Personal belongings and some items may be brought into the country duty free. You can obtain the current detailed list of these items from the nearest Turkish Consulates or Tourism Information Offices abroad.

All items worth over $15,000, valuable personal items and all antiques brought into Turkey must be registered in the owner's passport in order not to have any problem on exit.

Special permission is a must for all kinds of sharp instruments and weapons.

All kinds of narcotics are strictly forbidden to be brought into, traded and consumed in Turkey. Any violation of this prohibition is subject to heavy punishment.

a) The following items may be brought into country duty free :

* Personal effects,
* Clothing and personal accessories,
* Books, magazines and one portable typewriter,
* Personal sporting equipment,
* One musical instrument,
* One camera and up to ten rolls of film,
* One transistor radio and amateur compass,
* Necessary medical items,
* 1 black and white TV set or 1 compact black and white TV-Radio cassette player,
* 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200 gr. tobacco, 200 cigarette papers,
* In addition to the above, following items can be brought into the country duty free if they are bought from duty-free shops: 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, 500 gr. tobacco, 1,5 kg coffee, 1,5 kg instant coffee, 500 gr. tea, 1 kg chocolate, five 120 ml bottles of perfume, five 100 cc or seven 75 or 70 cc bottles of spirits.

b) Valuable items must be registered in the owner's passport for control upon exit.

c) Sharp instruments (Including camping knives) and weapons cannot be brought into the country without special permission.

d) The importation, buying, selling and consumption of marijuana and all other narcotics are strictly forbidden and subject to heavy penalties.

e) Antiquities brought into the country must be registered in the owner's passport to avoid difficulties on leaving the country.

f) Gifts not exceeding 500 DM in value and not for trading purposes can be brought into the country duty free. In addition, up to one month before and after special holidays (Ramadan, Festival of Sacrifices, New Year) gifts up to the value of 500 DM can be sent by post duty-free.

On Exit

a) Gifts and souvenirs may be taken out of the country. However, for a new carpet an invoice of purchase and for old items a certificate from a museum is necessary.

b) Valuable personal items can only be taken out of the country provided that they have been registered in the owner's passport.

c) Up to 1000 cigarettes may be bought from duty-free shops by the passengers on exit or in transit.

Limits: Although there is no limit on the amount of foreign and Turkish currency that can be brought into Turkey, more than $5,000 worth of Turkish currency can only be taken out of the country providing that they have been declared on entry.

Exchange slips: It is recommended to keep the exchange slips for the conversion of foreign currency into Turkish Lira since you may be required to show these when reconverting your Turkish Lira back into foreign currency and when taking souvenirs out of the country (to prove that they have been bought with legally exchanged foreign currency).

Value-Added Tax (VAT) Return For Tourists:

a) The tax return is applied to travellers who do not reside in Turkey.

b) Foodstuff and drinks, which are accepted to be consumed in Turkey (except alcoholic drinks, tobacco products), and services rendered are not subject to VAT return.

c) Shopping should be made from sellers "authorized to make VAT returns" , by preparing "special invoice". Such shops should have the "authorization ertificate" obtained from the concerned tax offices, hung on a visible place.

d) The minimum tax-excluded purchasing value, for the VAT-return applicable goods, should be 50,000 TL for each shopping.

e) The goods should be taken out of the country in maximum 3 months after the date of purchase, and the special invoice should be approved by Turkish Customs Authorities.

f) The approved special invoice should be sent to the seller's address in one month following the exit,and the return is transferred to the address or bank account of the purchaser.

The maximum staying period, either continuously or by intervals, for automobiles, minibuses, caravans, towed sea craft, and motorcycles to be brought into Turkey without a carnet de Passsage or triptique is 6 months in a year. The vehicle is checked according to its property certificate, an "entry-exit" form is filled out, then it is registered in the owner's passport, and this registration is valid until it is cancelled when you leave the country.

For stays longer than six months before the expiry date, it is necessary to apply to either the Ministry of Finance and Customs (Maliye ve Gümrük Bakanligi, Gümrükler Genel Müdürlügü, Hükümet Meydani, Ulus-ANKARA, Tel: (312) 310 38 80, 311 74 01 Fax: (312) 324 14 26, 324 14 63), or Turkish Touring and Automobile Club (Istanbul Head Office, Halaskargazi Caddesi, No: 364, Sisli-ISTANBUL, Tel: (212) 231 46 31 (6 lines), Fax: (212) 248 96 61) for a triptique; otherwise, the vehicle must leave and reenter the country at the end of six months.

Those who are coming to Turkey by a vehicle which they do not own, should have an officially issued authorization document taken from the owner of the vehicle. It is possible to come to Turkey by a rented car provided that the rent contract is valid also for Turkey.

