First of all, forgive my negative outlook on this matter but last time we went to Spain (June, 1998) we were informed about the "refund" we would get at the "airport" of all our purchases, of over certain amounts,as long as we had all the receipts and had all proper documentation from the place of purchase.
WE DID ALL THAT...As matter of fact it was a real pain to do purchases and go to the customer service..wait..wait, and more wait to finally get all the receipts with their proper stamps and store validations.
We made a lot of purchases, at least $1,500.00 (US Dollars).
We finally got to the airport to depart for the US and it was impossible to find any kind of directions to "where to go" in order to process our receipts. There were no signs,
no help. I speak the language (my mother is from Asturias) and I asked clerks (looked at me like I was crazy). Finally (ready to do the trash can routine) someone sugested to put it in a mail box, which I did...and left the country.
About 4 weeks later...get a letter informing us that "we deposited the envelope in the wrong place" and due to this fact we would be
unnable to receive our VAT refund!!!
Oh well!!! so much for that. Now we are ready to do it again. I have no idea if things have improved and I have done searches
here with no much information about how it's done or how to get a refund.
Hey, it's not really a big deal but it's the principal of the thing that kind of bothers me. You go collecting stamps for 4 weeks and have your wife demanding you go here and go there (yes, dear, you answer) and at the last minute...NO CIGAR!!
Can anyone help?
By the way we are talking about Barajas Airport!! Thanks a million and...we still
LOVE SPAIN!!!!

[ 05-20-2001: Message edited by: MadridMan ]