Can you bring glasses and contact lenses into Turkey?
Rules for sunglasses, prescription glasses, contact lenses and lens solution. Glasses and lenses for personal use count as travel items under the 430 EUR allowance.
Bringing it with you
Glasses and lenses for personal use count as travel items for the passenger's own life; they fall under the 430 EUR allowance.
Example: on goods worth 800 EUR, the first 430 EUR is exempt. On the remaining 370 EUR the flat-rate duty is 30% (111 EUR) for goods coming directly from the EU and 60% (222 EUR) from other countries. For travellers under 15 the allowance is 150 EUR; a single item worth more than 1,500 EUR is subject to the normal import duties.
Documents
- Passport / ID
Good to know
- Prescription glasses and contact lenses may also be treated as personal medical items.
- Items that look commercial in quantity are not exempt.
Legal basis: Decision 2009/15481, Art. 59, 61 · Annex 9 B/a-2
Sending it by post or courier
It can arrive by courier; there is no exemption and import duties are payable. Contact lenses and their solution may be subject to medical device inspection.
Documents
- Invoice
Good to know
- Above 30 kg gross the courier cannot file the declaration; you must file it yourself.
Legal basis: Decision 2009/15481, Art. 126 · Presidential Decision 10813
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring glasses into Turkey as a passenger?
Yes. Glasses and lenses for personal use count as travel items for the passenger's own life; they fall under the 430 EUR allowance.
Can glasses be sent to Turkey by post or courier?
Yes, with conditions. It can arrive by courier; there is no exemption and import duties are payable. Contact lenses and their solution may be subject to medical device inspection.
How much customs duty do I pay on glasses?
As a passenger, there is no duty up to 430 EUR (150 EUR for travellers under 15). Above that, up to 1,500 EUR, a flat-rate duty applies: 30% for goods coming directly from the EU, 60% from other countries. By post or courier there has been no value exemption since 6 February 2026; customs duty and VAT (and special consumption tax where applicable) are calculated according to the item's tariff code.
What documents do I need for glasses?
As a passenger: Passport / ID. By post or courier: Invoice.
Brands covered by this rule
Ray-Ban, Oakley, Acuvue, Bausch + Lomb, Persol, Warby Parker, Maui Jim
Related topics
Rules as of · for information only, not a substitute for the legislation · official information: Turkish Ministry of Trade, call 175 · Türkçe sürüm