Strategy for Purchasing Cell Phones When Moving to Türkiye

@Gino_C We have some phones, but we bought locally (just to avoid issues and challenges). I personally do not understand why people want to have i-phone, a simple Samsung is more than sufficient. Our Desktops, Laptops are functioning very fine with WIFI and cable (advised) (in our appartment).

Bottom line advice buy a phone here, we have still our phones from Hungary (I am Dutch though) (but disconnected).

In Turkey locally not too expensive (I have a phone which can call internationally (EUR 11 pm), my wife only locally (EUR 6), I think it is fine.

Internet (100 MB) is EUR 14 pm, than we have Audible and Netflix (both EUR 10  pm)

All in all monthly just EUR 50  (much cheaper than Western Europe)

@cdw057 Bottom line advise keep your phone until you move and replace it in Turkey when the time comes.

Hi everyone,

Is this fee to do with registering your phone after the initial 120 days? I wasn't aware of this until today!

If you don't register your phone that you brought in from abroad, your service will be blocked. It happened to my husband and I, but we are still able to use with them with wifi and for whatsapp. However, it means we can't dial out or receive messages. The only real downside for us is when it comes to verification codes sent to our phones, which we can't receive. Interestingly, when we go to the UK, all service resumes as per normal.

@Liyana1

Yes, unfortunately you will have to register your phone prior to the 120 day limit or you will be blocked just like @janecrrphilae experienced.  I've tried to find information on whether there are exceptions to the fee for newcomers and have not found any mentions for 1st time residents so I am assuming that I would have to bear the registration fee if I were to bring my own phone. 

The two options (For an IPhone 14 128GB) :

Purchase in the US

Purchase Cost (incl Tax) - $756

Registration Fee -              $965

Total Cost                          $1721                                       

Purchase in Turkey

Purchase Cost (incl Tax)   44,800TL (From Turkcell)

Registration Fee                     0TL

Total Cost                         44,800TL or $1360

So it is cheaper and more straightforward to purchase a phone in Turkey.  Please respond if my any of my assumptions are incorrect.

Thanks,

Gino

@Gino_C Apart from buraucracy (even if USD 100 extra) please go the easy route (compliments for Gino)

The fee is imposed to protect telecommunications companies in Turkey. When these companies import mobile phones, they must pay VAT and luxury tax in advance, which they can then get back (VAT) after 60-90 days. This fee is intended to reduce the financial burden on local carriers, prevent abuse, and address terrorism concerns. The blocking was temporary during COVID-19, but an additional 30-day extension (one-time) through e-Devlet existed. The delay was due to the fact that residence permits were taking anywhere from 3 to more than 6 months to process.

The second restriction applies to the Turkish SIM card, which is valid for around 90 days after entering Turkey. Once your tourist visa expires, the Turkish SIM card will stop working. Another restriction concerns foreign SIM cards, with Turkish IMEI, which may be deactivated after 90 days, although this is not consistently enforced per BTK. These, e.g., rules are in place because of recent discoveries of foreign SIM cards in bombs used throughout Turkiye.

There are various ways to avoid paying these fees. For example, you can use a dual SIM phone with an e-SIM and alternate the IMEI numbers. Android phones have an additional IMEI, offering 12 months of usage. Without an e-SIM, iPhones provide 8 months, but with an e-SIM, you should get 12 months. Note that the block is reset for all mobile phones in Turkey during the first week of each year.

Buying a cheap phone abroad may not make much sense, but for those who desire luxury, such as an iPhone 15 Pro 1TB+, it is worth considering purchasing abroad. You can save $500-700, but if you usually buy phones in the $200-500 price range, purchasing locally or doing the IMEI rotation is better.

@cdw057 This applies to all mobile devices, including Samsung. [Adroid and iOS] Just because you bought a phone locally does not necessarily mean that it's the same quality. A $300 phone in the USA is not the same quality as a $300 phone in Turkey. In the USA, you might get a phone for $300, but that same phone in Turkey would be more like $1000. For example, a fully loaded iPhone 15 Pro is priced at USD 1500 in the USA, whereas in Turkey, it's $3000. IOS is also far superior in security, and that's why most people have iOS devices, whereas scams and phishing scams are rampant in Android apps. One is always an iOS or MacOS user In my opinion. I love my Apple products; never leave <3

@Gino_C That 44,000 includes the registration fee from Apple. Apple pays this amount to BTK on your behalf.

Buying a cheap phone abroad may not make much sense, but for those who desire luxury, such as an iPhone 15 Pro 1TB+, it is worth considering purchasing abroad. You can save $500-700, but if you usually buy phones in the $200-500 price range, purchasing locally or doing the IMEI rotation is better.
   

