HOW TO REGISTER A FOREIGN PHONE IN TÜRKİYE: 2026 IMEI GUIDE

Most unlocked iPhones and Android phones will work on mobile networks in Türkiye (Turkey), provided that the device supports the network bands used by the local operator. Before travelling, make sure your phone is carrier-unlocked and check its LTE/5G band compatibility. For longer stays, the main issue is IMEI registration. According to BTK's official guidance, a phone brought from abroad may be used for 120 days without registration. Once its allowance expires, the device is blocked from Turkish mobile networks unless it is registered. As of 2026, the official passenger-carried mobile phone usage permit fee is 54,258 TRY. The amount is revised annually, so check the current fee on the Ministry of Trade website before paying. Paying the fee alone does not complete the registration; you must also finish the IMEI application through e-Devlet.

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TÜRKİYE'S 120-DAY IMEI RULE

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we unexpectedly remained in Türkiye for almost seven months and both of our foreign phones were eventually blocked. We used our older, previously registered phones until 1 January 2021. When the new calendar year began, our foreign phones received a fresh unregistered-use allowance and started working again. This calendar-year reset continues to be observed in practice, although reactivation may take several days at the beginning of January. Because regulations and technical implementation can change, check your device's current status through the official IMEI Enquiry service before relying on the reset for an important trip.

BTK normally sends warning text messages after a foreign phone begins using a Turkish mobile network and again as the deadline approaches. The allowance should be understood as 120 elapsed days, not four freely selectable 30-day months. In practice, the allowance is renewed with the new calendar year, so a phone that has been blocked may reconnect in January. A dual-SIM phone may have two different IMEI numbers—including a separate IMEI for its eSIM—and each IMEI may receive its own 120-day usage window in practice. However, BTK checks that the IMEI numbers belong to the same physical device, and these temporary allowances are not a substitute for permanent registration. Turkish citizens who live abroad and Blue Card holders may use the official e-Devlet extension service to request two additional 30-day periods, increasing their total allowance from 120 to 180 days. This extension is not available to every visitor.

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IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT IMEI REGISTRATION IN TÜRKİYE

Devices with an IMEI number must be registered if you want to keep using them on Turkish mobile networks after the temporary allowance expires.
A traveller may register only one passenger-carried mobile device within three calendar years. Check your eligibility through the official IMEI Registration Right Enquiry before paying the fee.
The 120-day network allowance and the registration deadline are different. The entry document used for registration must be no more than 365 days old and must not have been used for another device registration during the applicable three-year period.
After registration, the device can be used only with Turkish mobile lines registered in the name of the person who registered it.
Foreign nationals aged 18 or over who have a Turkish Foreigner Identification Number (YKN) and access to e-Devlet can register a device online. Turkish citizens use their Turkish ID number.
Phones arriving by post or bought online from abroad cannot be registered under the passenger-carried device procedure.
For a dual-SIM phone, enter the IMEI numbers requested by e-Devlet for that same physical device. Do not enter an IMEI belonging to a different phone.
If an unregistered device is blocked, calls, text messages and mobile data stop working on Turkish networks. Wi-Fi-based apps can still work, and access to the 112 emergency service is maintained.

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You can register your foreign phone online

How to register a foreign mobile phone in Türkiye

Dial *#06# and note every IMEI number shown for your phone.
Use the e-Devlet IMEI Registration Right Enquiry to confirm that you are eligible.
Make sure that the entry document you will use is within the 365-day registration period.
Pay the current mobile phone registration fee through the official Digital Tax Office phone-fee payment page, an authorised bank or a tax office. Check the identity and IMEI details carefully before paying.
Log in to the official e-Devlet IMEI Registration service, enter the requested information and complete the application. People who can use e-Devlet do not normally need to submit paper documents or visit a mobile operator.
Do not stop after paying the fee. Complete the final confirmation and make sure that you receive the eight-digit application tracking number.
Confirm the result through the official IMEI Enquiry service. If the device does not appear as registered, contact BTK on 120 before making another payment.

Note: People who cannot use the standard e-Devlet application, such as certain diplomatic identity-document holders, may need to apply through an authorised mobile operator registration centre.

Information and official links checked on 25 August 2026.