I had a question, this is the scenario:
I buy an Apple product worth $3000.
Claim GST ($300) as I'm about to travel overseas
Come back within two months.
Return said Apple product for $3000.
What happens? Is this a loop hole?
Mod: From comments, this practice is illegal. Thread retained to act as a warning.
Yes, 3-4 grand item
Is this a loop hole?
No, it's called being dodgy as shit.
When I was in primary school I had this genius idea of importing millions of 20 cent coins from New Zealand.
Because they are in circulation here in Australia, and people use them as equals.
Thus, I was going to benefit from the difference in exchange rates.
That was my million dollar idea ; )
Haven't we had this discussion before?
Not unless you're my long lost primary school friend…
What happens? Is this a loop hole?
You're doing two things that are dishonest and plain illegal.
Since the GST on your Apple product was refunded to you and depreciation will not cause the worth of the laptop to decrease below $900, you have to declare it after arriving in Australia from your return flight and pay the GST again.
Considering you're willing to buy an overpriced Apple product, I am pretty sure you can afford to pay the full RRP.
If you want, you can just give your laptop to someone who is coming on the return flight with you and they don't have to declare it (it's still a dishonest thing to do). Customs is not going to ask you where you bought it from. Your friend can simply say it was a present from someone, work laptop or it belongs to someone else.
In other news, the new macbook pro should be launching on October 27th. If you're willing to spend over $3000 for a 15" laptop then you should probably wait for that.
You'll be fine. Border force won't check how old your widgets are. They're only interested in prohibited and restricted items.
Border force
LMAO are they really called that and no longer customs?
Yes. You see big BORDER FORCE signs up everywhere in airports to intimidate people. Pretty disgusting really.
You might arrive when the BORDER FORCE are on strike and you will get a free pass with your macbook and stapped full of cocaine.
The TRS staff will stamp your receipt when you claim the GST. But not sure what Apple would do with that information…perhaps refund you the money less GST or they could contact TRS to report you?!
Even if I just want to return the laptop for other Apple goods, e.g iPhone? Where GST IS also charged?
And then repeat the process huh…?
Apple always email you the receipt.
Lol.
I'm pretty sure this isn't a loophole but instead just plain ol' fraud.
You may as well request to be paid cash in hand from your employer and not declare to ATO - less effort for your money.
Come back within two months.
Return said Apple product for $3000.
How do you return it in 2 months? Do Apple have a 2 month change of mind return policy?
And why 2 months?
'14 calendar days' according to Apple's website.
Better still dont come back to Australia as we dont need dishonest people living here ripping off the system
I think that's borderline dodgy. However if you actually take the laptop and get someone else to bring the laptop back, I think you can mitigate the risk of getting caught, not encouraging you to do it though lol.
This was on the border security show a few weeks back.
A guy had multiple visits to Vietnam over a few weeks. they thought he was carry drugs. but then they looked at all his stuff and still had receipts (and the goods) from various jewelers that had claimed the TRS GST.
Seriously, they should get rid of the TRS for Australian residents.
I remember seeing that show. And to answer OPs questions. You have to pay back GST on goods (on which you claimed a return) brought back within a year.
Seriously, they should get rid of the TRS for Australian residents.
Why would you want to do that?
Gives an incentive to purchase within Australia if you're about to leave the country rather than purchase abroad.
"Jobs and Growth"
You can the second to last question here:
https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente/Tour/Are-you-a-traveller
I claimed a TRS refund for some goods that I now want to bring back into Australia. What do I need to know?
If you are aged 18 years or over, you can bring in up to A$900 worth of general goods into Australia duty-free, or A$450 if you are younger than 18. Families travelling together can pool this allowance (so a couple with a child can bring in a total of A$900 + $900 + A$450 = A$2250 worth of general goods into Australia without paying duty or tax). This is called your Passenger Concession.
In other words, no, you can't legally do it.
You can wait in the TRS line in Perth and miss your flight.
Same in Melbourne….
Well you'd need to declare the item on the way back in and pay GST - so this example probably wouldn't work.
You could do this for a $1000 item but seems like a lot of effort for around $90