The Ministry of Commerce made changes in the practice in order to prevent tax loss and evasion when the excess exempt mobile phones enter the country.
In the statement made by the Ministry, it was stated that the scope of items that are intended to be brought into the country with passengers is regulated within the scope of the Decision on the Implementation of Certain Articles of the Customs Law, and it was reminded that “GSM-mobile phone” is also included in the list.
In the statement, it was pointed out that mobile phones can be brought once in three calendar years, provided that they are used with lines registered to the passenger’s identity number, except for members of foreign missions, and it was emphasized that this mobile phone can be put into free circulation as personal belongings of the passenger, free of customs duties.
In the statement, it was underlined that it is not possible for passengers to bring a mobile phone as a souvenir or even if they are exempted from postal/expedited cargo transportation or by paying taxes, and continued as follows:
In the implementation of the decision, it has been stipulated that for mobile phones brought by passengers in violation of their declarations, exceeding the exemption limit, the customs duties will be charged at double the rate, and the items will be delivered to the owner. In this case, necessary measures have been taken to prevent potential tax loss and evasion by registering the phones, which exceed the exemption limit and whose duties have been paid, in the national network under the name of the person bringing them or third parties. Regional Directorates have been instructed to report the identity and IMEI numbers of phones exceeding the exemption limit to the Information and Communication Technologies Authority.
Exempt phones can be kept in customs warehouses for 3 months
The statement emphasized that there is no change in the regulation allowing an exemption for one mobile phone brought by passengers as personal belongings. However, it was reported that the practice of delivering a second mobile phone, intended to be brought into the country as a gift or in violation of the declaration, by paying fixed taxes, has been abolished because the use of such phones cannot be prevented by not registering their IMEI.
The statement said, “However, if a passenger wishes to reclaim a mobile phone brought in excess of the exemption when leaving the country again, it is possible for the phone to be stored in customs warehouses for a period of 3 months as specified in the Customs Law and to be returned to the passenger when they leave the country within this period.”
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz