How long a card refund takes, by company (checked 3 November 2026)
| Refund company | What the company says | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Global Blue | Usually processed within 3–5 days after your purchases are validated | From Global Blue’s Japan guide. Your card issuer may need a few more days to show it. |
| PIE VAT | Normally within 15 business days after you request a withdrawal | You must tap “Withdraw Refund” in the app yourself. PIE VAT says withdrawals requested from 1 to 15 November should arrive in early to mid-December because of high volumes. |
| Smart Detax (JPrefund) | Depends on the shop and refund method; may take more than one month after departure | From the JPrefund FAQ. |
| J&J Tax Free (J-TaxRefund) | No number of days given | Processing starts after customs confirms the goods at departure. |
| Global Tax Free-Planet, Ocean | No traveller information found | Ask the company if the refund does not arrive. |
Which card can you use?
The choices depend on the refund company and the shop. Global Blue lists Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay and Alipay. PIE VAT lists credit or debit cards, bank transfer, PayPal and WeChat Pay. JPrefund lists credit cards, Alipay+, WeChat Pay and bank transfer. J&J lists credit cards, bank transfer and QR payment apps.
Only JPrefund states a name rule: the passport must belong to the buyer, and the name on the refund account must match the passport. Global Blue, PIE VAT and J&J do not say. The safe choice is a card in the same name as your passport; ask before registering a family member’s card.
Exchange rate and fees
The refund is worked out in yen. When it is paid to a card in another currency, the refund company and your card issuer decide the exchange. Global Blue’s general terms say it adds up to 2–4% to its own rate for a different currency (its help centre says 3–5%). No refund company says what your card issuer charges for foreign transactions.
Fees come off the refund before it is paid. PIE VAT, for example, deducts a service fee of 1.5–3.0% and a withdrawal fee of 0.28–0.32% of the price before tax: on an ¥11,000 purchase with ¥1,000 tax, you get ¥668–822.
Skip customs and the money is charged back
To take the refund in cash at 11 Yodobashi Camera stores, you must register a credit card. If the customs check is not completed when you leave Japan, Yodobashi charges the amount it paid you to that card. Global Blue’s general terms also allow a fee of up to 15% on such charge-backs, but those terms were written for paper forms and do not say whether this applies in Japan.
Useful before you fly
Airport transfer when you have a lot of shopping bags
Luggage storage in Tokyo for the hours before an evening flight
Card cancelled, expired or replaced
No company covers this directly. Global Blue says that if a payment is rejected, you should contact customer services to confirm your details or choose another method. Before you cancel or replace the card you registered, ask the refund company how to update it.
Before the refund arrives
- Keep the receipt and note which refund company is on it
- Check the status in the app if your refund company has one
- Keep the card you registered active
- Expect the amount to be smaller than the tax you paid if a fee applies
- Contact the refund company if nothing arrives after the time it states