Can you bring a mobile phone into Turkey?
Rules for bringing an iPhone, Samsung or any other smartphone into Turkey. The phone itself is exempt from customs duty, but to use it with a Turkish SIM you must register its IMEI and pay a usage-permit fee. Phones cannot be sent to Turkey by post or courier at all.
Bringing it with you
Only as a passenger, and only 1 phone every three calendar years; there is no value limit and it is exempt from customs duty. To use it, IMEI registration and the usage-permit fee are mandatory.
Documents
- Passport (with entry stamp)
- IMEI registration application via e-Devlet
- Invoice
Good to know
- Registration must be completed within 120 days of entering Turkey.
- The phone must be used with lines registered to the passenger's own ID number.
- A phone cannot be brought under the 430 EUR gift allowance.
- The fee is paid to a tax office or an authorised bank before IMEI registration.
Legal basis: Decision 2009/15481, Annex 9 B/b-8 · Fees Law No. 492, Tariff 8, Section VIII (2026: 54,258 TL)
Sending it by post or courier
A mobile phone cannot be brought in by post or express courier under any circumstances — neither by paying duty nor as an exempt item.
Good to know
- A phone arriving this way is never released to its owner.
- A separate procedure applies to your own phone that already has a Turkish IMEI registration.
Legal basis: Ministry of Trade — Post and Express Courier Guide · gumrukrehberi.gov.tr
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring a mobile phone into Turkey as a passenger?
Yes, with conditions. Only as a passenger, and only 1 phone every three calendar years; there is no value limit and it is exempt from customs duty. To use it, IMEI registration and the usage-permit fee are mandatory.
Can a mobile phone be sent to Turkey by post or courier?
No. A mobile phone cannot be brought in by post or express courier under any circumstances — neither by paying duty nor as an exempt item.
What is the Turkey customs allowance for mobile phone?
Allowance: 1 phone every three calendar years.
Do I pay customs duty on a mobile phone?
As a passenger, no customs duty is due within the Annex 9 allowance, but the usage-permit fee applies. Allowance: 1 phone every three calendar years. It cannot be sent by post or courier.
How much is the phone registration fee in Turkey?
For 2026, the usage-permit fee is 54,258 TL. Registration must be completed within 120 days of entering Turkey.
What documents do I need for a mobile phone?
As a passenger: Passport (with entry stamp), IMEI registration application via e-Devlet, Invoice.
I'm a tourist — do I have to pay the phone registration fee?
BTK describes a separate route for short-stay visitors: when you sign up with a Turkish mobile operator, the operator pairs your phone's IMEI with that number; you apply at the operator's subscriber registration centre with your passport and the subscription contract. The 54,258 TL fee is for registering a phone brought from abroad for use with a Turkish line. See the guide on using your phone in Turkey.
Brands covered by this rule
Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Galaxy, Sony, Vivo, Honor, Poco, Motorola, Nokia, Nothing Phone, Tecno, Infinix, ZTE, Alcatel, General Mobile, Reeder, Casper, TCL, Umidigi, Fairphone, Blackview, ASUS ROG Phone
Related topics
Rules as of · for information only, not a substitute for the legislation · official information: Turkish Ministry of Trade, call 175 · Türkçe sürüm