Register Mobile Phones in Turkey

Here's how to register your mobile phone:

1. Start the registration process soon after arriving in Turkey. It must be completed within the first four months of your stay in Turkey.

2. To determine your phone's IMEI number, type *#06# on the keypad and take a screenshot or write the number down, as you will need it for registration.

3. Take your device, IMEI, passport, and Turkish residence permit to a Turkish government tax office (Vergi Dairesi). Tell them you have a mobile device imported from abroad (yurt dışından gelen cihazı) and that you want registration (kayıt). Once you pay the tax, you will receive a Vergi Dairesi Alındısı, a paper receipt for the payment of the registration tax, with your mobile device's IMEI noted on it.

Please note that this amount changes every year. 

*It is currently 31,692 TL since January 2024. 

It was previously 20,000 in July 2023, and 6091 in January of 2023.  There are significant price increases (even beyond the rate of inflation) each year.

4. Take your phone, passport, Turkish Residence Permit, and the payment receipt to either Turk Telekom, Turkcell or Vodafone shop. Buy a SIM card, and the clerk will register the SIM card's mobile phone number with your phone's IMEI number and your personal information.

5. If you already have a SIM card, go to the provider you bought it from, and they will register your phone. It is important to note that the phone and SIM card must be registered under the same passport. You can only register one phone every three years.

• You will need an E-Devlet Sifresi, which is a password, to be able to log on to the government website, where you will register your phone.
• Getting your E-Devlet Sifre is very straightforward. You will need your passport, residency permit, and your phone, and you will need to go to the nearest PTT, which is the main government post office. Just go up to the counter and hand them your passport and residency permit (they may not need your passport) and ask for an E-devlet Sifresi. They will usually ask for your phone number and have it texted to your phone.
• Once you have the password, you can log on to this website using your Residency Permit Number (T.R. Identity Number) and the password, which you can later change.
• After you are on the website, search for "Cep Telefonu Harci Odeme," which will direct you to the official site to fill out a form.
• Once you have paid the tax, return to E-devlet and type "IMEI Kaydet" into the search bar, and click on the option that says “Bilgi Teknolojileri ve Iletisim Kurumu/ Imei Kaydet.” From there, you will fill out the form to register your phone, and you can check on the progress through that same website. Be sure to take note of the confirmation number.

 If you have any further questions, call the BTK hotline at 120, and they can give you an update on whether your phone has been registered or not.