Bilbao Council´s Website

Procedure fot tax refund

Citizens of non-EU countries are entitled to VAT refund for purchases of €90 or over. The procedure for the refund will vary according to whether the retailer belongs to "TAX FREE SHOPPING" or not.

Purchases from a "Tax Free Shop" retailer

1. These shops will be signalled with the sign "Global Refund TAX FREE SHOPPING".
2. Once the purchase has been made, ask for the tax refund cheque, "GLOBAL REFUND CHEQUE".
3. Upon leaving the European Union, declare the items you have purchased at the Customs Office, along with the Global Refund Cheques, which will need to be validated.
   The cheques may be exchanged in three different ways :

• In any Cash Refund Office in the airport, after passport control. This service is available in Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Palma de Majorca, Ibiza, Málaga, Sevilla, Valencia, Oviedo, Santiago de Compostela and Reus airports.
• In any International Cash Refund Office located around the world.
• By posting the Global Refund Cheques stamped by Customs. The refund will be credited directly to your bank account. A free post envelope is provided with Global Refund Cheques

Further information:

Global Refund Spain, S.A.
Address: Manuel Tovar, 1- 28034 MADRID
Phone number: 900.435.482 // 91.729.43.80
Fax: 91.729.12.99
Web: www.taxfree.es

Purchases from a non-"Tax Free Shopping" retailer

1. Once the purchase has been made, ask your retailer for the relevant tax refund or Premier Tax Free documents, which consist of a free post envelope and a duplicate receipt. The receipt must include all the necessary details: retailer's name, fiscal identification number (NIF, "número de identificación fiscal"), items' price, VAT, as well as customer's bank details for a subsequent refund.
2. Before leaving the European Community, go to the Customs Office at the airport to obtain a stamp for your receipt. Present your boarding card and passport, the two copies of the receipt and the items, in case an inspection is required.
3. When the receipt has been stamped at the Customs Office, the customer must keep the copy and send the original directly to Premier Tax Free, using the free post envelope provided. Once the original receipt, stamped by Customs, has been received, the Ministry of Finance will reimburse you for the corresponding amount, either to your credit card or else by means of an international cheque in the currency of your choice.
4. In some airports such as Madrid or Barcelona a reimbursement may be obtained immediately at the PREMIER TAX FREE CASH REFUND POINTS. At Loiu airport there is no such service.