Will your tax-free purchase get a refund?

From 1 November 2026, Japan changes how visitors get the consumption tax back. You pay the full price, then Customs confirms your goods when you leave, and the shop refunds the tax. Answer a few questions per receipt to see how it fares under the official rules.[source]

This is a self-check, not a decision. It applies the published rules to your answers. The shop at the register and the customs terminal at the airport decide. Your answers stay in your browser and are not sent anywhere.

Which passport do you travel on? A foreign passport A Japanese passportJapanese nationals who live abroad can qualify. See the questions that follow.

Have you lived outside Japan continuously for two years or more, counted up to your last entry into Japan? YesNoNot sure

Which proof will you show with your passport?

The official list accepts one of these.[source]

My Number Card that records your move overseas Residence certificate (在留証明), issued within six months before your last entry Copy of the family-register supplementary record (戸籍の附票の写し), issued within six months before your last entry None of these

Did you return to Japan less than six months ago? Yes, less than six monthsNo, six months or more

Why it asks about each receipt

Customs confirms goods one receipt at a time. If one item from a receipt is missing at the terminal, none of the items on that receipt count.[source] Two shops mean two receipts, and so does a second visit to the same shop on another day. The ¥5,000 minimum is counted per shop per day, so several receipts from one shop on one day can be added together.[source]

New to the system? Start with how the refund works, then read what to do at the airport.