Questions, answered

1. Sign up online in a few minutes.
2. Your Protocol ID is sent automatically to the VAT administration (FPS Finance) for validation.
3. You receive a SEPA direct debit mandate by e-mail.
4. After signing the mandate you receive the link to your personal account and the app, where you upload invoices and follow your refunds.

1. Contact the Support Desk (info@diplomaticcard.be) for the agreement and rates.
2. After receipt of the signed form you receive confirmation that the Mission account is created, with the cards and authorised users you requested.

Diplomatic Card Services Belgium is authorised by the Belgian Ministry of Finance to reclaim exempted VAT from Belgian taxpayers within the framework of diplomatic sales. Licence E.T.122.729.

Connected stores offer VAT-Free purchases at the moment of sale. You receive personal access to our web application; it checks the diplomat's privilege instantly and, upon validation, the customer pays without VAT.

• No VAT refund requests for validated sales.
• A monthly invoice with the transaction fee per sale; contact us for the rate.
• The E-Certificate is available in your Merchant Portal within days.
• No counter-entries in your accounts.
• Diplomats spend more: buying VAT-Free raises their purchasing power by 21%.

We also offer integrations with your cash register.

Within 10 working days after the FPS Finance has confirmed your affiliation and your SEPA mandate is signed. Your affiliation takes effect on the 1st of the month following your subscription; the card is sent to the address of your Mission. Your digital card is available in the app immediately after approval.

1. Go to clientportal.diplomaticcard.be and click "Official Use".
2. Enter the mobile number linked to an active Diplomatic Card on the account.
3. Enter the card number of that card.
4. Enter the 4-digit SMS code and you are logged in.

Several cards and mobile numbers can be linked to one Mission account, so several authorised staff members each have their own access. There is no mobile app for Official Use.

You sold goods or services to a diplomatic Mission or a diplomat stationed in Belgium. They are entitled to a VAT exemption under reciprocity rules. As an authorised company we submit the refund claim on their behalf, since they cannot contact the Tax Office themselves.

1. Check the invoice data on the attached E-Certificate (boxes B11 to C5).
2. Repay the VAT to Diplomatic Card Services Belgium BV (Kunstlaan 6, Sint-Joost-ten-Node, VAT BE 0650.962.941), IBAN BE46 0689 3190 9036, BIC GKCCBEBB, with the payment reference of the "Declaration n°" / "VAT Refund Application".
3. Enter the E-Certificate in your accounts (see Accounting).

600+ connected stores; filter on "Official use" to see the stores that accept Mission cards.

1. Go to clientportal.diplomaticcard.be and choose "Private Use".
2. Click "Reset password" and enter your registered e-mail address.
3. Validate your identity via the e-mail you receive and create a password.
4. Download the Diplomatic Card app (App Store / Google Play) and log in with the same credentials.

The exemption document issued after the Ministry of Finance has validated the invoice. It is the fiscal proof of the VAT exemption for your VAT return.

600+ connected stores across Belgium, searchable by store, category or city, or on the map with directions.

Your suppliers send their invoice electronically via the Peppol network; a copy reaches our platform automatically. We have it validated by the FPS Finance before the due date, the supplier issues a credit note and a new VAT-exempt invoice, and you pay 0% VAT. No pre-financing, no reimbursement procedure.

1. Go to a connected store with your card (or the app) and your mobile phone.
2. Before paying, hand your card to the cashier.
3. You receive a 4-digit code by SMS; the cashier enters it with the purchase details in our VAT-Free application.
4. If you are exempt for this purchase, the transaction is validated.
5. You pay immediately without VAT.

1. Go to the Check Platform.
2. Enter your company number (also at the top of the refund request).
3. Enter the verification code from the declaration (starts with DCC, case-sensitive, including the dots; copy-paste it).
4. Download the E-Certificate and the invoice.

For stores that are not connected, ask for a VAT-inclusive invoice in the name and address of the main account holder.

