Customs in Turkey: what tourists can and cannot take in and out

Many foreigners, when planning a long-term trip or vacation in sunny Turkey, are puzzled by the question: what goods are allowed to be imported and exported from this country? As in any state, the regulations of the customs system of the Republic of Turkey include a number of prohibitions, restrictions, and rules for foreign citizens.

In this article, we will consider an abbreviated version of Turkey's customs regulations for 2023. The full code of customs legislation takes up more than 100 pages, and many of its provisions are standard for most countries: for example, almost everywhere there is a ban on the transportation of antiques, narcotic drugs and weapons.

Our goal is to navigate the general rules and understand what and how much is allowed to be transported at Turkish customs without the requirement to pay an entry fee, as well as what can be taken out without violating the requirements of migration policy.

Quick overview

What tourists can and cannot bring into Turkey:

• Foreigners can bring: money (in any currency), alcohol, tobacco products, medications, jewelry, perfumes, pets, household items.
• Foreigners cannot bring: meat and dairy products, antiques, narcotics and substances containing them, prescription medications, drones, weapons (cold and firearms).

What tourists can and cannot take out of Turkey:

• Foreigners can take: money, alcohol, tobacco products, food, souvenirs, personal items.
• Foreigners cannot take: antiques, natural materials, narcotics, weapons (cold and firearms), historical and cultural artifacts.

What foreigners are allowed to bring into Turkey

Let's start with what exactly a guest of the Republic of Turkey has the right to bring with him so that he does not have to pay import tax and does not have to answer questions from customs officers.

During the customs inspection procedure when crossing the border with Turkey, border guards may ask you to unpack your suitcases. Customs officers also have the right to ask questions about luggage, inspect it and even take things if they do not meet the requirements.

You can freely transport certain groups of goods without a declaration and additional payments.

Cash

Turkish customs regulations allow you to import any amount of cash. However, it is worth remembering that if you take with you more than $ 10,000 (or the equivalent in another currency), then the money must be declared.

Alcohol

One person can bring alcohol to Turkey in the following volume:

• 1 liter of strong alcoholic beverage (more than 22% ABV);
• 2 liters for drinks with less than 22% alcohol

This rule applies only to adults who have reached the age of 18. It is strictly forbidden to transport alcohol in bottles without excise tax.

Tobacco products

The following limits are set for the transportation of tobacco products to the Republic of Turkey per person:

• 200 units of cigarettes
• 200 grams of tobacco (hookah/loose/chewing),
• 50 grams of snus.

When buying goods in the customs-free zone, it is possible to increase the quota for the import of tobacco products. So, you can bring an additional pack, that is, 200 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500 grams of tobacco.

Electronic cigarettes and POD systems for smoking (aycos, vapes) intended for repeated use fall under Decree No. 2020/7 of the Trade Council. Foreigners have the right to bring only one such device in hand luggage, as well as materials for refilling it:

• 30 ml liquid,
• 10 disposable devices
• 200 cartridges.

Medications

The number of pharmaceuticals of certain categories imported into the country depends on the length of the guest's stay in Turkey. The composition of the medicinal product determines its admissibility for import into Turkey. When transporting sedatives and serious medications, it is recommended to have a prescription from a doctor with a list of prescription drugs on hand.

Precious metal jewelry

The cost of imported jewelry should be up to 15 thousand US dollars. If the amount exceeds the specified limit, valuables should be declared in advance so that there are no difficulties with proving their origin upon departure.

Perfumes

Customs control in Turkey will also allow perfumes (5 bottles) to cross the border 120 ml each).

Pets

Turkish customs regulations allow foreigners to bring two pets into the country. But you should have the following documents on hand:

• vaccination certificate,
• passport of veterinary and sanitary supervision.

Gifts and souvenirs

Before you go to Turkey with a gift for a relative or friend, you should familiarize yourself with the restrictions established by local legislation regarding the importation of goods in the original factory packaging.

Customs restrictions are as follows:

• Adult foreign citizens are allowed to carry products with a total value of no more than 430 euros per person.
• Children under the age of 15 can transport goods for a total amount not exceeding 150 euros per person.
  If the value of the transported goods exceeds the established limit, customs tax will be required. This fee is 18% for residents of European Union countries and 20% for citizens of other countries.

Household items

If you own a property in Turkey or rent an apartment for a long time (for a period of more than two years), you are allowed to bring home goods to decorate your living space. Allowed categories include:

• furniture,
• household appliances,
• kitchen utensils
• textiles,
• decoration elements.

