Mobile Phone in Turkey

Yes, your phone will work; you do not need to worry. Pay-as-you-go mobiles are generally set to work abroad. However, if you do have a contract phone, then it is a vice to speak to your operator’s customer services and make sure you do tell them that you are going over to Turkey, so they can switch your phone to roaming if it is not done so.

You need to be aware of roaming charges as many people end up with huge bills by ignoring the fact that there are expensive additional charges for using your cell abroad. You will pay for receiving calls as well as making them. Roaming, in essential words, networks using each-others facilities to keep your communication channels open, end they bill each other for this.

Receiving calls and sending Text Messages whilst in Turkey.

Remember that your inclusive minutes included within your tariff plan can not be used abroad; therefore, you will pay for every communication you make on top of your monthly bill. Especially the usage of internet facilities can burn your wallet. There is no such free usage whilst using your contract phone abroad.

The best way to find out about the charges is to visit your operator’s website, see the costs, and print it out. Do not bother with visiting the shops and taking the sales persons’ word for it as in most cases, not all, the salesperson doesn’t have any idea.

Switch off your data

Most hotels, restaurants, bars and cafes nowadays provide free wifi services in Turkey. So you can chat with your friends and family for free.
If you use Pay As You Go phone for telephoning end texting, or sending picture messages, make sure you do Top it Up enough credit.

Can you top up your mobile phone in Turkey if you run out of credit? The answer to this question is NO. This is not the case only for Turkey but is the same everywhere. Unless you leave your top-up card back home with friends, they can top it up for you with your top-up card so you can get the credit onto your phone.

If you decide to stay in Turkey longer than a couple of months, then it is very likely that your phone might be cut off. This is due to strict security and to prevent any mobile phones from being traded illegally. Usually, this happens after the third month, as your visa will run out after three months.

If you have extended your stay legally, you can apply to register your mobile phone by going to one of the GSM operator’s mobile shops with your travel documents which in this case is your passport, and they will do the work for you. They may or may not request proof of purchase. Remember that service prices may vary from shop to shop as they operate in a franchisee model.

Your Mobile Phone will be locked.

If you have stayed longer than 120 days, your phone will be blocked by major GSM operators in Turkey; obviously, you won’t be able to use it in Turkey.

If you wish to register a mobile phone (after 120 days of your arrival) to be able to use in Turkey with a Turkish SIM card, there are fees to be paid, 1500 Turkish Lira to the Tax Administration Office, which can be found in any Town in Turkey. You mustn’t forget the receipt, proof of payment. Double-check that all relevant information is accurate, such as the IMEI number of your device.

Next, you can visit one of the GSM operators’ mobile phone shops to register your device. Remember to bring your Passport ( either your Turkish passport showing you have arrived in Turkey within 120 days of time or a foreign Passport showing you have indefinite leave to remain and work in Turkey); there is a charge for this process (in 2023) which is  20000 TL.