04.06.2020
On 3 June, the Turkish Ministry of the Interior published a letter confirming the opening of the borders with Iran and Iraq. International road transport drivers can use Gürbulak Border Gate (between Turkey and Iran, operations started in the morning of 4 June) and Habur Border Gate (between Turkey and Iraq, it will probably open in the afternoon of 4 June) for their transport operations. Once at the border, drivers must comply with procedures set out in the letter (English translation here).
Source: Turkish Ministry of the Interior, IRU Istanbul office
18.05.2020
On 14 May the measures related to drivers transiting through Turkey (section A) were updated. The previous obligation for drivers in transit to leave the country within either 36 or 24 hours has been lifted. The new regulation states that customs administrations will determine the routes and resting/parking areas for vehicles in transit, and that drivers should exit Turkey as soon as possible.
Source: UND
09.05.2020
On 8 May, the Turkish Ministry of Interior updated the measures related to drivers entering Turkey (unofficial translation here). All of the below mentioned measures are not valid for entry/exit to and from Iran and Iraq.
According to the updated measures:
1. the previous obligation for foreign drivers who do not show symptoms of COVID-19 to leave Turkey within 72 hours of entering has been lifted. However, foreign drivers will be obligated to agree with a letter of commitment that they will exit Turkey as soon as possible. In this case only they will not be subject to a 14-day quarantine period.
2. drivers will be allowed to board Ro-Ro vessels if operating between the following ports:
Turkey-Ukraine:
Zonguldak – Chornomorsk (Ilyıchevsky)
Istanbul (Haydarpaşa) - Chornomorsk (Ilyıchevsky)
Karasu – Chornomorsk (Ilyıchevsky)
Turkey-Romania:
Constanta - Karasu
Turkey-Lebanon:
Taşucu - Tripoli
Turkey-Israel:
Mersin - Haifa
All other measures remain in place.
Sources: UND and TOBB
27.04.2020
The measures related to drivers entering Turkey (Section B of previous decree) have been updated by the Turkish Ministry of Interior (previous measure here - translation here). All of the below mentioned measures are not valid for entry/exit to and from Iran and Iraq. Previous measures on Sections A (Transit Vehicles and Drivers from Turkey), C (Drivers Exiting Turkey)and D (Conditions That Shall Be Applied to Roro Voyages) will remain.
According to the new updated measures:
o All drivers will be subject to health checks. Foreign drivers who show symptoms related to COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Turkey. Turkish drivers who show symptoms related to COVID-19 will be put in quarantine.
o Foreign drivers who do not show symptoms of COVID-19 and who plan to leave Turkey within 72 hours of entering, will not be subject to a 14-day quarantine period.
o Turkish drivers who do not show symptoms of COVID-19 will be allowed to leave Turkey without any quarantine procedures.
o Trucks which are carrying goods such as medicine, medical supplies and food supplies that are urgent for Turkey, will be given priority to enter Turkey.
o Foreign drivers should go to the nearest healthcare institution if they feel any signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, etc.) developing within 72 hours of entering Turkey.
o An additional 24-72 hour period can be given to the transporter by the relevant customs office, considering road and weather conditions.
o Upon entry into the country, drivers will be obligated to agree with a letter of commitment from the Turkish Ministry of Interior stating that they will drive directly to their point of destination, non-stop, except in cases of emergency, otherwise fines will be issued under the General Public Health Law.
Source: UND
10.04.2020
On 9 April, the Turkish Ministry of Interior set out new measures (translation here) related to limit the spread COVID-19. According to the measures, all drivers will be subject to health checks. Individuals who show symptoms related to the disease will not be allowed to enter Turkey.
After medical checks by health authorities, Turkish drivers will be allowed to enter by signing a commitment which proves that they accept to quarantine at home for 14 days, if they visited risky countries within last 14 days.
Foreign drivers will drive to designated and isolated areas where the exchange of drivers and/or trailer/goods, will be performed. In case this is not possible, and in case they have visited countries at risk within the last 14 days (see list below), foreign drivers will be allowed to enter Turkish territory only after a mandatory 14 days quarantine.
Foreign trucks/drivers carrying goods, such as medicine, medical supplies and food supplies, that bear urgency for Turkey, are allowed to enter (without having to quarantine for 14 days) under the obligation to undergo major relevant health examinations/checks and the obligation of getting necessary protective measures.
Bulgarian, Azerbaijan, Nahcivan and Georgian drivers will be able to enter Turkey without waiting 14 days of quarantine period, after having undergone necessary health checks at the determined isolated areas and after the vehicles has been disinfected.
Ro-Ro vessels will only carry trailers (without truck) or containers; drivers will not be allowed to board Ro-Ro vessels.
All of above mentioned measures are not valid for entry/exit to and from Iran and Iraq. Foreign trucks and drivers in Turkey will be allowed to leave Turkey and reach those countries by using open border crossing points. However, they will not be allowed to return to Turkey after they have left.
Further clarification on the implementation of the order is expected from TOBB.
Source: TOBB
25.03.2020
Turkey has introduced restrictions on road freight transport.
