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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).
Tax Refund
You Can Receive a Tax Refind for the Goods You Purchased In Turkey!
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 (Turkiye 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 (Gumrukler Genel Mudurlugu), 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, Datca, Bodrum, Gulluk Didim, Kusadasi, Cesme, Izmir, Dikili, Ayvalik, Akcay, Canakkale, 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 (Gumrukler Genel Mudurlugu), 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. Mud.). 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 meters. For educational purposes, this limit is extended to 42 meters. Dives exceeding 30 meters must be carried out with proper diving and medical equipment. In order 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 restate letters should be addressed "protestant" 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 travelers' 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 Universitesi Tip Fakultesi Plastik ve Rekonstruktif Cerrahi Ana Bilim Dali, Sihhiye 06100 ANKARA Tel: (312) 311 93 93-310 98 08) performs the functions below, to provide the travelers 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 (premium) - 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 water 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 liters, 1 liter = 0.2199 UK gallons
1 US gallon = 3.7831 liters, 1 liter = 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 "muezzin" calls the faithful to prayer in the 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 during prayer time. Women should cover their heads and arms, 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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