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I want to pay for a VPN service with my UK credit card but I've recently moved to Japan. On the form I can select Japan or the UK but Japan won't charge a sales tax so it's obviously a better deal that way. I would be the primary user of the VPN but family back in the UK would use it too.

I can't find any information on what to do with non-physical goods like this, normally I'd pay the local tax and (if I wasn't in a lazy mood) reclaim it at the airport but this is a tad different.

Any help or insight would be much appreciated.

ian
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In practice, you have to pay what the seller charges. Let's say I'm here in the UK and I pay £29.99 on a product, of which £5.00 is VAT (calculated as £24.99 + 20% VAT).

You can argue all you like that you should have to pay £24.99 only; if the seller doesn't give it to you for that amount of money, then there is nothing you can do. You can't force them to do business with you. If the payment is done through a website, they are not going to change their website to sell you the product for £24.99.

Of course their accountants will sort out how to book this. They might put the £5.00 into their pocket, or the chancellor's pocket. But unless they have huge numbers of customers abroad, they are not going to change prices for you.

gnasher729
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