How to get a refund for taxes on iPhone and Apple Watch bought in Canada as a tourist?

KiltedTim wrote:

No only can you not get a refund on the taxes, what you are planning to do is illegal.

Iran is under international sanctions. It is illegal to sell or give any Apple product to anyone who intends to take it to Iran.

While I'm certainly not an international lawyer, I'm also pretty certain this is not entirely true.

1) Many of those international sanctions against Iran are no longer in force at all. Even when those sanctions were in force, they applied specifically to weapons industries and support of Iran's nuclear industry.

2) Individual countries can certainly maintain their own sanctions if they want. The US recent re-imposed and enhanced its sanctions against Iran. Countries that are within the US "sphere of influence" may continue to impose sanctions. This question (or thread-jack) specifically relates to Canada. Here is a link for information about Canada's current sanctions against Iran.

3) Whether any of that applies to a citizen of Iran is a different question. As the previous Government of Canada web site says, individuals should consult with a (real) lawyer to determine if any particular transaction would contravene a Canadian sanction law.

4) All the above being said, a MacBook Pro and AirPods are not weapons. The US does impose its own export control laws on other countries. However, that usually involves items (like weapons) which already require a strict chain of custody. Apple devices are consumer electronic devices. There is no citizenship or authorization check before purchase of these products in Canada. If the Apple Store takes your credit card, then you can purchase it. I have not seen any export controls when leaving Canada.

5) Although Canada is definitely in the US "sphere of influence", Canada is not the same as US. I have been stopped and searched when leaving the US. And there are Iranian consumer products available for sale in Canadian stores. Canadians love to vacation in Cuba, for example. There doesn't seem to be any kind draconian bans against consumer products from any individual country.

6) But you cannot get a refund on any taxes paid, which will be 13% in Toronto.

Shat10 wrote:

Hi

i m planning to purchase airpod and macbook in Toronto and get to my country Iran 2 day l later

is there possibility to refund the tax when i m returning in the airport?

I doubt it. It seems like Canada used to have a general visitor tax refund program, but that was changed to something much more in line with modern times. All I can do is give you link: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/gst-hst-businesses/gst-hst-rebates/program-history-foreign-convention-tour.html

In any case, don't get your hopes up. Nobody ever gets a refund, even when obviously entitled to one. If you buy an Apple device in Canada and accidentally leave it at your family's house somewhere else, you'll have to HST, and import duties on it again to ship it home. Yes. There is a form to get that refunded. You can fill it out and send it in. But you'll never get a refund.

And finally, you should double-check with officials on the way back in. You might be expected to pay additional taxes and duties. In most cases, it is easier and cheaper to simply buy devices in your own country. Given the current political climate, that is getting more and more difficult. Just do your homework, your paperwork, and be prepared to pay again and again.

KiltedTim wrote:

The AirPods most likely are not, however the MacBook Pro is most definitely prohibited by the sanctions.

I believe you will find pretty much any Mac falls under the 'dual use' category.

https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales/sanctions/iran.aspx?lang=eng#a1

I included that same link. And as I pointed out before, that page explicitly says it is not intended to provide legal advice to the public.

But since you replied, I double-checked. It seems like both Canada and maybe even the US do allow the export of personal electric devices, including laptops, to Iran, with the idea being to help people evade local restrictions on communications. That relaxation in export regulations was made in 2013. I don't know if it was subsequently restricted again recently. If it was, that wouldn't apply to Canada. However, I did see a note that the importation of any encrypted device would need a license issued by Iran's Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution. So anyone planning a purchase like this should definitely double-check with the actual authorities and make sure everything is legal. Don't rely on what people on the internet say. 😄

I also double-checked on the refund. I didn't read that link I posted well enough. There are absolutely no refunds on HST. There used to be something circa 2006. Then there was something more restricted relating to tours and conventions, but that expired circa 2017. Today, no refunds of any kind.

You will need to contact your country's taxing authority; Apple charges taxes as required by law in the country of purchase and does not allow refunds since they do not allow exporting the merchandise.

I an in the US, but I would expect the laws to be similar or the same in Canada. Don't expect a refund unless you are assured by Canadian tax authorities that it will be refunded. It is not in the US/

On top of paying sales or similar taxes to the foreign country, I wouldn't be surprised if you have to pay customs taxes, import duties, and/or sales taxes on your new toys when you get back to your home country.

Shat10 wrote:

Hi

i m planning to purchase airpod and macbook in Toronto and get to my country Iran 2 day l later

is there possibility to refund the tax when i m returning in the airport?

No only can you not get a refund on the taxes, what you are planning to do is illegal.

Iran is under international sanctions. It is illegal to sell or give any Apple product to anyone who intends to take it to Iran.

The AirPods most likely are not, however the MacBook Pro is most definitely prohibited by the sanctions.

I believe you will find pretty much any Mac falls under the 'dual use' category.

https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales/sanctions/iran.aspx?lang=eng#a1

This is a community of end users. We are neither Apple support nor tax/ import-export officials This is beyond the scope of these forums.

Hi

i m planning to purchase airpod and macbook in Toronto and get to my country Iran 2 day l later

is there possibility to refund the tax when i m returning in the airport?