Mobile Phone Registration (2016 Update):

Common issue: You have bought a mobile phone from your country or any other country except
Turkey. When you came to Turkey, and got a Turkish sim card. After few days, you have
received an SMS from BTK (IT and Communication Authority) and your phone is suddenly
blocked. This means will not able to receive or make a call till you register your phone.

The Requirements:
1- WHO HAS TO REGISTER? Any phone purchased outside of Turkey must be
registered. That means both Turks and foreigners must register foreign phones. There is a short
period if you are only visiting, where you do not have to register the phone. The timeline is not
exactly clear. But a Turk or a foreigner living in Turkey must register any phone bought from
abroad.

2 WHEN MUST YOU REGISTER? You must register your phone

within 120 days (changed from 60 days as of October 2015) of entering Turkey. If you do not want
to register, your phone you can buy a cheap phone from the downtown stores. Make sure the stamp
in your passport is legible!! If the date cannot be clearly read, you will have to go to the main police
station to get a printout of your entries. In Ankara, that is next to the Ankamall.

3 COUNTING CALENDAR YEARS (in case you have 2 mobile phone): The law says
one phone registered per person per two calendar years. There is no definition of a calendar
year. You should not wait two full years to register your phone. For example, if the first phone is
registered December 31, 2015, one could register another phone on January 1, 2017. Thats two
calendar years, but actually only one year and a couple of days.

STEPS FOR REGISTRATION:

I. Go to the Bank to pay tax first
You must pay a fee (tax) at a bank branch. Almost every bank does this. You can pay at one of
the listed banks: { Bankas - Halk Bankas - Garanti Bankas - Ziraat Bankas - Vakflar
Bankas - Asya Bankas - Anadolu Bankas - Aktif Bankas - Finansbank - Bankas Albaraka Trk Bankas - Tekstil bank - Denizbank - NG Bank - HSBC Bank - HSBC ekerbank}
1. At the bank, they will need your passport, your foreigner id number T.C. Kimlik No, and
the IMEI number for your phone. They are not concerned about the date of entry at the
bank. But make sure it is legible and the correct amount of days. You will need that in the next
step. The foreigner id number T.C. Kimlik No is written in your residence permit
card. If you dont know your foreigner id number T.C. Kimlik No, you can find it using
this website: https://tckimlik.nvi.gov.tr/YabanciKimlikNo/KisiBilgileriSorguModul.aspx.
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2. Be very careful when filling out the form for getting your kimlik number (and any other
form). Names must be exactly as registered. After running the search, it will show your kimlik
number. Print the form and carry it with you. It will make your life so much easier at banks
almost everywhere you go.
3. If you dont know how to find the IMEI number, google it. Its very easy. For most phones,
you simply type *#06# and it will appear.
4. The fee/tax will be paid at the bank. It is currently 131.50 TL.
Be sure to get a receipt and check the IMEI number, foreigner id number T.C. Kimlik
No, and name are correct before you leave the bank.

II. Go to the PTT to get a password

1. Go to any PTT. Get a number for the counter at the machine. It will be the first option, the
second option if you are handicapped (engelli).
2. Wait for your number to show up and go to that counter.
3. At the counter, say, E-Devlet ifresi almak istiyorum. E-Devlet is the keyword for the
portal where you can do a number of government processes. ifre is password. Almak
istiyorum means I would like to get/purchase.
4. You will need your foreigner id number T.C. Kimlik No - written in your residence
permit card, your passport, and your residence card/permit.
5. They must type in everything to their system exactly as it appears on your documents. They
will need your place of birth. This must be taken from the resident permit and typed in exactly.
6. The current cost for this is 2TL.
7. They will return your documents to you and give you something like a letter.
8. You do not need to send in any of the documents to the BTK.

III. Online Registration:

1. You will need the PTT password, and all of the above listed documents, including the bank
receipt.
2. You might need a Turkish speaker to help you maneuver the website. Go to this website:
https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/btk-imei-kaydet. Click on Kimligini Simdi Dogrula and enter
your foreigner id number T.C. Kimlik No and the PTT password. It will take you to a page
to register.
3. First, it will ask you to set up a new password. Then you will easily register using your
passport, foreigner id number T.C. Kimlik No, and paid tax receipt.
4. This process takes about 10 minutes.

IV. Check the Registration:

1. After registering the phone, your phone is actually only temporarily registered until the
proper authorities (BTK) reviews it. You can check the status by plugging your IMEI number
into this website: https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/imei-sorgulama.
2. If you get the following message, it means that the phone is temporarily registered, and you
should check back for the final determination: IMEI numaras abone kayt merkezince
geici olarak kayt altna alnm olup Kurum tarafndan evraklar kontrol
aamasndadr
3. This following message means the system is temporarily out of order:
Sistemde yaanan bir teknik aksaklk nedeni ile ileminiz tamamlanamad
4. This following message means it is not registered:
KAYITDII OLDUGU TESPT EDLEN IMEI
5. If your phone was not registered, the most likely reason is that there is an error in your name or
IMEI number during registration.
6. IMEI NUMARASI KAYITLI means the cell phone is REGISTERED!
Other Information:
If you feel you need to call the BTK, they do have English speakers. The number in
Ankara is 0312 294 9494
If you decide to register at a store like Turk Telekom, Turkcell, or Vodafone, do not let
them charge. The phone registration at such stores varies from 20TL to 70TL. Registration
fees should not be charged by a store!
If you need to register the phone again because you encountered a problem, you must still
be within 60 days of entering the country. Otherwise, you will need to register after you
leave and enter the country again. Once it is registered properly, you will NEVER need to
do it again.
If you registered through any provider and later learned the registration did not go
through, you may be able to get the tax refunded.
In the receipt from the bank it is written the name of the tax office Vergi Dairesi. You
absolutely need to go there.
Take the papers of the payment (copies are fine too), kimlik, passport and your bank
account information.
Once you arrived at the tax office Vergi Dairesi, you need to fill in a simple form.
If the person registering is a minor, under 18 years, the phone must be registered by a
parent.

If you dont know your foreigner id number T.C. Kimlik No, you can find it using
this website https://tckimlik.nvi.gov.tr/YabanciKimlikNo/KisiBilgileriSorguModul.aspx

To make the phone online registration, you need to visit the following website
https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/btk-imei-kaydet. Click on Kimligini Simdi Dogrula

Now, you need to enter your foreigner id number T.C. Kimlik No and the PTT
password E-Devlet ifresi. Then, click on Sisteme Giri Yap. Note: If you are going
to login into this page for the first time, it will ask you to write a new password Yeni
ifresi. Do not sign out!!

Do not sign out!!

After that, do visit the following page: https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/
>> means then
Click on E-Hizmetler (Top Left Corner) >> Daha Sonra Hatrlat = Remind Me
Later (welcome ads) >> Bilgi Teknolojileri ve letiim Kurumu (4th paragraph)
>> IMEI kaydet (6th line) >> Daha Sonra Hatrlat = Remind Me Later
(welcome ads) >> Devam Et = continue

Note: the following page is the translation of the IMEI form page.