6 replies to this topic

[Pingu]

I'm interested in bringing an iPhone with me to Turkey the next time I've over to sell, as I hear they're a lot more expensive than in the UK. I'm aware there is a process you need to go through for registering the phone. Does anyone have any information on how I go about doing this, and whether it's worth doing?

[REDDERS]

It used to be 25tl registration & show passport with an entry stamp within 30 days of applying,now to curb imported phones the Turkish government have slapped on a 100tl tax charge,which,here in Bodrum,you pay at the tax office,then go to Turkcell & register the handset.The person that registers the phone has to have a passport entry stamp less than 30 days old,you then either buy a sim card pack or put in your existing sim & that phone is ''locked '' to that sim phone number.You can only register 1 new handset every 2 years.
If you buy a new phone in Turkey,none of the above applies.This topic was in the Zamman papers only a couple of days ago & the government were happy that the new tax rule had stopped over 50% of the imports to last year,so keeping Turkish phone sales boyant.

[Pingu]

Thanks for the info redders.. do you know how much the iPhone 4s costs in turkey roughly?

[NatalieYildirim]

I was going to say the same as the above - and also they mentioned you have to buy a sim card - but you can only use that phone with that sim card that you bought from them - and it will not be possible to change the sim card later or give it to someone else.
I guess this is to stop people bringing in cheaper phones in - and to encourage people to buy them here!
But apparently It can also be done at those little phone shops - they can unlock too which you can use with any sim and doesnt cost as much to unlock - but i heard they can not do all makes of phones...

http://www.hepsibura...tegoryId=371946

[REDDERS]

Natalie,unlocking a phone is totally different to being able to use an unregistered [imported] phone here in Turkey.If you buy a phone aboard which is locked to o2,vodafone,[or usa at&t] etc,you can get it unlocked to work with another sim,but you still need to register the phones E.I.M.E. code with the Turkish authorities.
When registering an imported phone here,it's the E.I.M.E. number of the phone that is unblocked,not the sim,as once the phone is legally registered you can go to Turcell,Vodafone or Avea & pay your 25tl & show passport stamp & put in their sim.
If you want to keep the sim from your own country then registration is not needed,just get roaming set before you leave your home country & it will work over here.

[Quinn]

Does anyone know if there are any kind of rules about residency and bringing a phone in from Turkey? i.e. can a tourist do it?

My MIL has asked us to bring in a phone for her. That would be okay, but I'm going to be coming over in a few weeks to live in Turkey and my husband will be joining me in February. (He's coming in a few weeks to help set me up, but will be returning to the States after a couple weeks. He'll then come permanently, inshallah, in February.) So if we buy a phone for her (and have to register it in, say, my husband's name) and if I register my phone, that means that we won't be able to do so again for 2 years, and thus my husband will be without his phone when he comes over in Turkey.

This wouldn't be so bad if we knew we could bring in other phones in the future. As of right now, I have at least 6 family members or friends lined up to come visit me in Turkey, and I think at least 4 of those are certain to visit. So I could just order the phone I/he wanted, have it sent to them, and they could bring it over and register it for me. I know it would be in their name. Would that matter? Does one have to prove one is the registered owner of the phone for any reason in the future? Could they register their (my) phone on a Turkish visa?

[NatalieYildirim]

Natalie,unlocking a phone is totally different to being able to use an unregistered [imported] phone here in Turkey.If you buy a phone aboard which is locked to o2,vodafone,[or usa at&t] etc,you can get it unlocked to work with another sim,but you still need to register the phones E.I.M.E. code with the Turkish authorities.
When registering an imported phone here,it's the E.I.M.E. number of the phone that is unblocked,not the sim,as once the phone is legally registered you can go to Turcell,Vodafone or Avea & pay your 25tl & show passport stamp & put in their sim.
If you want to keep the sim from your own country then registration is not needed,just get roaming set before you leave your home country & it will work over here.

I thought he was asking about bring an iphone to turkey to change over and sell in turkey... Thats what i was answering....When i said "unlock" i mean unlock an English phone to be able to use it Turkey.