Job Discussion Forums

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

I am trying to sort out the moving process to Turkey and got a a lot of questions!
It seems that if you relocate for work purposes you are allowed to import your belongings without paying import taxes. Too bad, because even if the prospective employer is most willing to help I won't have all the documents ready to prove that I relocate for work purpose.
I am neither marrying a Turk, so all those regulations do not apply for me either.

Now what is my best opition? Finding a ridiculous expensive moving company that is willing to deal with custom clearance and pay the import taxes?
Or would it be better to store my things in EU for the next year until I am all settled and most important I have all the paperwork done and then ship it to Turkey?

Also, although I will get rid of most electrical equipment I do want to take my lap-top with me. Since I will travel with a cat I will have to go through customs declarations. Any (legal) strategies of how to avoid import taxes for a lap-top? Is it common practice for customers to look all your stuff and charge taxes for everything?

And what is the story about bringing mobile phones into Turkey? Someone told me that you must register the phone after you have paid import tax. If you don't do that your mobile will be blocked 1-2 days after you've put the turkish SIM-card in. True or urban myth?

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Even if you use the best removals co you can find and pay everything up front you will still get stiffed Turkish style and have to pay expenses here. Your goods will be held hostage and you will have no choice as they know but pay.

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

Are you telling this from your own experience or is this hearsay? If you don't have any personal experience with this, then please stop spreading your negative attitude here.

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

your laptop is your own personal goods and you will probably not be asked about it. I have brought a couple in over the years. I have also yavas yavas sent myself stuff from the US, mostly valuable only to me. I sent it seamail and although I had to jump from one paper stamper to another in Cevizlibag, it only cost me my time and a few lira. At the airport, if you walk purposefully past customs, they will probably not bother to look at your bags. Why on earth on you bringing a cat? They might want to look at it, but if you have vet's certificates for it, it may not be a problem. though i think you are crazy for bringing it... Mostly dagi, this is probably a good time to purge your stuff!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Dagi

People who work at CUSTOMS are NOT 'customers'

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

scot47
English is such a weird language! Customs in German is "Zoll" and the guys who work there are called "Z�llner".
Seeing now that I wrote "customers" it makes me laugh, but I can't think of another word!!

Molly,
I do not consider my cat "stuff". One of them has been with me for 9 years, so I became sort of attached to her. There is no way I drop my cats of at the shelter and as none of my friends is into cats, I'll bring them with me. Bringing the cat into Turkey is not a big deal, they just need vaccines and a rabies shot.

I've been living in the same place for 10 years, so there is a lot of stuff around. I'll try to get rid of most of it but some things are just precious to me. I simply don't want to chuck away my books, cd's and certainly not my family foto albums or things the like.

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

ok, so you had to pay 80 Pounds extra which sucks. But did things get lost? Did they open up all your stuff to go through it and "keep" things?
I don't expect things to go smoothly but am mainly worried about things being lost e.g. disappearing.

btw, I did expect that people have to pay hundreds of pounds to get their belongings back so 80 Pounds sounds okay. I might have to put in the bribes into my moving budget.

Delpha · Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Posts: 32 Location: USA

Dagi,

How old are your cats (or is your cat) and are they indoor only?

Where are you coming from? Long flights can really stress an old cat out. Also there are millions of flea and disease infested cats living on the streets here and that may make it difficult, if not impossible for you to let your cat(s) out. Not to mention there is no place for cats to be except on the street. . .

Have you ever been to Istanbul before?
I find your post incredibly... interesting. . . Question

When deciding to move all of my worldly possessions to a new place I usually visit it first.
P.S. If you want to ride a bicycle in Istanbul you should get a will written before you leave...its too dangerous!

yaramaz · Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 3:36 pm Post subject:

Why is it interesting? It didn't seem any more unusual or odd than any other relocation post I have seen. And why do you assume dagi has never been here? There was no indication of that in any of the posts.

(not being snarky, just curious)

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

I also wonder why you think I have never been there before. Last summer I spent 2 weeks in Istanbul and I flew over to Turkey for the job interviews, so it's not like I have no idea of where I am going to.
btw, what am I supposed to do with all my stuff? I must leave it somewhere, so why not try to take it with me? I'll sell the furniture and downsize very much.

Also, I have done a bit of research incl. hanging around on this forum for quite a while.
Concerning the cats, trust me, I did research and investigate about this.
And no, I do not plan to cycle in Istanbul as I do not feel suicidal. Just looks like I have to get used to commuting.

yaramaz · Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 3:32 pm Post subject:

Your school has servis busses to take you to and from work so you needn't worry too much about braving the streets on your own every day...

Sheikh Inal Ovar · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 1208 Location: Melo Drama School

In Turkey, customs are a tradition ...

Delpha · Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Posts: 32 Location: USA

Hmmm,

I think the post is interesting because every time I make a big life change like this I tend to try and make my self as light as possible. I have just never been one to take it all with me. I didn't assume that she had never been here before, but I guess it's the noncommital American in me that dreads the idea of having to take it all back if I don't like it. . .

And being a bit of a cat lover, I always have to ask questions about a cat's well-being. . .

...good luck Very Happy

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

Delpha, the quotes I received today did convince me that I have to go as light as possible! But as it is not easy for me to store my belongings somehwere for a couple of years I will either have to part with things or take them with me.
Sold half the house already and decided to transfer my music collection to a portable harddisk so I don't have to take 100's of CDs with me Smile

Still, after the "going-light-session" I estimate that there will be 100-200kg left that I need to get to Turkey somehow.