
Here's the catch-22: As one would expect, it's necessary to submit one form
to Revenue Canada (for the GST refund), and a different form to the Ontario
Ministry of Revenue (for the PST refund). However, *both* require original
receipts, and refuse to accept photocopies.
Has anyone successfully dealt with this bureaucratic idiocy before? Is it,
in fact, possible to get refunds for both taxes? If so, how? And if not,
shouldn't the tourist and convention bureaus stop spreading misinformation?
Mark Bartelt 416/978-5619
Canadian Institute for ma...@cita.toronto.edu
Theoretical Astrophysics ma...@cita.utoronto.ca
W.A.Simon
>Apologies in advance if this one has been kicked around before, but ...
>We've had an out-of-country houseguest for the past couple weeks. Visitors
>to Canada are told that it's possible to get their GST and (in Ontario, at
>least) PST refunded for purchases made while visiting.
>Here's the catch-22: As one would expect, it's necessary to submit one form
>to Revenue Canada (for the GST refund), and a different form to the Ontario
>Ministry of Revenue (for the PST refund). However, *both* require original
>receipts, and refuse to accept photocopies.
>Has anyone successfully dealt with this bureaucratic idiocy before? Is it,
>in fact, possible to get refunds for both taxes? If so, how? And if not,
>shouldn't the tourist and convention bureaus stop spreading misinformation?
Make this world a better place: kill a bureaucrat today.
|8-)
>Mark Bartelt
--
Alain - The Old Man of the Mountain
UUCP: al...@elevia.UUCP
Mark Bartelt
with GST/PST rebates for visitors to Canada (because of the fact
that both the federal and provincial bureaucracies insist on the
original receipts, and won't accept photocopies):
Well, it turned out to be an RTFM problem. It the booklet which
accompanies the form which one submits for the GST rebate (though
not on the form itself, apparently, though I don't have a copy of
the form in front of me), it explains that you can request that the
feds return your purchase receipts along with your cheque, so that
you can submit them to the provincial ministry for the PST refund.
Also, you can (up to some dollar limit, which I forget offhand) get
at least the GST back (dunno about the PST) at the duty-free shop at
the airport the day you leave.
The Bald Eagle
>Apologies in advance if this one has been kicked around before, but ...
>
>We've had an out-of-country houseguest for the past couple weeks. Visitors
>to Canada are told that it's possible to get their GST and (in Ontario, at
>least) PST refunded for purchases made while visiting.
>
>Here's the catch-22: As one would expect, it's necessary to submit one form
>to Revenue Canada (for the GST refund), and a different form to the Ontario
>Ministry of Revenue (for the PST refund). However, *both* require original
>receipts, and refuse to accept photocopies.
>
>Has anyone successfully dealt with this bureaucratic idiocy before? Is it,
>in fact, possible to get refunds for both taxes? If so, how? And if not,
>shouldn't the tourist and convention bureaus stop spreading misinformation?
>
as follows:
The visitor fills out the forms for the GST refund and sends them to the
GST office (thereis a list of offices on the form). They will evaluate
the request for refund and and send the refund AND all the receipts back to
the visitor. Then, the receipts can be sent to one of the provincial
offices for processing in order to get a refund.
My mother left from Montreal at the end of January. I so not believe that
she has received her GST refund yet, but was warned that it will take several
weeks since they have to run the bugs out of the system.
Also, on the brochure, it is (or was) stated that at some airports (such
as Mirabel) you could give the receipts to the Duty-free shop and that they
could give the GST refund right away. When my mother tried this, they
looked at her with a blank stare. So she mailed the receipts at the airport.
Hope this helps a bit.
--
uucp: micor!baldy internet: ba...@micor.ocunix.on.ca
The Bald Eagle strikes again!
God created only so many perfect heads, the rest He covered with hair.
John Nemeth
>to Canada are told that it's possible to get their GST and (in Ontario, at
>least) PST refunded for purchases made while visiting.
>
>Here's the catch-22: As one would expect, it's necessary to submit one form
>to Revenue Canada (for the GST refund), and a different form to the Ontario
>Ministry of Revenue (for the PST refund). However, *both* require original
>receipts, and refuse to accept photocopies.
I once stayed in Ottawa for a while, pre GST. When I sent my
receipts to the Ministry of Revenue, I requested that they return them
for warranty purposes and they did (one was the receipt for my
computer, so I actually did need them). They stamped the back of the
receipts to indicate that they had refunded the PST. Presumably, once
you get the receipts back from the Ministry of Revenue, you can mail
them to the Revenue Canada.
--
John Nemeth jne...@cue.bc.ca
System Administrator {uw-beaver,ubc-vision,ssc-vax}!
Computer Using Educators of B.C. uvicctr!cue!jnemeth