Staying connected is one of the first practical jobs after arriving in Türkiye, and the rules are stricter than in many countries. Phones bought abroad must be registered against their IMEI number, lines are tied to an identity document, and home internet usually comes with a commitment contract. This guide explains how foreigners get a SIM card, what tourist lines can and cannot do, how the IMEI rule and its 2026 fee work, and what to know before signing up for fibre, as of November 2026.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Key points
- Türkiye has three mobile operators: Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom. All sell lines to foreigners at their own shops on presentation of a passport, or a residence permit card once you have one.
- Tourist lines are bought with a passport; Turkcell, for example, sells them only to people arriving within 90 days and accepts only a valid passport.
- A phone brought from abroad works on Turkish networks for a limited time, generally described as 120 days, before it must be IMEI-registered or it is cut off from calls, SMS and mobile data.
- The 2026 IMEI registration (phone usage permit) fee is 54,258 TL, according to the Ministry of Trade; registration applications go through e-Devlet.
- Home internet contracts often carry commitments (taahhüt) of up to 24 months; leaving early can trigger a withdrawal fee (cayma bedeli) that the law caps.
- e-Devlet lets you see the mobile and fixed lines registered in your name, compare tariffs and check coverage at your address.
Step 1: Get a SIM card
You buy a line at an operator’s own shop or authorised dealer, including at major airports. Bring your passport, or your residence permit card if you already have one. Turkey Travel Planner, a long-running English-language travel site, says shops copy the passport photo page and the page with your entry stamp, and pair the new number with your handset’s IMEI.
Once you hold a residence permit, ask to register the line to your foreigner identification number (the 99-prefixed number on your permit card). That makes it easier to use e-Devlet services and to sign up for other contracts.
Prepaid (faturasız) lines are topped up with packages of minutes, SMS and data; postpaid (faturalı) lines are billed monthly and often come with a commitment. Compare current packages on the operators’ official websites, as tariffs change frequently.
Step 2: Understand tourist lines and their limits
All three operators sell dedicated tourist packages. Turkcell’s official tourist SIM page says you apply online, then collect a physical SIM free of charge at any Turkcell shop or activate an eSIM in the Turkcell app; in-app eSIM activation needs a biometric (chipped) passport and a phone that supports eSIM and NFC. Lines can only be bought within 90 days of arrival and the package works only in Türkiye. Vodafone’s English tourist page says you fill in an online form with your passport number and pick up a SIM or eSIM at any Vodafone shop, including at airports.
Tourist lines are designed for visits, not for living here. They are tied to your passport, and the handset still falls under the IMEI time limit. If you are staying long term, switch to a normal line once you have your residence permit.
Step 3: Register your phone’s IMEI or buy locally
Türkiye blocks unregistered foreign handsets from mobile networks after a grace period. Turkey Travel Planner describes the familiar 120-day limit; once it passes, the phone loses calls, SMS and mobile data, although Wi-Fi still works. Reporting on BTK (the telecoms regulator) changes in 2026 notes that phones with two SIM slots or an eSIM could stretch the period, and that BTK closed a loophole in which a second foreign phone’s IMEI was entered in one registration. Rules have changed several times, so check the latest position before relying on extra time.
To keep using your own phone, you pay the phone usage permit fee and register the IMEI. The Ministry of Trade’s customs FAQ says one phone per three calendar years can be brought in as a personal item, and that the 2026 fee is 54,258 TL, payable at a tax office or authorised bank before registration. Since a regulation published in the Official Gazette on 2 July 2026, e-Devlet is the only application channel for IMEI registration, and the SMS route has been removed. Foreigners can log in to e-Devlet with their foreigner identification number.
Our step-by-step IMEI registration guide covers the payment and application in detail. For many people, especially with older phones, buying a handset sold in Türkiye, which is already registered, works out cheaper.
Step 4: Use e-Devlet for your lines
e-Devlet, the state’s online services portal, lists a range of BTK services. Useful ones for expats include:
- Mobil Hat Sorgulama and Sabit Hat Sorgulama: see every mobile and fixed line registered in your name, a good check against identity misuse;
- IMEI Sorgulama and Kayıtlı Cihazlarım ve Kayıt Hakkı Sorgulama: check a phone’s status and your registration rights;
- Tarife Karşılaştırma: compare tariffs across operators;
- Kapsama ve İnternet Hızı Sorgulama: check coverage and internet speed;
- Abonelik Fesih Başvurusu and Abonelik Nakil Başvurusu: apply to terminate or move a subscription;
- Yabancılar için e-Kayıt Başvurusu Onay İşlemleri: approve online subscription applications as a foreigner.
