Hi all, I have received many the e-mail asking how to shop tax-free in Spain so I thought I would pop in and post this.
quote:
3 easy steps.
1� In the store Shop where you see the Global Refund TAX FREE SHOPPING sign (over 210,000 stores worldwide) and simply ask for your TAX FREE check. Highly trained staff members will be happy to help and advise you.
2� Through customs When leaving a country or the European Union, simply show your purchases, receipts and passport to customs officials and have your Global Refund cheques stamped. Customs personnel are well informed about the Global Refund system.
3� Collect your refund You have several choices: immediate cash at one of our Cash Refund Offices, crediting to a chosen credit card or bank account, a bank check sent to a chosen address and even, for certain countries, a cash refund when you return home. What could be more convenient?
- Tax Free shopping in Spain is available to anyone not a resident of the EU. - Minimum purchase is 90.15 Euros at stores. - Your max. stay is 3 months to be able to claim the refund.
Hi jer, Had to have a little giggle when I read "what could be easier"!!
I tried and tried to claim my tax back when I bought a jacket in Malaga last year. I was told by the shop that I must also have the goods bought with me, and not packed in my suitcase, when I went to get the check signed.
Step 1. Showed everything to the relevant desk at Malaga airport. Refused to sign check, saying I had to get it stamped in Madrid.
Step 2. Sent friend with everything to ask again. Refused.
Step 3. Tried again at Madrid Airport. No-one wants to put their stamp on the form, firstly saying I should have had it stamped in Malaga, then saying that I have to get it stamped when I arrive at my destination. Go and find friendly official who comes back to desk with me. Still no stamp.
Step 4. Arrive at destination with no stamp and ask friendly customs official to stamp form. He explains I have to go to an import agent and get him to stamp it for me, for which there will be a charge!!
Step 5. Went home and threw relevant paperwork in bin!!
________________________________________ Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
Yikers madsue, my mom had no problem when she did the tax back thing at Madrid airport.
Sorry about your hell time
Saludos, jer...
p.d. It does make sense however that you would have to show the merchandise, otherwise one could go around collecting reciepts on goods during their stay here and make a lot of money. Heck, when friends come to visit me I could go shopping, give them all of my reciepts and the could make a killing!!!
Better yet, don't do the check- its a pain anyway, just get reimbursed in cash. I did this after trying to get them to refund my credit card (also an option)but El corte Ingles sent me a check instead and I couldn't cash it where I lived in the US- so, cash it is! And they give it to you in the airport. Also, no, I didn't have to show the merchandise. It was at the madrid airport ( i don't know if that made a difference) all I had to do was show the form, the reciept and passport.
Siguiendo mi propio Camino de Santiago
Posts: 387 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 19 October 2002
I must say that my mom never showed her merchandise either.
I think that her not speaking any Spanish may have had somethign to do with it, perhaps the tax free folks just did not want to bother even though they speak English.
I did all my asking in Spanish, but thinking about it, maybe it was all refused because I was going back to the Canary Isles, and although we are outside Spain for tax purposes, maybe Madrid and Malaga didn�t think that was the case?
________________________________________ Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
- rent or buy a cell phone from me for your stay in spain, more info at 
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