How to Register a Phone in Turkey?

If you are coming to Turkey for a long time or have decided to move to the country permanently, you should know about the special procedure for registering mobile phones. It applies to all devices purchased outside of Turkey.

This regulation applies to all devices bought outside of Turkey.

Real Estate Agency Tolerance explains the process of phone registration in Turkey, and what will happen if you don't do this in the allotted timeframe.

Rules for Foreigners in Turkey

In Turkey, all foreigners are required to register their imported mobile phones.

This rule also applies to tablets and other mobile devices that work with sim cards, including smartwatches.

The reasons why the Turkish authorities decided to do this are to prevent the "grey" import of equipment into the country, and obviously to have some control over foreigners' communication.

And of course, any taxes and additional fees, including the phone tax in Turkey — it's an opportunity to replenish the state budget.

Foreigners have 120 days to register a smartphone.

Officially, the countdown starts from the date of arrival in Turkey. But in actuality, it starts when the slot is activated in the local mobile network.

You have to pay phone tax in Turkey, recently it's 20,000 Turkish lira (about 750 dollars as of August 2023). From January 2023 to July 8, the tax rate was about 320 dollars.

Important: a foreigner may register a phone no more often than once every three years. If you acquire another phone abroad, not in Turkey, during this time, you will have to wait until this period expires.

Phone Blocking in Turkey, What Exactly Gets Blocked, and When?

Phone blocking in Turkey is carried out by IMEI, which is a unique number assigned to the device by the manufacturer.

The SIM card isn't blocked, but rather, the GSM or WCDMA module which is responsible for connecting to the mobile network.

If you insert a SIM card into another smartphone, which you've brought into the country later or purchased in Turkey, it will continue to work.

How the IMEI Monitoring System Works in Turkey

Most foreigners compare the IMEI tracking system to random chance—some people's phones work for half a year and longer without any mobile phone registration, while others' smartphones get blocked exactly after 120 days.

If you leave the country with a blocked phone and come back, the ban will not reset.

Some say that the reset happens at the beginning of the new year, on January 1st, but you won't find official information about this anywhere.

Smartphones are blocked, both those with foreign SIM cards and those with Turkish SIM cards. However, if you are using a foreign operator's number, you won't receive any notifications about the upcoming block — the device will just stop connecting to the mobile network.

As a result, you won’t be able to receive or send text messages, make phone calls, accept incoming calls, or connect to mobile internet.

But you will be able to connect to WiFi networks and communicate via messaging apps, browse the internet and receive PUSH notifications.

Who needs to register a phone in Turkey

Registering your mobile phone in Turkey will be necessary if you plan to stay in the country for more than 120 days and use your imported smartphone.

If you have a cheap handset, it makes no sense to pay a tax that is three to five times its value. It’s cheaper to buy a phone within the country.

How to register a phone in Turkey

First, you need to obtain a residence permit (ikamet).

Registration can be done either online, or by visiting the tax office in person, but either way you will need internet access as the final registration is done online. Let's look at both options step by step.

The registration process at the tax office goes like this:

• Visit the nearest tax office, you can find it on maps by searching for "Vergi Dairesi".
• After presenting your ikamet and IMEI number you will be asked to go to the cashier and pay the tax.
• The only thing left to do is to log into your personal cabinet on the E-Devlet site using the link provided above. Enter Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu in the search bar or simply follow this link, then choose IMEI Kaydet.

  Fill in the form, which will ask for your foreign passport data, the date you crossed the Turkish border, and your IMEI number.

• Save all the changes you've made. After successfully filling in the form your phone will be registered.

Sometimes, the E-Devlet site may not work. In such cases, you can visit the offices of mobile operators such as Vodafone, Turk Telecom and Turkcell. To get help, you will need to bring your tax receipt and ikamet — they usually ask for the plastic card, a paper copy won't do.

However, you can avoid visiting the tax office in person, as we mentioned above — we will explain how to register a phone online from the comfort of your own home.

• Open the website turkiye.gov.tr, register, and fill out the form. If you're registering your device, choose 'kendi bilgilerim ile başvuru yapacağim' in the first point. If for a child under 18 years old — choose çocuk.
  
  
• In the form indicate the personal details of the phone owner. Enter your foreign passport number and series, first and last name, IMEI (there may be two or even three if the smartphone supports digital SIM cards) — provide all of them; the tax amount will remain the same. 
  
  
• Once you've filled out all the fields in the form, a tax payment form will be opened (you'll be redirected to the tax collection portal for this). Make the payment, then return to the E-Devlet site. 
  
  
• Complete the form, then select IMEI Kaydet (save IMEI). 

  Please note: To pay the tax online, you'll need a card from a Turkish or other foreign (not Russian) bank. Russian Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, and MIR cards do not work in Turkey, and some Turkish cards often also have difficulties while making payment. 

How to find your IMEI number?

To find your IMEI number, you literally need a few seconds: open your call application and dial *#06#.

No need to tap the call button, just like when you're checking your balance, the information will immediately show up on the screen.

Another option — go into your smartphone's settings, select 'About phone' and look in 'General information' — you'll find the IMEI numbers for all slots and for e-sim if your model supports it. 

Important: Put down all the IMEI numbers in the form if you want all the SIM card slots in your phone to work. This will not affect the tax amount because you're paying for the device itself, not for the SIM cards in it. 

Can you avoid paying the phone tax and not register it?

Yes, if you're not afraid that your device might stop working.

Many relocators, fairly believing that the tax amount is currently too high, resort to tricks and share their experiences in chats.

You can try to bypass the system, but it's important to understand that there are no guarantees.

• If you have two SIM card slots, first use one, and after 120 days — the other. This method works for some.

  And if your phone also has

  e-sim, the total duration of use can be extended to 360 days.

  The downside to using e-sim is that you'll have to pay for roaming if you're getting a number from your provider. You can check if your smartphone supports digital SIM cards in your phone settings.

• You can buy a smartphone in Turkey, and it doesn't necessarily have to be new — look for advertisements in 'garage sale' chats, relocators also have such chats. But always make sure that the phone was purchased in Turkey, or if it was bought abroad — that it's registered. You can check this on the website.
• Another option — buy a local compact 4G modem, and then share the internet from it to your phone. Such a purchase will be a lot cheaper than a phone, approximately, a thousand and a half liras.

  This is beneficial if you came with your family and you're not ready to pay 20,000 liras for the registration of each of several phones. 

So, let's summarise.

If you're planning to spend more than the visa-free regime's 90 days in Turkey, you will most likely have to register your phone.

It is sensible to do this if you have an expensive mobile model and you're not prepared to be without mobile internet and the ability to make calls.

In other cases, it is much more beneficial to buy a phone in Turkey.

Trying methods with moving SIM cards from slot to slot is possible, but there are no guarantees - sooner or later they will find out that your phone has connected to the local network, and a block is unavoidable.