If you do not have an e-Devlet password yet, see our e-Devlet guide for foreigners.
Step 5: Set up home internet
Home broadband in Türkiye is delivered over fibre where available, otherwise over VDSL or ADSL on the copper network; the main retail brands include Türk Telekom, Turkcell’s Superonline and Vodafone Net, alongside smaller providers. Before signing, check what technology and speed actually reach your building: providers publish address-based infrastructure checks, and e-Devlet’s coverage service gives an independent view. Our utilities set-up guide explains what documents providers ask for.
Most attractive offers require a commitment. Under BTK rules reported by Bloomberg HT, commitment periods cannot exceed 24 months, and contracts must show the no-commitment price, the average monthly fee and the minimum and maximum withdrawal fee on a separate summary page.
Step 6: Know your rights when you cancel
If you leave before the commitment ends, the operator can charge a withdrawal fee, but it is capped. Under Article 12(5) of BTK’s consumer rights regulation for the sector, the fee cannot exceed the lower of two amounts: the discounts and device benefits you have received so far, or the fees still due for the rest of the commitment. A lawyer’s guide gives the example of a 900 TL tariff discounted to 600 TL on a 24-month deal: leaving after 10 months means a maximum of 3,000 TL.
You may be able to leave without a fee if you move to an address where the provider cannot offer the service (for fixed lines, with proof of the move), if measured speeds fall below BTK’s criteria, or once the commitment has ended. Keep written records of every request.
Step 7: Internet in coastal villages and rural areas
In smaller coastal villages around Fethiye, Kaş or the Datça peninsula, fixed-line options may be limited to older copper connections or none at all. Check the specific address before renting, ask neighbours which operator works best indoors, and use e-Devlet’s coverage service to compare mobile signal. Where fixed lines are poor, a 4.5G mobile data package with a home router is an alternative worth comparing, as a main or backup connection. Signal can vary strongly between houses in hilly areas, so test before you commit to a 24-month contract. For the wider move, see our moving to Türkiye checklist.
FAQ
Q: Can I get a Turkish SIM card with just my passport? A: Yes. Operators sell lines to foreigners on a passport, and tourist packages are specifically designed for passport holders. Turkcell accepts only a valid passport for its tourist SIM.
Q: How long can I use my foreign phone in Türkiye without registering it? A: The commonly stated limit is 120 days on Turkish networks; after that the phone is blocked from calls, SMS and mobile data. Wi-Fi continues to work.
Q: How much is the IMEI registration fee in 2026? A: The Ministry of Trade gives the 2026 phone usage permit fee as 54,258 TL, payable before registration. One phone per three calendar years can be registered as a personal item.
Q: Where do I apply for IMEI registration? A: Since July 2026, e-Devlet is the only application channel. Foreigners log in with their foreigner identification number.
Q: How long are home internet commitments? A: Commitments can run up to 24 months. Leaving early may trigger a withdrawal fee, capped at the lower of the discounts received or the fees remaining.
Q: How can I check which lines are registered in my name? A: Use the Mobil Hat Sorgulama and Sabit Hat Sorgulama services on e-Devlet.
Sources
- Yolcu Muafiyetleri – Sıkça Sorulan Sorular (T.C. Ticaret Bakanlığı)
- Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu hizmetleri (e-Devlet Kapısı)
- BTK’dan IMEI kayıtlarında yeni dönem: Artık tek başvuru adresi e-Devlet (Chip Online)
- Aynı pasaportla ikinci telefon devri bitiyor (CNBC-e)
- Tourist Prepaid SIM Card in Türkiye (Turkcell)
- Tourist Prepaid SIM Card in Turkey (Vodafone)
- How to Get a SIM Card in Turkey (Turkey Travel Planner)
- İnternete hızlı ulaşamayan aboneye koşulsuz cayma hakkı (Bloomberg HT)
- Cayma bedeli ne zaman ödenmez? (Av. Kazım Ceylan)
Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
