| Tips
for Travelers
Currency
Regulation
Limits:
There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency that
may be brought into Turkey, but not more than 55,000 worth
of Turkish currency may be brought into or taken out of
the country.
Exchange
slips: The exchange slips for the conversion of foreign
currency into Turkish lira should be kept, 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 purchased
with legally exchanged foreign currency).
Customs
Regulations
On
Entry
- The
following items may be brought into the country duty free
- personal
effects of the tourist.
- one
TV, one colour pocket TV (maximum 16 cm screen), one
TV-tape-radio combination, one video recording camera
and 5 video cassettes (blank); 5 records, 5 tape cassettes
or compact discs.
- one
video player, cine-projector (8 mm) and 10 rolls of
film (blank), one slide projector.
- one
pocket computer (maximum main memory capacity Ram
128k. Byte), electronic playing devices (without cassette
- keyboard).
- one
transistor radio and portable radio - tape player
(its specification to be determined by the Ministry
of Finance and Customs), one Walkman or pocket tape
recorder, one portable compact disc player.
- Binoculars
(one pair, except night binoculars)
- harmonica,
mandolin, flageole, flute, guitar, and accordion (only
one of each type, maximum 3 musical instruments).
- personal
sports equipment.
- necessary
medical items.
- bicycle,
baby buggy, toys.
- 200
cigarettes and 50 cigars.
- 200
grams of tobacco and 200 cigarette papers, or 50 grams
of chewing tobacco or 200 grams of pipe tobacco, or
200 grams of snuff
- (In
addition to the above allowances, it is possible to
purchase 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, and 500 grams
of pipe tobacco from the Turkish Duty Free Shops upon
entering the country).
- 1.5kg.
coffee, 1.5kg. instant coffee, 500 grams of tea.
- 1
kilo chocolate and 1 kilo sweets.
- 5
(100 cc) or 7 (70 cc) bottles of wines and/or spirits.
- five
bottles of perfume (120 ml max. each).
- one
portable typewriter.
- one
camera with 5 rolls of film.
- First
aid, and spare parts for the car.
- Other
items necessary during the journey.
- Valuable
items and all items with a value of over $ 15,000 must
be registered in the owner's passport upon entering Turkey,
for control upon exit.
- Antiques
brought into the country must be registered in the owner's
passport to avoid difficulties on exit.
- Sharp
instruments (including camping knives) and weapons may
not be brought into the country without special permission.
- The
bringing into the country, trade, and consumption of marijuana
and all other narcotics is strictly forbidden and subject
to heavy punishment.
- Gifts,
not exceeding 500 DM in value and not for trading purposes,
may be brought into the country duty free. In addition,
gifts not exceeding 500 OM in value may be posted to Turkey
duty free, if the date stamped by the sending post office
falls one month before, or one month after the following
holidays: Seker Bayrami, Kurban Bayrami, Christmas, and
New Year's.
Note:
Cellular Telephones entering the country must be accompanied
by a certification form showing ownership. Ownership must
be documented in the passport of the owner and will be checked
on entry and exit. For more information contact the Ministry
of Transportation, General Directorate at Tel: (312) 212
35 72 - 212 60 10 (10 lines), Fax: (312) 221 32 26 or write
to Ulastirma Bakanligi Telsiz Gn. Md. Emek - Ankara.
On
exit
- Gifts and
souvenirs: for a new carpet, a proof of purchase; for
old items, a certificate from a directorate of a museum
is necessary.
- Exporting
antiques from Turkey is forbidden.
- Valuable personal
items can only be taken out of the country providing they
have been registered in the owner's passport upon entry,
or providing they can show they have been purchased with
legally exchanged currency.
- Minerals may
only be exported from the country with a special document
obtained from the MTA (General Directorate of Mining Exploration
and Research). Etüdler Dairesi 06520, Ankara
- Tel: (312)
287 3430 /1622, Fax: (312) 285 42 71
Tax
Refund
You
Can Receive a Tax Refind for the Goods You Purchased In
Turkey!