Since we have already talked about real estate, it is worth saying that on the website of the construction company Nordic Property Construction you can see the current offers of the primary real estate market on the Mediterranean coast in Turkey. The developer's catalog contains objects both in already commissioned residential complexes and in projects at the construction stage.

Customs may also allow specialized large-sized sports equipment, children's toys and bicycles, confectionery (up to 1 kg), tea (500 g), food products for personal use, musical instruments and electronic equipment, including tablets, laptops, game consoles, hoverboards, electric scooters and smart watches (one copy of each type of electronic device per person).

It is worth noting that goods purchased in the Duty free zone also fall under the category of imported items.

What is allowed to be exported from Turkey in 2023

Now let's consider what can be exported from Turkey to foreign tourists without additional payment of customs duties. Most often, guests of the country buy tea, coffee, alcohol, souvenirs, leather goods, as well as perfumes and cosmetics in Duty Free at their favorite resorts.

If these goods were purchased for personal use, they are not subject to restrictions. However, if the total value of the items purchased exceeds $1,500, you will need to pay tax. It is better to save receipts for valuable purchases in order to avoid misunderstandings at customs.

It is worth paying special attention to the specifics of purchases made in foreign online stores that deliver to Turkey. Let's imagine that a tourist places an order on a site based in the USA and selects a Turkish hotel as the place of receipt of the purchase. In this case, to ensure a customs-free delivery, the value of the purchase sent to Turkey should not exceed 75 euros.

If online shopping exceeds the limit of 75 euros, you will have to pay additional duties. As a result, a product that originally cost $100 will cost at least $150.

And one more important question - how much currency can you take out of Turkey?

You can take cash out of Turkey in the amount of up to 5,000 US dollars (or the equivalent in another currency) without the need declarations. If the amount of cash exceeds the established threshold, the passenger will need to indicate this amount in the customs declaration.

If a foreign citizen, crossing the border of Turkey, did not have money, but when leaving he had more than 5,000 dollars in cash, it is necessary not only to declare these funds, but also to confirm their legal origin. To do this, you need to present one of the documents:

• contract for the sale of housing in the territory of the Republic of Turkey,
• certificate of inheritance,
• proof of bank transfer,
• a tax return or employment contract showing that the funds were earned.

As for alcohol, its amount should not exceed 5 liters. However, do not forget that the customs of your country must allow the import of such a volume of alcoholic beverages. Regarding tobacco products, you can freely take out 3 packs of cigarettes and up to 2 kg of tobacco products, including hookah tobacco.

What foreigners are not allowed to bring into Turkey

Also, foreigners who plan to visit an extraordinary eastern country need to know what is not allowed to be brought into Turkey.

The list of prohibited items for import into the territory of the Republic of Turkey includes:

• Meat and dairy products.
• Antiques
• Drugs.
• Medicines containing narcotic and psychotropic substances.
• Prescription drugs.
• UAVs, including quadcopters and drones.
• Cold weapons and firearms without a permit.

The full list of prohibited goods for import into the Republic of Turkey is listed on the official website of the Ministry of Commerce of Turkey.

What foreigners are prohibited from exporting from Turkey

Despite on rather loyal customs regulations, in Turkey there are certain restrictions regarding the export of goods abroad.

Be careful when choosing souvenirs that resemble antiques. If the customs services have questions about the origin of the item, they have the right to detain you and invite the police to clarify the details.

It is highly undesirable to export items such as shells, corals, stones, as well as representatives local fauna and flora, including the inhabitants of the underwater world. This is because customs may consider them natural treasures or historical, artistic and cultural artifacts.

The rules for duty-free export include:

• Alcohol: You can carry up to 12 bottles of spirits of any strength.
• Tobacco: it is allowed to export up to 2 kg or 3 packs of cigarettes, as well as tobacco for hookah or cigars.
• Food items: up to TL 100 per person.

It is important to remember that it is strictly forbidden to transport from Turkey ammunition, weapons of any kind, historical and archaeological values, narcotic substances and medicines with narcotic components, pirated products and materials with pornographic content.

In this article, we gave answers to the most important questions about the customs legislation of the eastern republic: what is allowed and what is prohibited for import and export from the country, how much money can be imported into Turkey, in what cases a declaration is required. We hope that this information will be useful to you.

If you need advice on the selection of apartments on the southern coast of Turkey, please contact Nordic Property Construction. Our managers are ready to provide answers to all your questions regarding the purchase of real estate on the Mediterranean coast.