CRUISING REGULATIONS for PRIVATELY OWNED SEA-VESSELS

A) APPLICABLE TO THE YACHT

A-1) ENTRY AND DEPARTURE

Yachts entering or leaving Turkey must make their entry or departure only at designated Customs entry and exit points. Governing Law No. 2634 (Official Gazette 17635) Article 28 (a).

There they must obtain or surrender (as appropriate) a Transit Log, referred to in some official documents as the “Yacht Registration Certificate” valid for 1 year.

Ports of entry around the coast are Hopa, Rize, Trabzon, Giresun, Ordu, Samsun, Inebolu, Sinop, Bartin, Zonguldak, Eregli, Istanbul, Tekirdag, Derince, Gemlik, Mudanya, Bandirma, Çanakkale, Akçay, Ayvalik, Dikili, Izmir, Kusadasi, Didim, Bodrum, Datca, Güllük, Marmaris, Fethiye, Kas, Finike, Kemer, Antalya, Anamur, Alanya, Bozyazi, Tasucu, Mersin, Botas and Iskenderun.

A-2) CRUISING IN TURKISH WATERS

The Transit Log is a permit to sail in Turkish Territorial Waters and to enter Turkish ports. On entry, formalities are completed with Health, Passport Police, Harbour Master and Customs Patrol Authorities in this order. Marinas often assist with this procedure, usually at additional cost but this service is free at Kemer Türkiz Marina.

Note that the yacht must not remain beyond the period of validity of the Transit Log, which can be renewed for further periods of 365 days. Intended ports of the cruise must be entered in the Transit Log. A fine will be applied if validity of transit log is expired even for one day or it is lost.

Foreign flag yachts may cruise on the routes shown in their cruise documents and call and anchor at harbours along the route where there is no customs office, for sight-seeing purposes, on condition that there are no other restrictions. This data is translated from Governing Law 2634, Article 28 (d) (i) and (ii), and Gazette No. 18125 Article 44 (2).

Change in yacht crew has to be entered in the appropriate section (Crew Change page) of the Transit Log and authorized by the Harbour Master at the port where the change takes place. 

If a yacht is leaving Turkish waters even for a brief period of time and planning to return within the validity time of the Transit Log it must be surrendered on departure and a new one obtained on re-entry.

When departing for foreign ports yachts are required to complete full clearance procedures and surrender of the Transit Log with, Passport Police, Harbour Master and Customs Patrol Authorities, in that order.

In general, Visas are also valid for a period of 90 days and there is an important difference in that most Visas are multiple entries (see later), the Transit Log is not.

GENERAL COSTS FOR CRUISING IN TURKISH WATERS.

Transit Log for 365 Days                                                    30 USD.

Up to 49 tons by Chamber of Shipping                                  30 YTL.

50 tons and over by Chamber of Shipping                              40 YTL.

30 tons and up to 49 tons by Harbour Master Office                50 USD.

50 tons and up to 59 tons by Harbour Master Office                60 USD.

60 tons and over by Harbour Master Office                             ton x 1 USD

11 tons and over port usage by Harbour Master Office              6 YTL

11 tons and over port usage by Harbour Master Office              per port x 2 YTL

Ton : Net ton

A-3) USE OF FOREIGN YACHTS IN TURKISH WATERS

A private foreign-flag yacht of any type that spends the winter in Turkey or enters Turkey from a foreign port may be allowed to be operated within the port or between Turkish ports only if the owner is on board. One exception is if the owner is not able to join the trip, he can send a fax authorizing his / her captain to deliver or to take delivery of the owner or the relatives of the owner to or from the next port (according to regulations 6th November 2001.)

Foreign-flag yachts owned by several persons and yachts owned by foreign clubs, associations and unions may be operated by up to four of their owners in one year.

It shall be permissible to take Turkish or foreign guests other than the families of their owners on board such yachts for excursion, sports or entertainment purposes on the condition that no money is charged for this. Governing Law 2634, Gazette No. 18125 Article No.47 amended by Gazette 20914.

A-4) LEAVING YACHTS IN TURKISH MARINAS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS

Foreigners who enter Turkey on board their yachts, pursuant to Article 29 of the Law, may leave their yachts in a marina or yacht slipway certified by the Ministry of Tourism for the winter or for a period of up to two years for maintenance and repair purposes and leave Turkey by another means of transport.

