Surely you have seen in more than one airport the words “Tax Refund”, and more than once you have asked yourself if you could take advantage of it. These are points where non-EU tourists can request a refund on taxes paid when they purchased certain products in establishments affiliated with Premier Tax-Free and Global Blue.
As you can imagine, it supposes an important saving, especially if the price have been significant. However, many tourists don’t know this tax benefit or they do not know how to do the procedure and they return to their countries without taking profit of the tax rebate in Spain. With this article, you will clarify your doubts.
If you are an entrepreneur and you want to know how you can recover the VAT paid abroad with the 360/361 Form click here. There are also benefits for you.
Requirements to claim a VAT refund in Spain
To claim the VAT rebate in Spain, it must be essential to accomplish the following requirements:
- Be resident in a country outside the European Union, or having the main residence in Canarias, Ceuta or Melilla.
- That the purchases must have a value greater than 90,15€.
- Take the purchased goods to your country of origin within three months of the purchase.
- Present all the necessary Forms, as we will explain in the next section.
Therefore, invoices such as those of the hotel, restaurants or food, in general, are excluded. Nor are accessories for vehicles included.
How to make a VAT refund in Spain
There are two ways to get back the taxes paid for products purchased in Spain.
VAT refund through the store where you bought the product
On the one hand, at the moment to make the purchase we should look if the establishment is included in the Tax-Free system. In cities like Barcelona, approximately 90% of shops are. Even when you don’t see the logo indicating it, always ask the people who are working there.
When you know that a shop offers a tax-free service, you can make your purchases and request the tax refund checks. The store will fill and seal them.
Before boarding, you should go to the airport tax refund point with these checks, the passport or ID number, the goods purchased and the boarding pass. The customs authorities will stamp the checks and you can collect that tax refund at any exchange house with the currency you want.
VAT refund through a collaborating entity
On the other hand, you can request a collaborating entity if you prefer to send what you have bought to your country of origin and thus not load in it your suitcase. It is also a great solution if you do not want to make all bureaucratic procedures, something very useful, for example, if your flight leaves at 7 in the morning. Obviously, they will charge you for the service.
To make this shipment you only have to request it in the stores that offer the tax service. They will be in charge of contacting the transport company and you will not need the tax refund checks, since they are deducted automatically from the final invoice.
If you have any questions about the tax refund in Spain or any other issue about Non-Residents, contact our tax advisors in Barcelona. We will analyze your case in detail and find the best solution.
