Registering a Foreign Phone in Turkey: The 120-Day IMEI Rule, 2026 Fee & Vocabulary

If you bring a smartphone from abroad to Türkiye and put a Turkish SIM card in it, a countdown starts. Under the rules of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK – Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu), an unregistered foreign phone works on Turkish networks for 120 days. After that it is cut off unless you register its IMEI. This guide explains the rule, the 2026 fee and the registration steps, and gives you the Turkish you need at a phone shop.

Note: This is a language-learning guide, not legal advice. The rules and fees change; check the current conditions in the BTK services on e-Devlet (turkiye.gov.tr) or at your mobile operator before you pay.

1. How the rule works

• 120 days of use: a phone that is not in BTK’s records can use Turkish networks for 120 days. Operators send SMS reminders at 30-day intervals.
• 365 days to apply: you can apply for registration up to 365 days after your entry date into Türkiye. But this does not extend the 120-day usage period. If you register after day 120, your phone will already have been cut off until registration goes through.
• Cut-off: after 120 days an unregistered phone can no longer make calls, send SMS or use mobile data on Turkish networks. Wi-Fi still works, and calls to the emergency number 112 remain possible.
• One device per period: a passenger can register only one phone from abroad within a limited number of calendar years. The e-Devlet service lets you check whether you currently have the right to register (cihaz kayıt hakkı) before you pay.
• Paired with your own line: a registered phone is paired with lines registered to your own ID number for three calendar years. During that time it will not work with a SIM card registered to someone else. After three calendar years this pairing condition is lifted.
• Your ID number: foreign residents use their foreigner ID number (yabancı kimlik numarası, YKN), which starts with 99 and is printed on your residence permit card. The Turkish citizen number (T.C. kimlik numarası) is only for citizens.

2. The 2026 fee

The fee is officially called the yolcu beraberinde getirilen telefon kullanım izin harcı (“usage permit fee for phones brought in by passengers”). For 2026 it is 54,258 TL, following the revaluation of fixed fees on 1 January 2026. It goes up every January, so confirm the amount before you pay. If large numbers are still hard for you to read aloud, practice elli dört bin iki yüz elli sekiz lira with the number converter.

3. Registration steps

1. Find your IMEI numbers. Dial *#06#. Dual-SIM and eSIM phones usually show two IMEIs. Save a screenshot.
2. Check your right to register. On e-Devlet, open the BTK services and use the device registration right check (cihaz kayıt hakkı sorgulama).
3. Pay the fee (harç). You can pay it at a tax office or a bank, or online through the banks integrated with the e-Devlet registration service.
4. Complete the registration.
   • With a Turkish ID number or YKN: use the IMEI Kaydet service on e-Devlet and continue until you are given an application number. Paying the fee alone does not register the phone.
   • At an operator: foreign residents can also go to a subscriber centre (abone kayıt merkezi) of their mobile operator with the original passport and the original fee receipt.
5. Keep your proof. Save the receipt (dekont) and the application number until the phone shows as registered.

If you change SIM cards during this process, your Turkish bank may block mobile banking until you confirm the new SIM. Our bank account guide has the Turkish for sorting that out.

4. Dialogue at the mobile operator (Operatör mağazasında)

Marcus has a residence permit and has already paid the fee. He talks to a customer representative (müşteri temsilcisi).

Marcus:     Merhaba, kolay gelsin!
            (Hello, may your work go easily!)

Temsilci:   Merhaba, hoş geldiniz. Nasıl yardımcı olabilirim?
            (Hello, welcome. How can I help you?)

Marcus:     Yurt dışından bir telefon getirdim. 120 gün uyarı mesajı geldi.
            (I brought a phone from abroad. I got a 120-day warning message.)

Temsilci:   Anladım. Telefonu kullanmaya devam etmek için IMEI kaydı yaptırmanız gerekiyor.
            (I see. To keep using the phone, you need to have its IMEI registered.)

Marcus:     Harcı vergi dairesinde ödedim. Makbuzum burada. Başka ne lazım?
            (I paid the fee at the tax office. My receipt is here. What else is needed?)

Temsilci:   Pasaportunuzun aslı yanınızda mı?
            (Do you have your original passport with you?)

Marcus:     Evet, buyurun. İkamet kartım da var.
            (Yes, here you are. I have my residence card too.)

Temsilci:   Çok iyi. Telefonunuzun iki IMEI numarası var mı?
            (Very good. Does your phone have two IMEI numbers?)

Marcus:     Evet, çift hatlı. Bir fiziksel SIM, bir de eSIM var. İkisini de kaydetmeniz gerekir mi?
            (Yes, it's dual-SIM: one physical SIM and one eSIM. Do you need to register both?)

Temsilci:   Evet, cihazın iki numarası varsa ikisini de giriyoruz. Kaydınız tamamlandı, başvuru numaranız bu.
            (Yes, if the device has two numbers we enter both. Your registration is complete; this is your application number.)

Marcus:     Yardımınız için çok teşekkür ederim!
            (Thank you very much for your help!)

Temsilci:   Rica ederim, güle güle kullanın!
            (You're welcome, enjoy your phone!)

Grammar in the dialogue

• Kayıt yaptırmak (“to have something registered”) is causative: someone else does the registering for you. See causative verbs.
• Yaptırmanız gerekiyor (“you need to have it done”) is the everyday way to say “need to”, alongside the necessitative -meli/-malı.
• İki IMEI numarası var mı? (“Does it have two IMEI numbers?”) is an existential sentence with var/yok.
• Nasıl yardımcı olabilirim? (“How can I help?”) uses the ability form -ebil/-abil.
• Güle güle kullanın (“use it happily”) is the standard wish when someone gets something new: a phone, a car, a coat.

5. Phone and telecom vocabulary

6. Practical tips

• Short stay? If you will only be in Türkiye for a few months, compare the fee with the price of a local phone before deciding.
• Register early. Registering within the first 120 days avoids any period without service.
• Keep both proofs. Keep the fee receipt and the application number until the phone shows as registered.

Next steps

The two structures you will hear most in this situation are “have it done” and “need to”. Practice them in the causative verbs guide and the necessitative mood guide.