Entry Requirements & Customs

Visas

An entry visa is required for citizens of the U.S. ($29 for a single entry for stays up to 3 months), Canada (US$60 or 45€ on arrival valid for 90 days and multiple entries), the U.K. (£10 on entry; £50 in advance for multiple entries up to 3 months), and Australia (A$68 on arrival), while a valid passport is sufficient for citizens of New Zealand.

There is no need to acquire an entry visa prior to departure, because obtaining one on arrival is a no-brainer (go to the visa window next to and before clearing customs and fork over the required cash); besides, in many cases it will be more expensive if you apply for one in advance.

Medical Requirements

There are no special medical requirements for entry into Turkey.

Customs

What You Can Bring Into Turkey -- The Turkish government has established a list of items that may be brought into the country duty-free. In addition to personal effects, travelers are permitted one video player, one pocket computer, one portable radio/tape player, one pair of binoculars (no night vision allowed), one camera and five rolls of film, one typewriter, personal sporting equipment, necessary medical items, gifts not exceeding $300, spare car parts, and various other relatively improbable items for the average tourist. (A complete list is available through the Turkish Embassy website.) Sharp instruments and weapons may not be brought into the country without special permission (diving and camping knives included). Obviously, the importation, buying, selling, and consumption of marijuana and other narcotics is strictly forbidden. You shouldn't need to watch Midnight Express to figure that one out.

What You Can Take Home from Turkey -- For valuables purchased during your stay, be prepared to provide receipts or other proof of purchase -- particularly for that large prize silk Hereke -- to avoid problems with Turkish Customs when you leave and to aid in declarations in your home country. Forget about having your carpet salesman lie on the official Certificate of Origin, because the U.S. immigration police are prepared to consult their little carpet blue book if you try to slip through without paying up. Be aware that the authentic 16th-century porcelain soup tureen that you bought or those authentic ancient coins attached to your new necklace are either fake or unable to make the journey with you; it is illegal to take antiquities or anything of historical value out of the country. To enforce this, the Turkish government requires that anything dating to the end of the 19th century be authenticated by a museum official before its exportation can even be considered. It is also illegal to carry out tobacco seeds and plants, or hides, skins, or clothing made from wild animals. For items dating prior to the 20th century, permission plus a certificate of authenticity from a museum official is needed. Minerals require special documentation obtainable from the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration in Ankara (tel. 312/287-3430; in Turkish only: www.mta.gov.tr).