- Refunds
will be made to travellers who do not reside in Turkey.
- All
goods (including food and drinks) are included in the
refunds with the exclusion of services rendered.
- The
minimum amount of purchase that qualifies for refund is
5.000.000 TL.
- Retailers
that qualify for tax refunds must be "authorised for refund."
These retailers must display a permit received from their
respective tax office.
- The
retailer will make four copies of the receipt for your
refund, three of which will be received by the purchaser.
If photocopies of the receipt are received the retailer
must sign and stamp the copies to validate them. If you
prefer the refund to be made by check, a Tax-free Shopping
Check for the amount to be refunded to the customer must
be given along with the receipt.
- For
the purchaser to benefit from this exemption he must leave
the country within three months with the goods purchased
showing them to Turkish customs officials along with the
appropriate receipts and! or check.
- There
are four ways to receive your refund:
- If
the retailer gives you a check it can he cashed at
a bank in the customs area at the airport. If it is
not possible to cash the check upon departure or if
you do not wish to cash it then, .e customer must,
within one month, send a copy of the receipt showing
that the goods have left the country to the retailer
who will, within ten days upon receiving the receipt,
send a bank transfer to the purchaser's hank or address.
- If
the certified receipt and check are brought back to
the retailer on a subsequent visit thin one-month
of the date of customs certification, the refund can
be made directly to the purchaser.
- Retailers
may directly refund the amount to trustworthy customers
upon purchase
- The
refund may be made by the organisation of those companies
that are authorised to make tax refunds.
Additional
information: Ministry of Finance and Tax Dept. General
Directorate, (Maliye Bakanligi, Gelirler Genel Müdürlügü)
KDV Subesi 06100, Ulus - Ankara
Tel: (312) 3103880/725 - 728 - 735, Fax: (312) 311 45 10
Health
Regulations for Pets
For
those who wish to bring domestic animals into the country
the following are required:
- Pets
have to be 3 months and older
- An
International Certificate of Health issued within 15 days
before the travel
- The
Identification Card
- Vaccination
Card
Note:
If you have an official certificate, you may bring one cat,
one bird, one dog and 10 aquarium fish into the country.
To get information for the importation of pets, please see
the Consular Services.
Motorist
Rules
General:
Those who wish to enter the country with their vans, minibuses,
automobiles, station wagons, bicycles, motorcycles, motorbikes,
sidecars, buses, motor coaches, trailers, caravans or other
transport vehicles, will have to provide the following documentations:
- Passport.
- International
driving license.
- Car
license (document where all details related to the car
and the owner's name are registered). If it is somebody
else's vehicle a power of attorney should be provided.
- International
green card (Insurance card). The TR sign should be visible.
- Transit
book "Carnet de passage" (for those who want to proceed
to the Middle East).
Period:
The vehicle can be brought into Turkey for up to 6 Months.
The owner should declare on the opposite form, the date
of departure at the border gate and should absolutely ve
the country at the date declared. If for any important reason
the staying period has to be ended, it is necessary to apply
to;
- The
Turkish Touring and Automobile Club (Türkiye Turing ve
Otomobil Kurumu) 1. Sanayi Sitesi Yani, 4.Levent, Istanbul,
Tel (212) 282 81 40(7 lines). Fax (212) 282 80, or to
- The
General Directorate of Customs (Gümrükler Genel Müdürlügü),
Ulus Ankara Tel (312) 310 38 80,310 38 18, Fax (312) 31113
46, before the end of the period declared.
In
Case of Accident: The accident should be reported
to the police or gendarme. That report has to be certified
by the nearest local authority. The owner should apply to
the customs authority with his passport and report.
If the
vehicle can be repaired, it is necessary to inform the customs
authority first and take the vehicle to a garage. If the
vehicle is not repairable and if the owner wishes to leave
the country without his vehicle, he has to deliver it to
the nearest customs office, and the registration of his
vehicle on his passport will be cancelled. (Only after the
cancellation can the owner of the vehicle leave the country.)