In case a tourist wishes to visit another country from Turkey without his car and does not take the car to the nearest Customs Authority (Gümrük Müdürlügü), the registration of the car in his passport may be cancelled.

In urgent cases, the vehicles can be taken out of the country by any person other than the owner, provided that an officially issued authorization document is taken from the owner.

Drivers need a three-sectioned driving license or an international driving license. For more detailed information, please contact the nearest Turkish Consulate or Tourism Information Office.

Insurance:

Requirements for a motorist:

a) Green Card International Insurance, endorsed for Turkish territory in both Europe and Asia.

b) Turkish third party insurance, which can be obtained from any of the insurance aagencies at the frontier posts.

According to international navigation rules, private yachts can only enter Turkey from the following official ports of entry:

Aegean Sea: Çanakkale, Akçay, Ayvalik, Dikili, Izmir, Çesme, Kusadasi, Didim, Güllük, Bodrum, Datça, Marmaris, Fethiye

Mediterranean Sea: Kas, Finike, Kemer, Antalya, Alanya, Anamur, Tasucu (Silifke), Mersin, Iskenderun, Botas (Adana)

Marmara Sea: Tekirdag, Bandirma, Istanbul, Derince

Black Sea: Zonguldak, Samsun, Ordu, Trabzon, Hopa (Artvin)

1. Private yachts with foreign flags coming to Turkey for touristic or sportive purposes, can stay in Turkey up to five years, provided that they are used at least every two years.

2. Private yachts with foreign flags are not allowed to carry any load or passengers between Turkish ports in Turkish territorial waters and cannot pursue any commercial activity against payment, even for touristic purposes.

Customs and passport formalities

Private yachts with foreign flags, entering Turkish ports from international waters should fulfill following formalities based on their own declarations and in accordance with international navigation rules:

a)For the border, customs and passport formalities, a Transit Log with a yellow tab should be bought from the entry marina, and the sections concerning the yacht, crew and passengers should be filled in. Then, the nearest:

b)Customs Authority

c)Customs Guard Authority

d)Passport Police

e)Marine Health Authority

should be visited, and corresponding formalities of entry be completed. If the yacht owner is the citizen of a country that a visa is needed, the required visa formalities can be fulfilled by the Passport Police. Upon request, these transactions may also be completed by the Marina Authorities, in the name of the yacht owner against a nominal charge.

Sailing between Turkish ports in Turkish territorial waters

In order to sail from one Turkish port to another for touristic and sportive purposes, a separate Transit Log prepared for these cases should be bought and approval of the nearest Harbourmaster should be secured.

Leaving the yacht in Turkey

You can leave Turkey by any means of transportation, leaving your yacht in a marina licensed by the Ministry of Tourism. For the related formalities you should apply to the nearest Customs Authority, with your marina contract for mooring. Upon request, the transactions may also be completed by the Marina Authorities, in the name of the yacht owner against a nominal charge.

Leaving Turkey

When leaving Turkey the related exit formalities can be fulfilled at any port that is an official port of entry. For this purpose, the related section of the Transit Log bought before, should be filled in and presented to the nearest Customs Authority, Marine Health Authority, Harbourmaster's Office and Passport Police.

Sailing in Turkish Territorial Waters

International navigation rules should be strictly followed.

The Turkish flag should be flown from 8:00 a.m. untill sunset, in accordance with internationel flag etiquette.

The military zones which are marked on the navigation charts, should not be entered, and diving in the forbidden areas should be avoided. Upon any action on the contrary, you will be warned by the Coast Guard Vessels on point. If you persist on violating the rules, legal steps will be taken in accordance with the international rules.

Seals put on the diving tubes by the Customs Guard Authority to prevent diving to in the forbidden zones, should not be dismantled.

Ports and Marinas

The marinas and mooring facilities in Turkey which are licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, are members of "EUROMARINA", the Federation of European Yacht Harbours, which provides safe mooring for yachts in international standards and gives social, cultural and tourism services for the yacht owners. You may either leave your yacht in water for wintering, or haul her ashore in the modern facilities of Kalamis and Ataköy Marinas in Istanbul; Levent and Cesme Altinyunus Marinas in Izmir region; Bay Marina, Netsel Marmaris Marina , Albatros Marina in Marmaris and the Gulf of Hisarönü; and Kemer Turban Marine, Setur Marina in Antalya for routine maintenance and dry parking.

The followings are required for those who wish to bring domestic animals into the country:

a) A Certificate of Origin stating the health record of the animal.

b) A Veterinary Health Certificate issued maximum 15 days before the animal's entry into the country proving that the animal is in good health and has been vaccinated against rabies.