Minimum purchase
KRW 15,000 or morePer qualifying receipt / transaction at a participating store
Key conditions
Immediate in-store refund
Under KRW 1 millionPer transaction
Immediate-refund total
KRW 5 million or lessPurchases receiving immediate refunds since entry
Export deadline
Within 3 monthsTake goods abroad unused and unopened after purchase
A scheme for eligible visitors, not every shopper
- Non-resident foreign visitors staying in Korea for less than six months may qualify. People employed or residing in Korea may be excluded.
- Overseas Korean nationals have separate conditions, including at least two years abroad and no more than three months in Korea. This is not a general shopping discount for Korean residents.
- This guide covers goods. Separate schemes, such as those for qualifying accommodation, require their own facility and eligibility checks.
Check a receipt amount
Amounts are in Korean won (KRW). Your store or refund operator’s voucher takes precedence over this calculation.
Enter purchase totals, not the tax refunded. Enter 0 if you have not used immediate refunds.
Leave blank if unknown. We do not invent an average fee.
VAT included in the price · not your refund
Illustration after your entered fee
Enter a receipt amount.
An illustration for goods priced with standard 10% VAT: purchase amount ÷ 11. It does not model individual consumption tax, exempt goods, operator refund tables or rounding rules. This is not a guaranteed payout.
Enter a receipt amount.
Three different ways to get a refund
Immediate in-store refund
The store checks eligibility, including your passport, and deducts tax when you pay. Purchases must be at least KRW 15,000 but under KRW 1 million per transaction, with immediate-refund purchases totaling no more than KRW 5 million since entry.
Do not claim tax again if it has already been deducted.
Downtown refund after purchase
Pay the tax-inclusive price, then take the voucher to a downtown refund point. The published transaction limit is KRW 6 million. Bring your passport, refund voucher and credit card.
Check advance-refund and card-guarantee terms, and complete export confirmation at departure. Release timing depends on the operator and card issuer.
Airport, mobile and other later refunds
Keep the voucher and goods, and follow customs export-confirmation instructions when departing. Then use your operator’s counter, kiosk, mobile service or other supported channel.
A purchase under KRW 1 million can also use a later refund if no immediate deduction was made. Payment methods and processing times vary by operator.
Keep the goods with you until customs clearance
These steps cover refunds after purchase. Export confirmation and the refund collection points in Incheon’s airside area are separate stages.
Get the voucher while shopping
Show your passport at a participating store and keep the receipt and refund voucher. Keep qualifying goods unused and unopened.
Keep goods and documents accessible
Prepare your passport, vouchers, receipts and boarding pass. Tell airline staff about goods intended for checked baggage; do not send them away before any required customs check.
Complete export confirmation in departures
Scan your passport and vouchers at the kiosk. If selected for inspection, present the goods to customs. Do not use a KRW 75,000 purchase amount to decide whether inspection is needed.
Collect your refund after departure formalities
Once export confirmation is complete, use the relevant operator’s counter or kiosk. A downtown advance refund still requires the necessary export confirmation.
Incheon T1
Refund counter near Gate 28, level 3 airside
Incheon T2
Refund counter near Gate 253, opposite Gate 250, level 3 airside
Locations follow Incheon Airport’s official guide. Counters and hours may change: check current signs and official information, and allow enough time.
Incheon Airport · Procedures and locations ↗Check each store before paying
Participation can differ by branch, item and payment method. A whole shopping street or mall is not automatically eligible.
- Ask whether the store participates in Tax Refund / Tax Free
- Check whether tax is deducted immediately or a voucher is issued
- Confirm minimum spending, passport holder and receipt conditions
- Keep the operator’s contact details and voucher number
These are shopping areas, not a guarantee of any store’s refund participation or fees.
Myeongdong
Beauty and department stores
View the area on a map ↗Hongdae
Fashion and everyday goods
View the area on a map ↗Gangnam
Department stores and brand shops
View the area on a map ↗Dongdaemun
Fashion and shopping malls
View the area on a map ↗Frequently asked questions
Do I get 10% of my purchase back?
No. For a price that includes 10% VAT, the VAT component is the price divided by 11. The actual refund also depends on operator fees and refund tables.
Can I use an e-passport or a phone photo?
A physical electronic passport with an IC chip is a passport, not the same as a phone photo. Bring your physical passport. For an approved mobile-passport service, first check whether the store supports it.
Can I combine receipts from different stores?
You cannot simply combine different stores’ receipts to reach the minimum. Check before paying whether multiple purchases at the same store can be combined.
Am I finished after receiving a downtown refund?
Not necessarily. This differs from an immediate in-store deduction. Advance downtown refunds require export confirmation; failure to complete it can trigger the card-guarantee terms.
When will a card refund arrive?
Timing varies by operator, application method and card issuer. Keep the voucher and application details, and contact the operator if its stated processing period has passed.
Are duty-free stores and tax-refund stores the same?
No. Airport and downtown duty-free stores sell under a tax-exempt scheme. Tax-refund stores deduct or return tax to qualifying visitors at participating shops. Your destination country’s import allowance is a separate matter.
What if I lose the receipt or miss departure formalities?
A later refund is not guaranteed. Before leaving, ask the store and refund operator about replacement documents, your application status and available procedures.