Yowza, thanks for pointing out the cost differential for the higher end iPhones.  I had no idea.  I just checked the cost for a 15 Pro Max 256GB (couldn't find the cost for 512GB or 1TB on Turkcell website).  The US sourced purchase price is $1190 (incl tax) versus Turkish sourced purchase price is $2755.  For an IPhone 14 512GB, the difference is $1,080 versus $1,732.

To touch on your affinity of Apple products, I too believe in their products and have been a loyal customer of theirs since my first emac purchase in 2003.  I also became an investor in 2005 and have been rewarded handsomely. 

Thanks for your highly beneficial and relevant posts on this MB.

When you consider the higher-end products, it's a no-brainer. VAT + luxury tax make it expensive to buy locally.

I always buy from the USA and have my phone shipped to Greece or London. I fly on Ryanair for 20 Euros, pick up my phone, pay the tax, and get a tax refund at the airport on the way home. It's a bit of a hassle to pay the tax and flight, especially since I tend to upgrade my Apple phone every year or two.

It's better than paying 30,000 every single year.

However, now that Apple has devices with two physical SIM slots and an eSIM, you can rotate the IMEIs three times every 120 days, totaling 12 months without paying tax if you do it right. If your iPhone has one physical slot and eSIM, you can get by 8 months, but it depends on where you get your phone from, as well as Hong Kong has two physical and 10 eSIM.

Example: Put the Turkish SIM card in one slot until blocked, 120 days, then take it out and put it in another slot, repeat 120 days, and then on the last leg convert the physical sim to e-SIM to get the last 120 days remaining if this all works you don't have to pay the tax.

It's better than paying 30,000 every single year.

Can you clarify, the registration fee is annual or did you mean to state the 30K is a one time registration fee? 

@d4zt7bsj I am lazy, I like comfort of living, from what I recall when buying our phones (with support) (a few years ago) prices were well below USD 500. Anyhow I do not like bureacracy and saving a few hundred bucks

@cdw057

I'm all in for lazy living as well.  There is always an abundance of things to do, particularly if my wife has anything to do with it.  My current phone is 6 years old and would rather purchase my next phone in Türkiye when I move in 1.5 years to avoid registration hassles.  My new phone does not have to be the latest and fastest.  It will sell at a discount and will be a vast improvement from my current phone.

I want to pass on that I just read on Turkey Travel Planner that the cost of registering a foreign phone in Turkey will rise from the current fee of 31,692 TL to 45,953 TL  on January 1st, 2025, a whopping 45% increase.  Converted to US dollars, the fee is $1,342. 

I'm uncertain if the fee applies to people who move into the country and bring their own phone with them.  If the fee is assessed regardless of the situation, then it makes it prudent to leave your old phone behind (selling it) and purchase a phone after you've moved to Turkey.

Thank you for letting me know Lots of there stuff is getting pricier in the last year I will move there next winter

@Gino_C

We had foreign phones (we still have for other reasons). but when buying a local (Turkish) phone it was very competive (I do not recall but I think EUR 300 for 2 at the time (3 years ago),

Monthly fees are very acceptable (I pay TRY 400 pm. my wife TRY 200 (I sometimes call abroad))

Message do not register your foreign phone (admittedly I still pay for my foreign phone (but not of being registered), just to view messages from time to time.

I recall paying 4500 TL when I registered my U.S. phone back in 2021. Even then I thought it was expensive.

Either way you will pay a hefty price for a phone in Turkey. Unless you are willing to pay $3500 for a brand new iPhone, I would recommend buying a used cell phone from your cell phone provider.

What is wrong with a simple phone? You have a laptop and/or desktop and you can connect?

We just have simple android/samsung and we survive (very well).

What are the pluses of having a i phone?

Few years ago admittedlty phones were cheap, what do you need?

cost of registering a foreign phone in Turkey will rise from the current fee of 31,692 TL to 45,953 TL on January 1st, 2025, a whopping 45% increase. Converted to US dollars, the fee is $1,342.

I came to conclusion that Information Technology Ministry is running a rip-off scam basically. I often see exorbitant prices for anything electronic (had my pc motherboard replaced recently - still grinding my teeth in my sleep at how unnecessarily expensive it was). So its better bringing electronics from other countries.

As for the phones I went with just buying a 2nd hand (2. el) turkish phone with barely enough Android version to run some apps and I use it as Wi-Fi hotspot when I need the internet on my other better phone. At the time the registration fee was also incredibly high. Like 3500+TL, while I purchased 2nd hand phone for just 900TL. Its just ridiculous what a cash grab that fee is.

I also heard that some phone repairmen offer swapping a sim-slot with turkish one. That might be convenient, but I can't confirm it actually works.

And the most convenient thing probably would be to just buy a new phone here.

