Turkey Customs Regulations | Rules of Export & Import 2024

Before my trip to Turkey, I didn’t know much about Turkey’s Customs Regulations, and I didn’t know what things I could bring into or out of Turkey for free and tax-free as a tourist, so I talked to some of my lawyer friends who lived in Turkey.

In this article, I will tell you everything I learned so that you can find the answers to all your questions just by reading the rest.

First, I will talk about the rules for importing or exporting goods by travelers, and at the end, I will tell the rules merchants require for exporting and importing to Turkey. 

Below are the types of goods and the amount that travelers can bring into Turkey for free:

Turkey customs regulations

It is generally forbidden to import sharp objects and weapons into Turkey by travelers and you cannot import these types of objects through the airport to Turkey, but you can obtain a permit from Turkish customs to import them to Turkey.

I must mention that Turkey customs regulations are followed in all Turkish airports. All the countries with stable economies have strict customs regulations so as not to harm their economy. 

Laws related to export alcoholic beverages in Turkey

According to Turkish airport customs rules, you should know you cannot take more than five kilograms of alcoholic drinks or more than 12 bottles of raki with a total value of 100 Turkish Lira out of the country. If the amount of alcoholic beverages you have with you is more than the allowed amount, you must pay additional costs.

Tobacco export laws in Turkey

To export tobacco or cigarettes from Turkey, you must pay attention to Turkey customs regulations. You can put up to two kilograms of tobacco or three cartons of cigarettes in your luggage and take it out of Turkey without paying additional fees. But if you plan to take more than the allowed amount, you must prepare an official invoice to transport it to your country by paying a fine.

Rules related to the entry and exit of currency in Turkey

Taking out currency from Turkey has various restrictions. In general, if you are a resident of a country other than Turkey, they only allow you to withdraw up to five thousand dollars. But sometimes, you may have entered Turkey with more than 5000 dollars and want to return some of the remaining amounts to your country.

If you feel that you will leave Turkey with more than five thousand dollars, it is better to inform the airport officials of the amount of currency you have with you upon arrival so that they can record it in your passport. In this way, you will be fine when leaving Turkey.

Foreigners and those who do not have a Turkish passport can withdraw up to 5 thousand dollars or its equivalent in cash when leaving Turkey.

People with a Turkish passport can withdraw twice as much currency as people who do not have a Turkish passport, and they can withdraw 10,000 dollars or its equivalent from Turkey through the air border in cash.

Regulations that you should keep in mind when leaving Turkey

The rules of Export and Import to Turkey are entirely different. If you follow these things, you can take the desired products to your country for free without any legal problems.

One of the most common items travelers from Turkey take to their country are souvenirs or gifts. When leaving Turkey, customs officials ask travelers about the items they bought, and travelers claim they purchased them as souvenirs and gifts. For travelers to avoid problems when leaving Turkey, special rules have been established for taking souvenirs out of Turkey.

According to the established laws, the value of gifts and all purchased souvenirs should not exceed five thousand liras. If the gifts you have prepared are worth more than this amount, they are considered exports and special rules are considered for them.

If you plan to buy an item worth more than five thousand liras and leave Turkey with you as a souvenir or personal purchase, there is no Prohibition. But you must follow the rules that have been established regarding various financial issues of expensive goods. 📦

These rules change based on the amount of gifts purchased. For this reason, you must bring an official invoice of the goods you have purchased so that the customs authorities can decide on the tax of the goods you have purchased. Remember that you can’t fool the customs officials because that will make you suspicious and cause significant problems.

Turkey import regulations

If you intend Export from Turkey, you should know that a merchant must be fluent in Turkish to export the desired goods from Turkey without any delay under the supervision of Turkish customs laws. If you are familiar with the Turkish language, and the rules and procedures of Turkish customs clearance, you can easily get your goods out of Turkish customs.

How to export goods from Türkiye?

In the first step, choose the product you want and contact the seller you want in Turkey. Submit your request to receive a proforma invoice. The invoice or the proforma must include full product details, price, quantity, and other relevant information. Also, at this stage, you can coordinate the payment terms and delivery of goods with the seller in Turkey.

You must choose a shipping company in the first method to transfer goods from Turkey to your desired country. At this stage, you can contact different shipping companies and get information about the type of shipping (air, ground, or sea), delivery time, and related costs. In another way, you can travel to Turkey, get your goods out of Turkish customs and send them to the desired country by ship or plane.

After the goods arrive at your desired destination, you must clear your goods from customs according to the customs laws of that country.

The documents you need at the time of clearance are:

• Purchase Invoice
• Bill of Lading
• Health certificate
• Standard certificate
• Technical certificates

Goods that can be exported from Türkiye to other countries

Turkish clothes are one of the most popular products with many fans worldwide, so the trade of all kinds of men’s and women’s shoes, blouses, t-shirts, jackets, overcoats, socks, etc., is free in Turkish customs laws.

Also, spare parts, engine control switches, and electric generators are included in the list of allowed products for export and import from Turkey. All equipment related to house construction, such as faucets, lighting fixtures, lamps, lights, doors, and windows, is included in the permitted exports of Turkish goods.

At the end of the line

Before traveling to Turkey, you should familiarize yourself with all Turkish customs regulations to avoid getting into trouble when leaving this country. Compliance with Turkish customs laws is essential, and every traveler who plans to travel to Turkey must comply with these laws.

Frequently Asked Questions

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