A yacht that spends the winter in a marina or yacht slipway in this manner and that is used by its owner at least once every two years may stay in Turkey for up to five years without need to obtain further permission. The Tourism Ministry is authorized to extend this five-year period at its expiry.

Governing Law 2634, Article 29, Gazette No.18 125 Article 46, amended by Gazette No. 19252.

A-5) RELEVANCE

The above notes are relevant only to private yachts used solely in a non-commercial manner. Other Rules apply to yachts engaged in charter.

A-6) GOVERNING REGULATIONS

In the references above:

Law No.2634 approved date 12th March 1982 “Law for the Encouragement of Tourism”

Official Gazette No. 17635 dated 16th March 1982

Official Gazette No. 18125 dated 4th August 1983 titled “The Regulations on Yacht Tourism”

Official Gazette No. 19252 dated 15th October 1986

Official Gazette No. 20914 dated 29th June 1991.

Official Gazette No. 24575 dated 6th November 2001 titled “Customs General Bulletin

 B)     APPLICABLE TO THE YACHT CREW

B-1) TOURIST VISAS ON ARRIVAL 

On arrival a Tourist Visa stamp will be placed in your Passport with the entry date. It shows a validity of 3 months, but note that the period is actually 90 days. This is a multiple entry Visa, allowing you to leave and re-enter Turkey as often as you wish by air, sea or land.

You must renew your visa or leave Turkey before the existing visa expires as heavy fines are imposed for overstaying.

Citizens of most of the Countries (exceptions are listed below) can obtain Tourist Visas without difficulty on entry to Turkey at Ports of Entry or airports. 

Exceptions like the citizens of South Africa and Lebanon can only obtain visa from Turkish Consulates before their arrivals. 

B-2) EXTENDED STAY - RESIDENCE PERMITS

Residence Permits are in the form of a small book looking like a mini-passport and replace the visas. They are available for periods starting from 30 days up to 5 years. They are also multiple entries; however departure and entry dates continue to be stamped in your passport.

A foreigner who is the owner of a yacht, his wife and children and crew whose names are registered in the Transit log (Cruising Permit) may obtain longer term Residence Permits on the principal condition that they have a fully paid contract to keep their yacht in a marina licensed by the Turkish Tourism Ministry for at least the length of time the Residence Permits are applied for. Kemer Türkiz Marina is one of the licensed Marinas in Turkey.

The maximum permitted period on first application is 1 year. Longer periods up to 5 years are possible on subsequent application.

Residence Permits are issued by the local Police Department where the yacht under contract is located.

This Law is covered by Turkish Interior Affairs Ministry in Announcements 00085 and 00113 dated 11 April 2000 and 13 April 2000 respectively.

You should begin preparing the application not less than one week before your Visa expires. Should your visa expire during one of the major holidays make your Residence Permit application before the start of that holiday. You should seek the assistance of the Marina when making your application. Kemer Turkiz Marina provides this assistance free of charge.

When making the application at the Immigration Office each person applying for a Residence Permit must present themselves at the office.

 Required Papers with the application - for EACH PERSON

·        Type-written completed application form for each person. Hand written applications are not acceptable. You must use a typewriter.

·        4 passport size colored photographs against a plain light colored background.

·        Passport itself

·        Photocopy of appropriate pages of your passport identifying;
- the passport holder, passport number and expiry date
- the issuing country of the passport
- the current visa and entry date stamp.

·        Vessel Registration Papers itself.

·        Turkish translation of Vessel Registration Papers, authorized by notary public. (costs around 100 YTL)

·        Transit Log itself

·        Copy of the Transitlog.

·        A copy of your receipted Contract with the Marina valid for at least the duration of the application for a Residence Permit.

·        May require an accompanying letter from the Marina.

·        Receipts etc. showing that during the validity of your current visa 300 USD x months required for residence permit has been spent . This is most simply achieved with currency exchange dockets, slips from ATM and slips from payments with credit cards. These will not be returned to you,

·        Authorities will require to see the card or cards used in an ATM and will check that the number matches the withdraw slips. They may also request a photocopy of the credit card(s) which they will retain. Proof of holding an account with equivalent funds in a Turkish Bank is also acceptable.

·        A pink-colored folder called a DOSYA, available in all stationers.

·        Fee for Residence Permit, in Turkish Lira;

FEES AND EXCEPTIONS