1. Upload the invoice in the app or Client Portal (pdf, jpg, png).
2. We process it and submit it to the VAT administration for validation.
3. After positive validation the FPS Finance issues an E-Certificate; we send a refund request to the store.
4. The store repays the VAT to us by the end of the month following the E-Certificate.
5. We reimburse you; the timing depends on Basic or PRIME.

For purchases at non-connected suppliers, ask for a VAT-inclusive invoice in the name and address of the Mission.

1. Send the invoice via the Official Use portal, via Peppol, or by e-mail to info@diplomaticcard.be.
2. We process it and submit it to the FPS Finance for validation.
3. After validation an E-Certificate is issued and we send a refund request to the supplier.
4. The supplier repays the VAT by the end of the month following the E-Certificate.
5. We reimburse the Mission on receipt.

Original sale with VAT: boxes 01/02/03 (taxable amount) and 54 (VAT due). On receipt of the E-Certificate and repayment of the VAT:

• Full cancellation of the original invoice: box 49 (taxable amount) and box 64 (VAT to recover); new invoice without VAT in box 47.
• Amendment of the original invoice: box 64 (VAT to recover).

Example: sale €500 + €105 VAT; boxes 01–03 +500, 54 +105; after E-Certificate either 49 −500 / 64 −105 / 47 +500, or 64 −105 only. The corrected document must reference the original invoice and state "Exemption from VAT: article 42, §3 of the VAT Code".

A proper invoice (tickets or order forms are not accepted) with:

• A unique invoice number and date of purchase
• Your full name (even if your spouse bought) and your personal address
• Merchant details: name, address, VAT number, phone, e-mail
• Description of the goods or services
• Total excluding VAT, total including VAT and the VAT rate

Handwritten details on a printed invoice are not allowed, not even a corrected address. Fully printed or fully handwritten.

All of them. There are 28 categories of expenditure within Official Use. You do not need to know which invoices qualify: we filter and route each one (E-Certificate or C-151).

Nothing in your process. Save the Mission's enterprise number in your e-invoicing system and, besides your usual invoice, send the VAT-inclusive invoice via Peppol to that number. After validation you issue a credit note and a new VAT-exempt invoice, and you are paid VAT-Free instead of processing a refund later.

Your first transactions are validated from the 1st day of the month following your subscription (2-month transition period if you switched provider).

• PRIME: typically 2–8 weeks after validation; we actively chase the store until the VAT is reimbursed.
• Basic: 6 months after the store has repaid, as stipulated by the legislation; this can be up to 12 months after purchase.

Delays are possible when a retailer is reluctant to repay; under PRIME our legal IOS procedure compels them.

• Purchases in another EU member state.
• In Belgium, wherever the E-Certificate is not authorised: works on and surveillance of official buildings and goods that become immovable above €2,500 excl. VAT; motor vehicles; new official buildings and real estate works above €2,500; continuous supplies of water, gas, electricity, telecom and cable TV; official events, food, beverages, restaurant and catering; goods not evidently for official use; common charges of official buildings; honorary consulates; excise goods (alcohol, tobacco, fuel).

For purchases in another EU member state and for the purchase of a car for personal use.

1. Complete the C-151 form, countersigned and stamped by your Organisation, 2 copies, printed double-sided.
2. Add a copy of the invoice.
3. Send both certificates and the original invoice to the Belgian General Tax Administration (address on the certificate, Postbox 25).
4. After approval, send the validated C-151 with the invoice to the store, which reimburses the VAT to you directly.
5. Supplier in the Netherlands? Send the approved certificate to Belastingdienst Haaglanden – CB/IFB, Prinses Beatrixlaan 512, NL-2595 BL Den Haag.

You no longer fill in the form: forward the invoice and our platform completes the C-151 automatically, free of charge.

1. Download the prefilled C-151 from your portal; print it double-sided in 2 copies.
2. Sign and stamp it, add a copy of the invoice, and send everything to the Belgian General Tax Administration (address on the certificate).
3. Return the approved C-151 to us and we reclaim the VAT from the supplier for you.
4. Supplier in the Netherlands? Send the approved certificate to Belastingdienst Haaglanden – CB/IFB, Prinses Beatrixlaan 512, NL-2595 BL Den Haag.

