Customs Procedures
Customs procedures at Tallinn Airport are conducted by the Tax and Customs Board. Tax and Customs Board officials are authorised to screen passengers and monitor imports in order to prevent prohibited goods from entering the country. Random checks are performed to discover prohibited substances and goods.
Customs regulations are different for passengers travelling between European Union Member States and passengers arriving to the Member States from outside the European Union. Further information on restrictions is available on the website of the Tax and Customs Board.
The Estonian Tax and Customs Board recommends that you check the limits on the quantities of various goods before you return home from a foreign country. You are also recommended to review the regulations of the foreign country before you travel abroad because the permitted import quantities may differ from one country to another.
VAT Refunds – Easy as 1-2-3
Passengers residing outside the European Union are entitled to reimbursement of the VAT included in the purchase price, if the goods purchased are taken along upon leaving the European Union. A service charge is deducted from the final amount of the refund.
Here’s how you can have VAT refunded when leaving the European Union via Tallinn Airport:
1. Purchase receipt with refundable VAT
When paying for your purchases in the shop, ask for a receipt from the shop assistant.
2. Customs certificate
The goods you have purchased must not be used before being taken outside the European Union.
A) If you’re going to place the purchased goods in your checked baggage, go to the customs checkpoint (located next to the arriving passengers’ door) to have the goods inspected before you check in for your flight. Present your purchases, passport and receipt(s) to the customs official and the official will certify the export of the goods on the receipt.
B) If you’re going to take the purchased goods along in your hand baggage, after you have checked in for your flight and passed through the security control, contact the customs officials using the special purpose internal phone located between Gate 4 and Gate 6 to have them inspect the goods. Present your purchases, passport and receipt(s) to the customs official and the official will certify the export of the goods on the receipt.
3. Receive the money
VAT refunds are paid out by the CHANGE IT currency exchange desk located near the gate number 3. Present the purchase receipt(s) with refundable VAT and your passport to the customer service representative there and the refundable amount will be transferred to your credit card or paid out in cash. Complete list of all refund locations.
