Removals to Turkey from the UK
Shipping to Turkey
Fast Secure Road & Sea
Full and part load
How do removals to Turkey from the UK work?
Removals and shipping to Turkey from the UK go by road across Europe or by sea in a container, depending on volume and destination. We survey, pack and wrap everything, and handle a customs entry that depends heavily on your residence status and on documents proving you have somewhere to live.
Turkey is stricter than most people expect. The relief is not automatic, and qualifying generally means producing either a residence permit with a work permit, or a long notarised tenancy, or a property deed.
One coordinator runs the move throughout, and the inventory built at the survey is what the clearance runs on.
How long do removals to Turkey take?
Your transit time is confirmed in writing on your quote, because it depends on whether you travel by road or by container, and on whether you book exclusive use or a part load. Turkey is a long way by road and the two routes have very different timetables.
We would rather give you the real date for your booking than a range off a page. On this route the customs entry is the step most likely to move it, because the documentation requirements are demanding.
Do I pay duty on my belongings going into Turkey?
Only if you cannot evidence that you are genuinely settling. Published guidance indicates that without the right documentation, tax of roughly twenty per cent applies to shipments above a modest value threshold, so the paperwork is what stands between you and a real bill.
For a foreign national the usual route is a residence permit alongside a work permit, backed by a bank deposit or guarantee letter. Alternatives commonly accepted are a notarised rental contract of at least twelve months, or a property deed in your name.
Returning Turkish nationals follow a different path, with options including a permanent return certificate from a Turkish consulate confirming at least two years abroad, or the original export declaration from when the goods left Turkey. They are also commonly asked for a list of their entry and exit dates for the past three years from the local police headquarters.
Sources disagree on the arrival window, with one indicating the shipment should land within a couple of months before and several months after your entry and another stating a much tighter period. Your coordinator has our Turkish agent confirm which applies to you before anything is loaded.
What documents do I need for removals to Turkey?
You will need your passport, your residence permit, your work permit or a notarised rental contract or property deed, the transport document, and a detailed inventory. A bank deposit or guarantee letter is commonly part of the temporary import route.
Two requirements are specific enough to catch people out. The name on your passport must match the transport document exactly, and cartons marked as packed by the owner are not accepted, so everything needs professional packing and itemising.
That second rule is the same one Vietnam and Peru apply, and it is the most common reason a self-packed shipment runs into difficulty.
Which route do you take to Turkey?
Either overland across Europe and through the Balkans, or by container by sea to Istanbul, Izmir or Mersin. Road suits smaller loads and the western cities; a container usually works out better for a full household or a delivery on the southern coast.
The overland route is long and crosses several non-EU borders, each of which is a potential delay. The sea route avoids that entirely, which is why it is often the calmer option for a full household despite taking longer on paper.
Tell your coordinator the delivery city and the volume and we will say which route genuinely suits rather than defaulting to one.
Can I send a part load to Turkey?
Yes, and with a tax threshold applying to shipments above a modest value, a carefully chosen part load is often the sensible approach. You pay for the space your belongings occupy rather than hiring a whole vehicle or container.
The care is identical. The difference is the schedule, because a shared load waits for other consignments before it departs.
The survey settles which option fits and we quote both. There is more on our part load removals page.
Which parts of Turkey do you deliver to?
We deliver across Turkey, including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Bursa, Bodrum, Fethiye, Alanya and Adana, as well as towns reached by road from those cities. The country is large, so the inland leg from the port of entry is a real part of the journey.
The coastal resorts popular with British buyers bring their own access questions, from hillside villas on steep unmade tracks to apartment blocks with small lifts and strict delivery hours. Istanbul adds traffic to everything.
Where a full-size lorry cannot reach the property, the final leg transfers to a smaller vehicle, which is planned into the quote rather than appearing as an extra on the day.
What sets the price of shipping to Turkey from the UK?
How much you are sending, whether you go by road or by container, whether you book exclusive use or a part load, and the access at the Turkish end. The possible tax where documentation falls short is the other real variable, and your quote states what has been allowed for.
Freight is priced on the space your belongings occupy rather than their weight, which is why the survey beats a phone estimate, and on a route with a value threshold the decision about what to bring matters more than usual.
We quote in writing with the inclusions listed, and anything excluded says so.
Nearby we also run removals to Greece, Bulgaria and Cyprus, and every route is listed on our Asia and Middle East destinations page. Sending less than a full household? Part load removals explains shared loads.
Why people trust us with a move
These are not our words. They are our customers, on a review site we do not control.
- 4.6 out of 5 from 110 reviews on Trustpilot, rated Excellent
- Over 10,000 moves completed
- Typically replies within 24 hours, as shown on the Trustpilot profile
- Our own yard and storage at Riverside Industrial Estate, Fazeley, Tamworth
- Members of Approved Movers in the UK, and we only work with overseas agents who are members of BAR or FIDI
- Reviewing since October 2020, and still collecting them every month
From contact to collection everything has been really smooth. All emails were answered promptly. The three guys that came and collected our things were super friendly, helpful and extremely careful with our belongings.
Vanessa, May 2026 – verified Trustpilot review
Removals to Turkey: frequently asked questions
Do I need a residence permit before I ship?
In practice you need one of three things: a residence permit with a work permit, a notarised rental contract of at least twelve months, or a property deed. Without one of them, guidance indicates tax applies to shipments above a modest value.
What is the bank guarantee for?
It commonly backs the temporary import route for foreign nationals on a work permit. It is released when the conditions are met, but it means dealing with a Turkish bank as part of the move rather than afterwards.
Why can I not pack my own boxes?
Turkish clearance does not accept cartons marked as packed by the owner, so everything needs professional packing and itemising. It is the same rule Vietnam and Peru apply.
Does my name have to match exactly?
Yes. The name on your passport and the name on the transport document must match exactly, and a mismatch is a common reason a Turkish clearance stalls. We confirm the spelling at the survey rather than copying it off an email.
Is road or sea better?
It depends on volume and destination. Road suits smaller loads heading west; a container usually suits a full household or a southern coastal delivery, and it avoids several non-EU border crossings. We quote both where it is a genuine choice.
I am a returning Turkish national. Is it different?
Yes. Separate routes apply, including a permanent return certificate from a consulate confirming two years abroad. You are also commonly asked for a three year record of your entries and exits from the local police headquarters, which takes time to obtain.
Is my shipment insured?
Cover is arranged against the value you declare, and the level of cover depends on that declaration and the terms in our agreement. Our guide to removals insurance explains it in full.