Barcelona Airport Tax Refund
Are you wondering if you’re entitled to a tax refund before leaving Barcelona? Do you want to know the procedure for claiming back the value-added tax (VAT) on your purchases in the city? Overall, the VAT refund process is straightforward. In Spain, the standard VAT is 21%, while a reduced 10% rate applies to medicines, certain food categories, restaurants, and cultural events. Finally, feminine products, newspapers, and books are subject to a 4% tax. Passengers eligible for a tax refund can claim approximately 12% to 15% of the total amount spent on purchases.
Who Can Claim a Tax Refund at Barcelona Airport
Not all travelers can claim a tax refund at BCN Airport. To be eligible for a VAT refund, the following conditions must be met:
- You must be a foreign traveler. Therefore, Spanish citizens and citizens of EU countries, Canary Islands, Ceuta, or Melilla can’t claim a refund. Conversely, Spanish citizens who don’t reside in Spain or another member country of the EU are eligible for a VAT refund.
- The purchased goods must be bought for personal and not commercial use.
- The stamping of the VAT refund must take place within three months of the purchase date.
- If you are traveling to another EU country, you need to claim the tax refund when you leave that country.
- In Spain, there is no minimum purchase amount required to receive a Value Added Tax refund.
The VAT Refund Process
The tax refund process at Barcelona Airport is operated via the DIVA system. Thus, the process is mostly digital. Passengers must have their tax forms digitally stamped and claim the refund at the return offices located airside at BCN Airport.
Do you want to claim a tax refund before flying from El Prat Airport? Here’s what you’ll need to do:
You must request an Electronic Reimbursement Document (ERD), which is the DIVA tax-free form, when making purchases in Barcelona. Please keep in mind that you’ll need to show your passport or ID to verify that you aren’t a resident of Spain or another EU country.
Once you reach Barcelona Airport, you’ll have to get these forms stamped BEFORE dropping off your luggage. Thus, you must reach the DIVA kiosks located at the check-in areas. The following items are required to complete the stamping process:
- your passport
- your boarding pass or travel ticket
- the receipts or invoices for the purchased goods
- the purchased goods
- the DIVA forms
The DIVA machine’s instructions are available in 10 languages. You’ll be asked to scan the QR codes on your DIVA forms. If the forms are stamped, you’ll need to proceed to the return offices to claim the refund. If they aren’t validated, you’ll need to go to the customs desks to have them stamped manually. Moreover, if you request a tax refund for purchases made in another EU country, you won’t use the DIVA machines, but must head directly to customs.
The DIVA kiosks offering stamping services at Barcelona Airport can be found at the check-in area of terminal 1, as well as at terminal T2B, and terminal T2C. They are available around the clock.
On the other hand, the office responsible for stamping tax-free invoices and receipts is located at terminal 1, Level 3, in the check-in hall. It is open 24/7.
The Return Offices
As soon as you complete the validation (stamping) of your tax-free forms, you must claim the refund at the return offices of Barcelona Airport. The return offices are located at the post-security area, typically near the boarding zones. Refunds are mostly made by bank card or bank transfer. In rare cases, they are made on the spot in cash. Moreover, tax refund providers offer refunds in the traveler’s preferred currency.
The Global Exchange Offices, offering returns on Global Blue, El Corte Inglés, Innova Taxfree, Planet Tax Free, Travel Tax Free, and Tax Refund, are located:
- Terminal 1: Level 3, Departures (Schengen Area), Sky Center
- Terminal 1: Level 1, Baggage Claim Area
- Terminal 1: Level 1
- Terminal 1: Level 3, Check-in Hall
- Terminal 1: Level 3, Boarding Area D (non-Schengen Departures)
- Terminal 1: Level 3
- Terminal 2: Ground Floor (near the stop of the complimentary airport shuttle bus)
- Terminal 2A: Ground Floor, Arrivals
- Terminal 2B: Ground Floor, Baggage Claim Area
- Terminal 2C: Ground Level (forecourt)
- Terminal 2: Floor 1, Boarding Area U-W
* The offices located at the pre-security area offer assistance and currency exchange services, but not refunds.
FAQs
How to get tax back at Barcelona Airport?
Travelers entitled to a VAT refund at Barcelona Airport must have the DIVA tax-free forms, issued by the stores where the purchases were made, stamped at the automatic DIVA kiosks located in the check-in areas of both terminals. Once the forms are validated, they should proceed to one of the return offices to claim the refund.
Where is the Diva machine at Barcelona Airport?
The DIVA kiosks, offering digital stamping services at BCN Airport, can be found in both terminal buildings. There are DIVA points at terminal 1, as well as at terminals T2B and T2C. All the available facilities operate around the clock.