VAT refund

Offices and electronic visa machines for requesting tax refunds for non-EU residents on their purchases in Spain.

DIVA. Electronic receipt sealing

Requirements to request VAT refund

The habitual residence must be outside the European Union (or in the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla)..
Purchases must be for personal use, that is to say, not for commercial purposes.
The European Union must be left within three months after the date of the purchase.

Procedure

In Spain España the VAT refund procedure is electronic, through the DIVA system:

When shopping ask for the tax free online form (called “reimbursement electronic document” ).
When leaving Spain and always before checking in your luggage, you must validate electronically all the purchases' reimbursement electronic documents. To do so, you must go to the DIVA screens located in the airport check in areas.
Remember to always carry:
1. Passport.
2. Purchases receipts and the DIVA form.
3. Purchases for which you ask for the reimbursement. Without goods there will be no stamping.
4. Boarding card or travel ticket.

DIVA screens operation

Select the language.
Scan the bar code on the form with the optical reader.
The system will give you two possible messages:
- The DIVA Tax Free form has been stamped. The procedure has been completed.
- The DIVA Tax Free form cannot be validated. In which case you must go to the Civil Guard stamp office located next to the screens..

You will not receive any document as a result of the validation. You can get to know the status of the procedure by consulting the CSV number (secure verification code) on the form at: https://www.agenciatributaria.gob.es/AEAT.sede/tramitacion/ZZ05.shtml

Once the validation has been confirmed on the screen or at the office, you can get the reimbursement at the Tax Free offices located in the boarding area.

DIVA information brochure (pdf, 899.14 kB)

VAT receipts stamp offices. Civil Guard

If you cannot validate the DIVA Tax Free form on the screens, you will have to show the documents and merchandise to the agents at the Civil Guarde receipts stamp offices. The offices, located nex to the DIVA screens, open from 7.00 until 22.00. Outside these opening times, you must go to the customs area Lounge 1 (Terminal T1) or Lounge 11 (Terminal T4).