I came to conclusion that Information Technology Ministry is running a rip-off scam basically. I often see exorbitant prices for anything electronic (had my pc motherboard replaced recently - still grinding my teeth in my sleep at how unnecessarily expensive it was). So its better bringing electronics from other countries.

Here is my presumption on the situation:

I have heard that income tax collections are not substantial as the population under reports their earnings.  Therefore, to make up for the shortfall, they rely on sales tax and fees.  Because of the economic strain most citizens are enduring, sales tax on every day items cannot make up for the needed tax revenue therefore, fees and taxes on luxury items such as electronics and cars are seen as a good source. It's unbelievable what higher end cars cost due to the exorbitant tax rates along with the price of gas.  But on the whole, the cost of living is still substantially lower than the USA.

As I understand it, there are no such fees for computers so I'll be bringing in my computers when I move and purchase my phone in Türkiye.     

cdw057:

For me, I prefer Apple products and have been an Apple customer since 2003.  They are solid and very reliable.  The computer I am typing on right now is an iMac from 2013.  I could get by with a simple phone but it serves multiple purposes while traveling and in everyday life.

@Andrey Ryazantsev

Indeed just buy your phone here  (personally even not considering expenses I would not even consider re-registration)

We are quite happy with the phones we purchased locally and monthly fees are quite limited (I have a phone which can call abroad (EUR 13 pm), my wife only in Turkey (EUR 6 pm)

@Gino_C

Hey Gino,  buy a Turkish phone and avoid all these issues.  thats what we did. Back thenthe IPHONE taxes was 1000 TL

now , it is outrageous.   I need my American phone when I am in America, so why make it a Turkish phone and pay these outrageous fees.

there is a company named Tello in the USA. unlimeted everything for $25.00 per month with their sim you still can use with wifi. don't know if there is somthing similar for you in Canada.

when you buy a Turkish phone, Samsung has a 2 sim models.. get one of those and place your canadian sim and use is it with WIFI no issues.  Best Wishes

@Fandango2020

Yeah, I intend to buy another iPhone probably a 14 or 15.  I have never owned an Android phone and have an aversion to Android and its creator Google because they ripped off Apple's IOS when I was an investor.  Also, Google's business model is built on stealing and selling off your data.  Besides, my trusty iPhone X from 2018 is still going strong after 6 years.  So I will be upgrading to a new when I move. 

As for calls outside the country, to the US when I am in Turkey or vice versa, I use Signal which is similar to WhatsApp but the data is safe because of encryption.  My phone provider is T-mobile which provides free 3G service while I'm in Turkey so I can make and receive Signal calls and use my GPS while driving.  Browsing the web is slightly slow but I can't complain as it is free from T-Mobile.  Also, I'm not sure what gave you the notion that I'm in Canada but my home is in Minneapolis.  Go Vikings!  We're 7-2.

Thanks for the information and Best wishes to you and your family. 

Well hello there Fellow American. myabe I was confused with someone else.  My Bad

:0)

No worries, it’s all good.  It’s actually nice to have some engagement with others.  Not much activity on this forum. 

For someone about to undertake a fairly monumental change in my life by moving to Turkey, I try to stay active on this site and gain as much understanding of all the good and the bad from the experiences of others in preparation for it.

@Gino_C

I worried a bit on your activity (or not) over the last few times, I think I indicated so many topics to discuss about, please pick up on one or two.

Many things to be worried about (or happy from time to time)

@cdw057
I worried a bit on your activity (or not) over the last few times, I think I indicated so many topics to discuss about, please pick up on one or two.
Many things to be worried about (or happy from time to time)

I engage whenever I can however given that I don't yet live in Turkey, I can't contribute any comments on many topics except posing questions that arise and my research findings.  Believe me, I can't wait to move particularly because of the very recent elections here in the US but also for the draw Turkey has for me.  I know it will be a net gain once I move.

@Gino_C You can contribute as a prospective expat (very much so), please come, and honestly I do not understand you are not yet here.

Mobile phone is very sad topic, a few EUR, what is the shit, comfortable life is important. If somebody worries on phone is sad. If you worry on these small items please stay away. (why do you not worry on practical issues?)

@Gino_C

Hi,

But when you move, after certain months you will need to register your foreign bought phone, which is very expensive. Isn't that so? I just found out that after receiving a text message.

@azmarina91

Yes, if you bring your own phone, then you can use it for 120 days without needing to register it.  If 120 days passes without registering it, then the phone becomes blocked.  2025 registration fee is 45,953 TL or $1,330 so it is better to purchase a phone in Turkey.  I found a very good site which provides clear guidance for phone usage for expats in Turkey.

@Gino_C

Why are you not here already? No constraints I trust? Plans, plans, but better to make it reality before you die, you are American, you are rich (at least on comparable basis). I went at semi pension (on my own cost at 52).

In any case my wife is happy (my own health could be better, but that is in all countries)

Where are you???