Following
an accident, you can telephone:
- Trafik
Polisi (Traffic Police), Tel :154,
- Jandarma
(Gendarme), Tel :156.
For
more information, contact the Touring and Automobile Association
of Turkey.
Formalities
for Private Yacht Owners
Yachts
require a Transit Log and may remain in Turkish waters for
up to two years maintenance or for wintering. There are
certain ports licensed by the Ministry of Tourist the storage
of yachts for a period of two to five years. For further
information and regulations contact the marina concerned.
Upon
arriving in Turkish waters, yachts should immediately go
for control of the ship to the nearest port of entry which
are as follows: Iskenderun, Botas (Adana), Mersin, Tasucu,
Anamur, Alanya, Antalya, Kemer, Finike, Kas, Fethiye, Marmaris,
Datça, Bodrum, Güllük Didim, Kusadasi, Çesme, Izmir, Dikili,
Ayvalik, Akçay, Çanakkale, Bandirma, Tekirdag, Istanbul,
Zonguldak, Sinop, Samsun, Ordu, Giresun, Trabzon, Rize,
Hopa.
Port
Formalities: All the required information concerning
the yacht, yachtsmen, members, intended route, passports,
customs declarations, health clearance, and any obligatory
matters must be entered in the Transit Log.
The
Transit Log is to he completed by the captain of a yacht
under a foreign flag or amateur sailor acting as captain
of the vessel.
The
Transit Log is completed upon first entering a Turkish port
and, generally, it is necessary to contact the Harbour Authority
before leaving. For information on tax-free fuel, contact
the Marina Harbour Office.
Note:
If you have a certificate from the Tourism Ministry Yacht
Harbour, you may take petrol at no charge, provided you
possess an official marina license.
Formalities
for Private Plane Owners
General:
When coming to Turkey, international air routes should he
followed. Private planes may stay for up to three months
in Turkey with tourist status, but for longer periods permission
should be obtained from
- The
General Directorate of Customs (Gümrükler Genel Müdürlügü),
Ulus Ankara, Tel: (312) 3103880,3103818,Fax: (312) 311
1346
The
airports of Ankara, Adana, Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Trabzon
and Dalaman have ties for private planes. It is also possible
to hire planes and helicopters in Turkey.
For
further information, apply to:
- The
Civil Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport
(Ulastirma Bakanligi, Havacilik Gen. Müd.). Bosna-Hersek
Cad., No: 5 - 06338 - Emek, Ankara. Tel: (312) 212 67
30, Fax: (312) 212 46 84, TIx : 44659 Ga-tr.
Underwater
Diving
Diving
for purposes of sport, with proper equipment and in non-restricted
areas, is permitted. Foreign divers should have official
documentation of their specifics and training and must be
accompanied, when diving, by a licensed Turkish guide.
The
limit for diving with diving gear is 30 metres. For educational
purposes, this limit is extended to 42 metres. Dives exceeding
30 metres must be carried out with proper diving and medical
equipment. In arder to protect Turkish archaeological and
cultural values. It is strictly forbidden to transport Turkish
antiquities or natural specimens.
Postal
System
Turkish
post-offices are easily recognized by their black PTT letters
on a yellow background. Major post offices are open from
8:00 a.m. till 12:00 p.m., Monday/Saturday, and 9:00 a.m.
till 7:00 p.m., Sunday. Small post-offices have the same
hours as the government offices.
Postal
charges vary for different services depending on destination.
Post restante letters should be addressed "postrestant"
to the central post-office Merkez Postanesi, in the town
of your choice. You have to show your identification card
to collect your letters.
All
PTT branches have the facilities to exchange money at the
current international exchange rates, as well as international
postal orders and travellers' cheques. There is also an
express postal service (APS) operating to 90 countries for
letters , documents and small packages. A wide variety of
special stamps are available in all PTT centers for philatelists.
