Korea Code

Travel Basics

Tax Refund for Foreign Shoppers

Check eligibility before paying, distinguish immediate from later refunds, and keep goods and documents available for departure checks.

Source-based desk guide · sources checked 2026-10-16. Not a firsthand visit report. Reference links below; send corrections through Contact.

Check whether the purchase qualifies

VISITKOREA describes eligible non-Korean visitors staying under six months, with separate conditions for overseas Koreans. Goods must be new, unopened and unused, bought for at least KRW 15,000 per receipt, and taken out within three months of purchase. A foreign passport alone does not establish every condition; ask the participating retailer or refund operator before paying.

Immediate and later refunds are different

The official immediate-refund guide lists a purchase of at least KRW 15,000 but below KRW 1 million per transaction, and up to KRW 5 million total. Eligibility is checked before paying the tax-deducted amount. For a later refund, get the refund voucher and follow the operator’s export-confirmation process. Downtown refunds still require departure confirmation.

Ask four questions at the till

Before the payment is final

  • Is this purchase and my visitor status eligible?
  • Is the amount already tax-deducted, or must I claim later?
  • Which documents or accepted identity method must I provide?
  • What amount, fees, refund method and deadline apply to this voucher?

Do not budget a guaranteed percentage of the price as money you will receive. Keep the sales receipt and refund voucher together, and ask the operator how cancellations or returns affect the claim. Do not submit an immediate-refund purchase again as a second claim.

Pack for the actual inspection sequence

Before handing over checked baggage, ask the airline or customs desk how goods selected for inspection must be presented at your departure terminal. Do not assume everything belongs in carry-on baggage: liquid and baggage restrictions still matter. Keep the goods and documents accessible until the required check is complete.

Use a small departure checklist

Record for each purchase

  • Store and date; receipt and refund-voucher reference.
  • Immediate refund completed, or later refund still pending.
  • Required departure confirmation and goods location.
  • Payment destination and operator contact for follow-up.

If the kiosk fails or a refund does not arrive, retain the reference and contact the refund operator shown on the voucher. Do not count a screen saying “submitted” as proof the money has reached your account. Customs rules in your next destination are separate from a Korean tax refund.