Yes, and it is transparent. All percentage rates apply to the VAT-inclusive total of the invoice.

• Basic: 45 € yearly fee (keeps your account active in the systems of the FPS Finance), 5 % per 0% VAT-Free transaction, VAT-Refund at 0 € paid after 6 months minimum.
• PRIME: 45 € yearly fee, 1.5 % per 0% VAT-Free transaction (min. 4.50 €), 2.95 % per VAT-Refund, typically paid 2–8 weeks after validation, plus PRIME discounts and events.

Official Use covers C-151 VAT-Refund and E-Certificates, each with its own rate under your Mission's Basic or PRIME contract. Peppol e-invoicing is offered free of charge under those same rates. Our Support Desk walks you through what applies to you, without obligation.

The authorisation you give Diplomatic Card Services to collect the costs of our services from your euro bank account. Every direct debit is announced by e-mail with our invoice.

Within 10 working days, at the address of your Mission. The cards allow 0% VAT-Free purchases in connected stores and give access to the Official Use portal.

Yes, as long as your bank supports SEPA direct debit. We validate the account number at registration.

1. E-mail your current provider that you terminate the contract, with us in copy.
2. Sign up with Diplomatic Card.
3. Send your new invoices to us.

The FPS Finance applies a transition period of 2 months before new invoices are validated.

There is no connection or subscription fee; a transaction fee applies per VAT-Free sale. Contact the Support Desk for the agreement and the rate that applies to your store.

Yes. Family members registered at the Protocol with an MFA ID card, over 18 and without Belgian nationality, benefit from your privilege.

• 0% VAT-Free in store: we issue an additional Diplomatic Card linked to their mobile number.
• VAT-Refund: they request a correct invoice in the diplomat's name.

Confirm changes (address, contacts, bank account, mobile numbers, cards, authorised users) by e-mail to info@diplomaticcard.be.

No. Transactions are registered in our web application on any browser or tablet. Cash-register integrations are available on request.

1. E-mail your current provider that you terminate the contract, with us in copy.
2. Sign up with Diplomatic Card.
3. Send your new invoices to us.

The FPS Finance applies a transition period of 2 months before new invoices are validated.

Contact the Support Desk to block or unblock a Mission card.

Confirm your new details (address, contact, bank account) by e-mail to info@diplomaticcard.be. Your profile is stored in a secured customer file.

By the end of the month following the month of positive validation of the sale (point 10 of the publication in the Official Gazette).

1. Go to a connected store with the Mission card and the linked mobile phone.
2. Hand the card to the cashier before paying.
3. A 4-digit code arrives by SMS; the cashier enters it in our VAT-Free application.
4. If the Mission is exempt for this purchase, the transaction is validated and you pay 0% VAT.

Yes: the Official Gazette publication of 21 January 2019, supplemented and amended on 21 February 2020, both on Fisconet.

1. Log in to the Client Portal or the app.
2. Go to "Additional information", where your active cards are listed.
3. Click the red button next to the card to block it.
4. To unblock, contact the Support Desk.

Service-oriented suppliers (cleaning, garden, translators, online orders) use an AR code: give them your card number; they send us a pro-forma invoice; after validation we return an AR code and you receive a VAT-Free invoice. These suppliers carry the "AR code" label in the store list.

An e-mail overview of all validated purchases at your store eligible for a VAT refund, listing the verification codes you use to download the E-Certificates.

No. It is optional and gradual: you choose which suppliers to start with and at what pace. Invoices from other suppliers continue to be handled as today.

Yes, exclusively at MediaMarkt.be, the first online 0% VAT-Free store in Belgium. Log in to your Diplomatic Card account and shop without VAT from home.

An organisation may designate only one Peppol operator at a time. We can forward incoming documents to another system if your Mission needs this.

