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 Useful Information
About Altinkum
Local Representatives
Our local representatives can be found
at BJJ who are conveniently located in Altinkum.
Currency
The official currency is the Turkish
Lira (TL). A new currency, the "New Turkish Lira" (YTL), was introduced on 1
January 2005, whereby six zeros were dropped from the TL and the sub-unit new
kuru was created. Both currencies will be used side by side until 31 December
2005. Shops are legally obliged to display prices in both currencies during
2005. Currency can be exchanged at banks, exchange booths at coastal resorts,
airports and ferry ports. Banks open mainly Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 12pm
and 1.30pm to 5pm. Most bank branches have ATMs which accept Cirrus and Plus.
Major credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at
banks and hotels. US$ or Euros are preferred. Post Offices in the larger towns
will sometimes change currency and travellers cheques for a much lower
commission than banks. Some pensions and hotels in the most popular destinations
accept US$ as payment.
Limits: As a foreign national you can take cash up to $5000 when you
leave the country (or
equivalent amount of any other foreign exchange). If you have declared
the amount of your money to customs authorities just prior to your entry into
Turkey, you are allowed to bring abroad cash up to this declared amount on your
return.
Visa Requirements
British passport
holders travelling to Turkey require a visa. Visas can be obtained at the port of
entry in Turkey or from the Turkish Consulate General in London or Turkish
Diplomatic Missions in other countries. Sticker type visas are issued at the
port of entry and allow staying in Turkey for up to 90 days. It costs £10. If
there is more than one person travelling on the same passport, each individual
is liable to pay the visa fee. This type of visa does not permit you to engage in
paid or unpaid employment.
It is
compulsory to have a minimum of three months validity on your passport from the
date of your entry into Turkey.
Flights
Flight
times from the U.K. are between 4 and 4.5 hours.
Electrical System
The
electrical system is 220 volts. The European two pin plug is standard.
Motoring
Traffic drives on the
right and you will need a passport and full driving licence if you wish to hire
a car.
In Case of Accident: The accident
should be reported to the police or gendarme. That report has to be certified by
the nearest local authority.
Following an accident, you can telephone:
Traffic Police - Tel :154
Gendarme - Tel :156
Health
There are no vaccination
requirements. Most tap water in the larger towns and cities has been
chlorinated, but bottled water is still recommended for drinking. Food from
street vendors should be treated with caution. Medical facilities and standard
of health care are not high in state hospitals and private health insurance is
recommended. There are adequate local doctors and pharmacies available.
Customs
Religious customs should
be respected, particularly during the month of Ramadan when eating, drinking and
smoking during daylight hours should be discreet as it is forbidden by the
Muslim culture. Dress modestly when visiting mosques or religious shrines. Do
not take photographs of or near military and official institutions and always
ask permission when taking photographs of people.
Communications
The international country
dialling code for Turkey is +90. The outgoing code is 00, followed by the
relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Mobile phones work in
most of the country; the network operators use GSM networks. Internet cafes are
available in the main towns and resorts.
Customs Regulations
On Entry:
The following items may be brought into the country duty
free as personal effects:
One TV, one colour pocket TV (maximum 16 cm screen), one TV-tape-radio
combination, one video recording camera and 5 video cassettes (blank); 5
records, 5 tape cassettes or compact discs, one video player, cine-projector (8
mm) and 10 rolls of film (blank), one slide projector, one pocket computer
(maximum main memory capacity Ram 128k. Byte), electronic playing devices
(without cassette - keyboard). One transistor radio and portable radio - tape
player (its specification to be determined by the Ministry of Finance and
Customs), one Walkman or pocket tape recorder, one portable compact disc player.
Binoculars (one pair, except night binoculars)
Harmonica, mandolin, flageole, flute, guitar, and accordion (only one of each
type, maximum 3 musical instruments).
Personal sports equipment.
Necessary medical items.
Bicycle, baby buggy, toys.
200 cigarettes and 50 cigars.
200 grams of tobacco and 200 cigarette papers, or 50 grams of chewing tobacco or
200 grams of pipe tobacco, or 200 grams of snuff
(In addition to the above allowances, it is possible to purchase 400 cigarettes,
100 cigars, and 500 grams of pipe tobacco from the Turkish Duty Free Shops upon
entering the country).
1.5kg. coffee, 1.5kg. instant coffee, 500 grams of tea.
1 kilo chocolate and 1 kilo sweets.
5 (100 cc) or 7 (70 cc) bottles of wines and/or spirits.
Five bottles of perfume (120 ml max. each).
One camera with 5 rolls of film.
Other items necessary during the journey.
Valuable items and all items with a value of over $15,000 must be registered in
the owner's passport upon entering Turkey, for control upon exit.
Sharp instruments (including camping knives) and weapons may not be brought into
the country without special permission.
The bringing into the country, trade, and consumption of marijuana and all other
narcotics is strictly forbidden and subject to heavy punishment.
Note: Cellular Telephones entering the country must be accompanied by a
certification form showing ownership. Ownership must be documented in the
passport of the owner and will be checked on entry and exit.
On Exit:
Gifts and souvenirs:
For a new carpet, a proof of purchase; for old items, a certificate from a
directorate of a museum is necessary.
Exporting antiques from Turkey is forbidden.
Valuable personal items can only be taken out of the country providing they have
been registered in the owner's passport upon entry, or providing they can show
they have been purchased with legally exchanged currency.
Tax Refund: You can receive a tax refund for the goods you purchased
in Turkey.
Travellers who are not resident in Turkey may receive a refund of the Value
Added Tax paid on goods purchased in the country.
1. Refunds will be made to travellers who do not reside in Turkey.
2. All goods (including food and drinks) are included in the refunds with the
exclusion of services rendered.
3. The minimum amount of purchase that qualifies for refund is 5,000,000 TL.
4. Retailers that qualify for tax refunds must be "authorized for refund". These
retailers must display a permit received from their respective tax office.
5. The retailer will make four copies of the receipt for your refund, three of
which will be given to the purchaser. If photocopies of the receipt are received
the retailer must sign and stamp the copies to validate them. If you prefer the
refund to be made by cheque, a Tax-free Shopping Cheque for the amount to be
refunded to the customer must be given along with the receipt.
6. For the purchaser to benefit from this exemption, he must leave the country
within three months with the goods purchased, showing them to Turkish customs
officials along with the appropriate receipts and/or cheque.
7. There are four ways to receive your refund:
a) If the retailer gives you a cheque, it can be cashed at a bank in the Customs
area at the airport.
If it is not possible to cash the cheque upon departure or if you do not with to
cash it, then the customer must, within one month, send a copy of the receipt to
the retailer, showing that the goods have left the country, who will, within
then days upon receiving the receipt, send a bank transfer to the purchaser's
bank or address.
b) If the certified receipt and cheque are brought back to the retailer on a
subsequent visit within one month of the date of customs certification, the
refund can be made directly to the purchaser.
c) Retailers may directly refund the amount to trustworthy customers upon
purchase.
d) The refund may be made by the organization of those companies that are
authorized to make tax refunds.
Additional Information:
Ministry of Finance and Tax Dept. General Directorate
Maliye Bakanligi, Gelirler Genel Mudurlugu
KDV Subesi, 06100
Ulus/Ankara
Telephone: 00-90-312-310 38 80
Fax: 00-90-312-311 45 10 - 311 35 20
Alternatively you can visit:
www.globalrefund.com
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