To phone
from PTT telephone booths, which are extensively found in
all areas; telephone cards , and tokens (";jeton") in three
sizes are used. Local, inter-city and international calls
can be made from all PTT offices. Besides these main offices
there are also mobile PTT services in the touristic areas.
For the area codes of major cities and touristic areas in
Turkey, please see the "Area Codes" list. Foreign countries
area codes are indicated in the International Telephone
Codes list.
Some
important service numbers are;
- 155
Police
- 112
Emergency
- 110
Fire
- 118
Unknown Numbers
- 161
PTT Information.
Tourist
Health
Turkish
Tourist Health Society (Turizm Sagligi Dernegi-Hacettepe
Üniversitesi Tip Fakültesi Plastik ve Rekonstrüktif Cerrahi
Ana Bilim Dali, Sihhiye 06100 ANKARA Tel: (312) 311 93 93-310
98 08) perfoms the functions below, to provide the travellers
in the entire country, mainly in the touristic regions,
with proper health care:
- to
secure food hygiene
- to
prevent environmental pollution
- to
ensure hygiene and healthy working-conditions in touristic
establishments.
Working
Hours
Government
Offices
Monday-Friday (8:30-12:30) , (13:30-17:30)
Saturday-Sunday (closed)
Banks
Monday-Friday (8:30-12-00) , (13:30-17:00)
Saturday-Sunday (closed)
Shops
Monday-Saturday (9:30-13:00) , (14:00-19:00)
Sunday (closed)
Istanbul Covered market: Monday-Saturday (8:00-19:00)
Sunday (closed)
During
summer months, the government offices and many other establishments
in the Aegean and Mediterranean Regions are closed in the
afternoon. These fixed summer hours are determined by the
governing bodies of the provinces.
Other
Practical Information
Local
time:
GMT+3 hours (April-September) GMT+2 hours (October-March)
Time
Differences:
Argentina -5, France -1, Netherlands -1, Australia +8, Germany
-1, Saudi Arabia+1, Austria -1, Greece 0, Sweden -1, Egypt
0, Italy -1, Switzerland -1, England -2, Japan +7, Spain
-1, USA -7 (EST) -10 (WEST)
* These time differences are for the period October-March;
however, they may show variances according to each country's
own time-saving adjustments.
Petrol:
Super (peremium) - Unleaded (at some places). Normal (regular)
- Diesel.
Electricity:
220 volts AC/50 Hz. all over Turkey. (Industrial:380 V)
Plug: European round/ 2-prong plug.
Water:
Although tap vater is safe to drink since it is chlorinated,
it is recommended to get advice from the concemed authorities
of the places resided.
Weights
and Measures:
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters , 1 centimeter = 0.3937
inches
1 yard = 0,9144 meters, 1 meter = 1.0936 yards
1 mile = 1,6093 kilometers, 1 kilometer = 0.6214 miles
1 pound = 0,4536 kilograms, 1 kilogram = 2.2046 pounds
Area:
1 acres = 0,4047 Hectares, 1 hectare = 2.471 acres
Capacity:
1 UK gallon = 4.546 litres, 1 litre = 0.2199 UK gallons
1 US gallon = 3.7831 litres, 1 litre = 0.2643 US gallons
Newspapers and Magazines:
Foreign newspapers and magazines are available in big cities
and tourist areas. Also there is a Turkish daily newspaper,
Daily News, published in English.
Tipping:
At various establishments like hotels, restaurants, Turkish
baths, barbers and hairdressers, tipping at a rate of 5%-15%
of the total is common. Taxi and "dolmus" drivers on the
other hand, do not expect tips or even rounded fares.
Visiting
a mosque:
Five times a day, the "müezzin" calls the faithful to prayer
in thi mosque. Before entering a mosque, Muslims wash themselves
and remove their shoes. Foreign visitors should also remove
their shoes and show the respect they would any other house
of worship and avoid visiting the mosque durin prayer time.
Women should cover their heads and ams, and not wear miniskirts.
Men should not wear shorts. (In certain famous mosques,
overalls are provided for those not suitably dressed.)
|
