These days, being without a mobile phone is nearly impossible. Everyone is very dependent on their smart phones, be it for simple calls to important banking.
So, if you’re visiting or moving to Turkey and want to bring your foreign mobile phone with you to use in Turkey, here’s what you need to do.
If you are visiting for a short period of time, be it a holiday or business trip and have a roaming package from your home country you can continue to use your phone normally for an indefinite amount of time, depending on your home country’s provider. If it’s a really short trip it’s definitely worth sticking to that, but if your trip will be longer it could work out more expensive than buying a local SIM Card. You can purchase Turkish SIM cards from many shops all over Turkey, including Turkcell and Vodafone. You can sometimes find their kiosks in the arrival section at the airports after clearing customs.
You will need to provide your e visa, passport and the phone that you will be using. You will be offered a prepaid package normally. Keep all paperwork given to you safe.
Your phone may need to be unlocked for the local SIM card to work. You can do this via the website of your phone’s original contract providers, but the best idea is to get your phone unlocked before arriving in Turkey to save on bother and stress. Sometimes phones on a contract cannot be unlocked so keep that in mind and find out before travelling.
SIM cards are supposedly given 90-120 days of use before they will be locked and you would receive text messages warning you of this, so if you intend to stay a while it makes sense to register the SIM as early as possible.
If you are staying in Turkey or living in Turkey for a longer period of time it’s best to proceed registering your foreign phone.
To do this you will need your IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) number. Often, this number can be found by calling *#06# on your phone but do be aware that this does not work on every model. If you get a 14 digit code shown on the screen, this is your IMEI number.
Now you need to pay a tax fee connected to your IMEI number at the local tax office (vergi dairesi). You will need your Passport, Residence Permit, IMEI number and your mobile phone with you. Keep hold of any documents they give you. It will usually take one full working day for the registration process to be complete. This registering service cost is around 1500TL as of 2019.
Once you have paid the tax you can complete the final steps in person or online.
You will need an E Devlet Password that can be obtained from the local PTT (Post Office) for a couple of Turkish Lira.
To do it in person you will simply take your residence permit, your IMEI number and your E Devlet password to the SIM card provider (where you will purchase your SIM card from). They will often do it for you and give you your phone number.
To do it online, you will visit https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/btk-imei-kaydet
If you encounter any problems it’s always best to visit a store of your SIM card provider ie, Turkcell or Vodafone. Always take your residence permit and passport with you.
Some providers now offer special rates and packages for foreigners so it’s always best to do your research and shop around.