An invoice is mandatory (Art. 53 §2 VAT Code; Royal Decree n° 1); receipts, order forms or pro-formas are insufficient. Until an exemption document exists there is no legal basis to invoice without VAT; the invoice also determines whether the exemption applies (Art. 42 §3). Once the E-Certificate is issued you correct with a credit note or by cancelling and re-invoicing without VAT.

Nothing extra. Peppol invoices fall under the E-Certificate and C-151 rates of your Mission's Basic or PRIME contract. C-151 generation is free of charge.

Correct the exempt turnover retroactively in a subsequent return. Keep the credit note, the invoice without VAT and the E-Certificate together in your accounts.

• App: tap the camera icon, photograph the invoice or add a file, make sure everything is legible, tap "Upload transaction".
• Client Portal: "+ Add a new VAT declaration", upload pdf, jpg, jpeg or png.

Avoid very high-resolution photos: the file becomes too heavy to upload.

A proper invoice (tickets, pro-formas or order forms are not accepted) with:

• A unique invoice number and date of purchase
• The full name and address of the Mission
• Merchant details: name, address, VAT number, phone, e-mail
• Description of the goods or services
• Total excluding VAT, total including VAT and the VAT rate

Handwritten details on a printed invoice are not allowed. Fully printed or fully handwritten.

No. Receiving Peppol requests from Missions does not require any affiliation with our platform.

In the app or your Client Portal, live per transaction.

• Basic: within 6 months after reimbursement by the supplier.
• PRIME / Extra: right after reimbursement by the supplier; we actively follow up.

With Peppol the VAT is never charged in the first place, so there is nothing to refund.

Our Support Desk is happy to help by phone or e-mail, Mon–Fri 9:00–17:00.

1. Initial: invoice uploaded and ready to be processed.
2. Processed: invoice checked by Diplomatic Card.
3. Pending approval: forwarded to the FPS Finance for validation.
4. Approved: positive validation received.
5. Disapproved: rejected; the reason is under "Validation history".
6. Pending refund: refund request sent to the store; we await payment.
7. Refunded: VAT paid to your account (bank transfers can take a few days).
8. Archived: could not be processed; the reason is under "Validation history".

1. Initial: invoice uploaded and ready to be processed.
2. Processed: invoice checked by Diplomatic Card.
3. Pending approval: forwarded to the FPS Finance for validation.
4. Approved: positive validation received.
5. Disapproved: rejected; the reason is under "Validation history".
6. Pending refund: refund request sent to the store; we await payment.
7. Refunded: VAT paid to your account (bank transfers can take a few days).
8. Archived: could not be processed; the reason is under "Validation history".

Movable goods for your personal use and that of registered family members. Goods that become immovable, services of any kind, food and beverages are excluded.

Minimum €125 excluding VAT per invoice (€151.25 at 21%, €132.50 at 6%). Your privilege depends on reciprocity rules set by the Belgian VAT administration; ask your Protocol Office.

The exempt categories are listed in the publication of the Belgian VAT administration (Moniteur belge). We check every invoice for you.

Minimum €125 excluding VAT per invoice. Privileges depend on reciprocity rules and may differ per Mission; ask your Protocol Office.

If something can still change the outcome we e-mail you the action to take. To see the reason yourself:

1. App: Declarations → open the archived transaction → tap "Archived" to read the reason.
2. Portal: Transactions → filter by status → open the transaction → "Reason for archiving".
3. Have a new document or extra information? Add a new declaration and do not resubmit the rejected invoice.

1. Portal: Transactions → filter by status → open the transaction → "Reason for archiving".
2. Have a new document or extra information? Add a new declaration and do not resubmit the rejected invoice.

Purchases in another EU member state follow the Certificate 151 procedure (see the topic C-151 procedure). We do not process these refunds ourselves; contact the Support Desk for instructions.

It keeps your account active in the systems of the FPS Finance, so every purchase can be validated. It applies to Basic and PRIME alike.

Our Support Desk is happy to help by phone, e-mail or at your Mission, Mon–Fri 9:00–17:00.

Our Support Desk is happy to help by phone, e-mail or at your Mission, Mon–Fri 9:00–17:00.