Turkish drivers returning to their country have to undergo a fourteen-day quarantine. Drivers from a country in the list below can no longer enter Turkey. Drivers from a country not on the list can enter Turkeyafter having undergone a fourteen-day quarantine outside Turkey (at the border). The list of countries is regularly updated. It should be noted that, for Turkish vehicles only, procedures are in place at the border to tranship goods onto vehicles inside Turkey or to exchange drivers
Country list (updated on 23/03 afternoon):
Angola / Algeria / Austria / Belgium / Bangladesh / China / Canada / Czech Republic / Chad / Cameroon / Colombia / Denmark / Djibouti / Dominican Republic / Egypt / Ecuador / Equatorial Guinea / France / Finland / Germany / Guatemala / Hungary / Iran / Italy / Iraq / Ireland / India / Ivory Coast / Jordan / Kuwait / Kenya / Kosovo / Kazakhstan / Lebanon / Latvia / Montenegro / Morocco / Mongolia / Moldova / Mauritania / NCTR / Norway / Netherlands / Niger / Northern Macedonia / Nepal / Oman / Poland / Philippines / Portugal / Panama / Peru / South Korea / Spain / Sweden / Switzerland / Saudi Arabia / Slovenia / Sudan / Sri Lanka / UK / United Arab Emirates / Ukraine / Uzbekistan / Taiwan / Tunisia.
Source: UND
23.03.2020
Turkish authorities have taken additional measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Please see the following amendments:
- With effect from 21 March, all flights to/from the listed countries have been prohibited. The entry of passengers from any of the mentioned countries has been stopped at all Turkish border gates (land, rail, air and sea);
- With effect from 19 March, the following borders have been closed to passengers for both entry and exit:
Border Gates between Turkey and Greece:
- Ipsala;
- Pazarkule;
- Uzunköprü (railway)
Border Gates between Turkey and Bulgaria:
- Kapıkule (land);
- Kapıkule (railway);
- Hamzabeyli;
- Dereköy.
Please note that there will be no restrictions for goods transportation.
Citizens of the listed countries and third-country nationals who have visited these countries within the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Turkey (with an exception for truck drivers who are not citizen of listed countries; these drivers will be put in quarantine for 14 days at the border gate prior entering Turkey);
There is no restriction for citizens of the mentioned countries leaving Turkey.
Country list (updated on 23/03 afternoon):
Angola / Algeria / Austria / Belgium / Bangladesh / China / Canada / Czech Republic / Chad / Cameroon / Colombia / Denmark / Djibouti / Dominican Republic / Egypt / Ecuador / Equatorial Guinea / France / Finland / Germany / Guatemala / Hungary / Iran / Italy / Iraq / Ireland / India / Ivory Coast / Jordan / Kuwait / Kenya / Kosovo / Kazakhstan / Lebanon / Latvia / Montenegro / Morocco / Mongolia / Moldova / Mauritania / NCTR / Norway / Netherlands / Niger / Northern Macedonia / Nepal / Oman / Poland / Philippines / Portugal / Panama / Peru / South Korea / Spain / Sweden / Switzerland / Saudi Arabia / Slovenia / Sudan / Sri Lanka / UK / United Arab Emirates / Ukraine / Uzbekistan / Taiwan / Tunisia.
Source: UND
22.03.2020
Within the scope of current measures taken by Turkish authorities due to Corona Virus epidemic, the following applies:
• As of 21st March, all flights with countries listed below have been halted. Passenger entries from the mentioned countries have been stopped at all Turkish border points (land, rail, air, sea) .
• Citizens of the countries mentioned below and third-country nationals who have been in these countries within the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Turkey. (All truck drivers who visited listed countries within the past 14 days will be put in quarantine for 14 days at border gate before entering Turkey)
• Citizens of the countries mentioned below willing to leave Turkey are not subject to restrictions.
COUNTRY LIST:
China / Iran / Italy / Iraq / South Korea / Germany / France / Spain / Norway / Denmark / Belgium / Sweden / Netherlands / Austria / Egypt / UK / Switzerland / Saudi Arabia / Ireland / United Arab Emirates / Kuwait / Bangladesh / Mongolia / NCTR / Ukraine / Kosovo / Morocco / Lebanon / Jordan / Kazakhstan / Uzbekistan / Oman / Slovenia / Moldova / Djibouti / Equatorial Guinea / Canada / India / Hungary / Guatemala / Poland / Kenya / Sudan / Chad / Philippines / Latvia / Taiwan / Peru / Sri Lanka / Ecuador / Niger / Tunisia / Algeria / Ivory Coast / Finland / Angola / Pull / Dominican Republic / Cameroon / Montenegro / Colombia / Northern Macedonia / Mauritania / Nepal / Portugal / Panama
Source: UND
19.03.2020
All border gates have been closed to passengers from the following countries: Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands, China, Iran, Iraq, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Singapore, Hong-Kong and Thailand.
Turkish truck drivers entering the country from any of the listed countries will be quarantined for 14 days at home. Non-Turkish truck drivers (if they are not citizens of the listed country) entering the country from any of the listed countries will be quarantined for 14 days at the border and will not be permitted to enter Turkey during the quarantine period. Truck drivers who are citizens of the listed countries will not be allowed by Turkish authorities to enter Turkey.
With effect from the 15 March, the Sarp/Sarpi border between Turkey and Georgia has been closed for all passenger transport; passengers will be redirected to other land borders between the two countries. No restrictions have been imposed on freight transport.
With effect from the 19 March, the following borders have been closed to passengers for both entry and exit: Ipsala, Pazarkule, Uzunköprü (railway) the border between Turkey, Greece and Kapıkule (road), Kapıkule (railway), Hamzabeyli, Dereköy border between Turkey and Bulgaria. There will be no restrictions for goods transportation.
Source: Ministry of Interior – Republic of Turkey
16.03.2020
All border gates have been closed to passengers who have stayed in the following countries: Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands, China, Iran, Iraq, and South Korea.
Truck drivers (except Turkish drivers) who come from the listed countries will be put in quarantine for 14 days at border gate and will not be allowed by Turkish authorities to enter Turkey during the quarantine period.
As of March 15th, Sarp / Sarpi border between Turkey and Georgia is closed for passenger transport. No restriction is imposed on freight transport, while passengers are redirected to other land borders gates between both countries.
Source: Ministry of Interior – Republic of Turkey
