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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 5 5,000 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.)
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