Source: IMPACCT/UN OCHA
COVID-19 [Turkey]
Bulletin n°2 – CIQP : 29 June 2020 (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Procedures)
IMPORTATION AND CUSTOMS
Customs, land, sea (updated 21 May 2020).
Sea ports:
For vessels arriving from countries whose previous port call was a restricted country
in the last 14 days, shore to ship deliveries are allowed as long as there is no human
contact. Ship to shore off-landing of items is not allowed. Master and crew should
coordinate regarding documentation without physical contact.
All vessels must send a Maritime Declaration of Health (MDH) 48 hours prior to
arrival. Vessels that have come from at-risk countries will be inspected by health
authorities before pilots can board.
For ships, the list of documents required for the health declaration is as follows:
• List of the last 10 Ports of Call (POC) (if the vessel has more than 10 POCs in the
last month, those POCs must also be included in the list);
• Maritime Health Declaration;
• Crew List;
• Fever lists for the last day;
• If any embarkation occurred in the last month, an additional list to show
joiners’ details, embarkation date and port.
Restrictions also apply to crew who embarked from COVID-19 high-risk countries or
specific nationalities, which can be found on Wilhelmsen’s COVID-19 Port
Restrictions Map, along with details regarding how to find the list of ‘restricted
countries’, linked in the ‘Useful Links’ section.
Land Borders:
All Turkish commercial borders are now open to cargo movement (source: Logistics
Cluster, 20 May 2020).
• Land borders between Turkey and the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS) are subject to additional checks.
• Restriction apply to border crossing points (BCPs) with Iran and Iraq (see
below).
• Imports and exports between Turkey and the EU and CIS countries are facing
delays and significant capacity constraints.
• Customs authorities are operating at limited capacities.
• Turkey’s borders with Iran and Iraq are now open. International road transport
drivers can use Gürbulak Border Gate (between Turkey and Iran, operations
started on 4 June) and Habur Border Gate for their transport operations. Once
at the border, drivers must comply with procedures set out in the letter. (source:
Turkish Ministry of the Interior, 3 June 2020)
Iran:
• Land border crossings are open since 4 June 2020.
• All passenger, cargo and charter flights to and from Iran have been suspended.
• The Sari Su BCP with Turkey is open only for health products. (source: Logistics
Cluster, 12 May 2020).
• The Bazargan BCP only allows 60 trucks per day.
Iraq:
• Land border crossings are open since June 4 2020.
• The movement of trucks from Turkey to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI)
through Ibrahim Khalil is allowed but Turkish trucks are not allowed to enter
KRI and cross-loading at crossing point is mandatory. Significant delays are to
be expected. (source: Logistics Cluster, 20 May)
Rail routes to Azerbaijan and Turkey are open for cargo (source: Logistics Cluster, 12
May 2020).
Vehicles and drivers must comply with the following conditions:
• All drivers will be subject to health checks.
• Foreign drivers with symptoms related to COVID-19 are not allowed to enter;
• Turkish drivers with symptoms related to COVID-19 will be put in quarantine;
• Foreign drivers without symptoms related to COVID-19 and who plan to leave
Turkey within 72 hours of entering will not be subject to quarantine;
• Turkish drivers who do not show symptoms of COVID-19 will be allowed to leave
Turkey without any quarantine procedures;
• Trucks which are carrying goods such as medicine, medical supplies and food
supplies that are urgent for Turkey will be given priority to enter.
(source: circular updated published by the Turkish Ministry of the Interior, 9 April).
Restrictions apply to Turkish ports, listed below.
At Istanbul ports:
• At Airports, operations are affected by restrictions impacting cargo flights.
• At Sea Ports, freighters are flying as normal but capacity is constrained. Ports
are operating normally but impacted by congestion.
• At road networks, operations are affected by slight container and equipment
shortages. Road networks are normal within city limits.
• At Customs, there is normal cargo movement.
At Izmir ports:
• At Airports, operations are affected by restrictions impacting cargo flights.
• At Sea Ports, freighters are flying as normal but capacity is constrained. Ports
are operating normally but impacted by congestion.
• At road networks, operations are affected by slight container and equipment
shortages. Road networks are normal within city limits.
• At Customs, there is normal cargo movement.
At Mersin ports:
• At Airports, operations are normal for cargo flights, but with reduced manpower
impacting efficiency.
• At Sea Ports, freighters are flying as normal but capacity is constrained. Ports
are operating normally but impacted are congested.
• At road networks, operations are affected by moderate container and equipment
shortages. Road networks are normal within city limits.
• At Customs, there is normal cargo movement.
(source: Agility, undated).
SOURCE: Ministry of Interior
27.04.2020
Circular of Ministry of Interior dated 9/4/2020 concerning International Freight Transport has been amended on 27/4/2020 and in accordance with these Circulars;
- Health checks of the drivers will be conducted, if symptoms of disease are detected, foreign drivers will not be allowed to enter Turkey, the Turkish drivers will be subject to quarantine.
- If symptoms of the disease are not detected;
- For Transit (the same practice applies): Vehicles which will pass in transit through Turkey will be equipped with vehicle tracking system (GPS) and will be allowed to enter Turkey and exit within 24 or 36 hours, based on the distance of the border gate. This period might be extended until 48 hours taking into account the road/weather conditions. Vehicles in transit will use the designated routes, stations/parking stations.
- For transport operations to/from Turkey; foreign drivers will be able to enter Turkey without waiting 14 day quarantine period on condition that they commit they will exit Turkey within 72 hours (72 hour period can be extended for 24 hours based on the conditions of the road/weather/customs).
- The Turkish drivers will be able to leave Turkey without waiting 14 days.
- Transportation of medicine, medical supplies and food goods urgent for the Turkey will be given priority.
- Restrictions concerning Border Crossing Points with Iran and Iraq still applies (Traffic is not allowed, only truck drivers of foreign nationalities will be allowed to exit from the aforementioned border crossing points provided they will not be readmitted).
- Ro-Ro operations are carried out without drivers (only semi-trailers/trailers are accepted).
SOURCE: WCO/Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey
06.04.2020
Relief from Customs duties
Article 105 of the “Resolution on Application of Certain Articles of Customs Law Number 4458”
attached to Council of Ministers Resolution number 2009/15481 set conditions regarding relief
from customs duties for goods sent to the people harmed in times of crisis.
According to the Article, goods imported by public institutions and organizations, associations
working for the public interest and foundations granted tax exemption by the Council of
Ministers are exempted from customs duties; if they are aimed to be distributed free of charge
to people who are harmed in crisis situations or to be offered for free to those who suffer from
crisis situations provided that they remain as the property of these institutions. Additionally,
goods imported by charities to meet their needs during the crisis are also exempted in the
scope of this article.
Customs procedures of the goods mentioned above are carried out according to the article
35-37 of the Customs Exemptions Communique No:2.
Regarding implementation of this legislation, upon an official notification detailing the import
by the importing institution to General Directorate of Customs of the Ministry of Trade, the
related customs office is informed immediately about the transaction and customs procedures
are conducted in a preferential way in order not to cause any delay.