What has changed in Turkey's customs rules?
Turkey's customs rules change often, and many websites still repeat outdated figures. Here we list every change that has come into force, with its date, its source and the page it affects.
Recent changes
Changes to Turkey's passenger and courier customs rules, newest first. Each entry shows the date, what changed, the page it affects and the source. You can also follow this list in a feed reader: /en/changes.xml.
— Correction: tea, coffee and chocolate can be sent by post
This is not a change in the law but a correction of an error on this site. We previously said tea, coffee and chocolate could not be sent to Turkey by post or express courier at all. The Ministry of Trade's Circular 2022/9 (item 9), which is in force, allows food other than meat and dairy products in quantities suitable for personal use; duties are payable, there is no exemption, and tea and coffee go through plant quarantine checks. Ready-made foods containing milk (such as milk biscuits, rice pudding or ice cream) remain covered by the meat and dairy ban; chocolate is not. A 2018 page of the Ministry's guide still carries the old wording.
— New drone rules: SHGM SHT-İHA 2026
Turkey's civil aviation authority (SHGM) published a new drone instruction that entered into force on the same day. Everyone operating a drone other than a toy-class “simple UAV” must register; drones under 500 g that are not simple UAVs are also subject to the M0 class rules. Drones brought from abroad with a passenger or by individual means must have a compliance software module. Classes are now M0–M3; the old “İHA0” name and the 3-day registration rule after entry are gone. Transition period until 31.07.2027.
— Post and courier: the 30 EUR exemption is gone
Presidential Decision No. 10813 (Official Gazette 7.1.2026) entered into force. Personal parcels arriving by post or courier no longer have a value exemption; shipments of 0–1,500 EUR are subject to a full declaration and import duties. A flat-rate duty remains only for books (0%) and for medicines and food supplements with a prescription or medical report (30% EU / 60% other countries).
— Phone usage-permit fee for 2026: 54,258 TL
The fee for using a phone brought from abroad with a Turkish line is 54,258 TL for 2026. The amount changes every year on 1 January with the revaluation rate.
— Cash declaration threshold: 185,000 TL
The amount of Turkish lira that must be declared when leaving Turkey was raised from 25,000 TL to 185,000 TL. The threshold of 10,000 EUR or the equivalent in foreign currency did not change.
— E-cigarettes: disposable limit cut from 10 to 3
Circular 2024/18 changed the wording of Circular 2020/7 from “up to 10 disposable e-cigarettes” to “up to 3”. A traveller aged 18 or over may bring the 1 device they are using together with up to 200 heated tobacco sticks, or 30 ml of cartridges/e-liquid in total, or up to 3 disposable e-cigarettes.
— Courier exemption cut from 150 to 30 EUR; rates 30% / 60%
Presidential Decision No. 8787 (Official Gazette 6.8.2024) cut the post and courier value exemption from 150 EUR to 30 EUR and set the flat-rate duty at 30% from the EU and 60% from other countries, plus 20% for goods on the Special Consumption Tax list (IV). These rates still apply to goods brought by travellers.
— Tax-free: minimum invoice raised from 100 to 1,000 TL
An amendment to the VAT General Implementation Communiqué (Official Gazette 18.1.2024, No. 32433) requires the invoice total to exceed 1,000 TL excluding VAT for a VAT refund to non-resident travellers. Some guides still quote the old 100 TL amount.
What has not changed
At our last verification (24.10.2026) the following rules were confirmed unchanged: the 430 EUR passenger allowance (150 EUR under age 15), the flat-rate duty of %30 from the EU and %60 from other countries, the 1,500 EUR ceiling, the Annex 9 cigarette and alcohol limits, and the pet entry requirements. The Ministry of Trade also stated on 27 June 2026 that the passenger allowance limits had not changed.
Sources
Written · rules as of · for information only, not a substitute for the legislation · official information: Turkish Ministry of Trade, call 175