About Turkey

 Foreigners have made more than fifty thousand purchases of real estate up to now and it is estimated that in the  next ten years this number will rise to at least two million.

What's important?

Transportation is considered an important issue when choosing a second home. easy and fast transportation between their first and second homes is considered a matter of high priority. This is a great advantage for Turkey as it is just a few hours of flight away from all countries in the E.U.

The next important thing is the climate. Turkey has a unique geography with wonderful summers and mild winters.

The third preference is of a country that they have come to know and love, considering the expected over 20 million tourists in 2005 Turkey comes forward as a well known country.

Suitable prices of property

Although prices are increasing experts predict that people of E.U. countries, mostly English, will buy at least two million properties in Turkey. This demand is inevitably  pulling up prices along the coastal areas and the prospect of low-cost property investments maturing into something truly substantial are driving the market. These increases are in the medium and longer term catching up countries such as Spain, Italy, Southern France and Portugal, but with the added advantage that life is not expensive in Turkey.

What's the potential for the region?

The Aegean and Mediterranean regions hosting an important position of the real estate bought by foreigners lends these regions to be of importance and with an advantage, but in the middle to longer term, increased prices due to increase demand will probably lead to a slow down as seen in Spain and Portugal. Foreign purchasers may often feel inclined to search inland and away from the coast to cheaper areas.

So whether you are looking for an apartment from £25,000 or a villa at £200,000 come with TurkeySUN , we will help you in every step of the way to ensure you find the property you are looking for.

General information on Turkey

Currency

The official currency is the Turkish Lira (TL). A new currency, the "New Turkish Lira" (YTL), was introduced on 1 January 2005, whereby six zeros were dropped from the TL and the sub-unit new kuru was created. Both currencies will be used side by side until 31 December 2005. Shops are legally obliged to display prices in both currencies during 2005. Currency can be exchanged at banks, exchange booths at coastal resorts, airports and ferry ports. Banks open mainly Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 12pm and 1.30pm to 5pm. Most bank branches have ATMs which accept Cirrus and Plus. Major credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques can be exchanged at banks and hotels. US$ or Euros are preferred. Post Offices in the larger towns will sometimes change currency and travellers cheques for a much lower commission than banks. Some pensions and hotels in the most popular destinations accept US$ as payment.

Limits: As a foreign national you can take cash up to $5000 when you leave the country (or equivalent amount of any other foreign exchange). If you have declared the amount of your money to customs authorities just prior to your entry into Turkey, you are allowed to bring abroad cash up to this declared amount on your return.

Visa Requirements

British passport holders travelling to Turkey require a visa. Visas can be obtained at the port of entry in Turkey or from the Turkish Consulate General in London or Turkish Diplomatic Missions in other countries. Sticker type visas are issued at the port of entry and allow staying in Turkey for up to 90 days. It costs £10. If there is more than one person travelling on the same passport, each individual is liable to pay the visa fee. This type of visa does not permit you to engage in paid or unpaid employment.

It is compulsory to have a minimum of three months validity on your passport from the date of your entry into Turkey.

Flights

Flight times from the U.K. are between 4 and 4.5 hours.

Electrical System

The electrical system is 220 volts. The European two pin plug is standard.

Motoring

Traffic drives on the right and you will need a passport and full driving licence if you wish to hire a car.

In Case of Accident: The accident should be reported to the police or gendarme. That report has to be certified by the nearest local authority.

Following an accident, you can telephone:
Traffic Police - Tel :154
Gendarme - Tel :156

Health

There are no vaccination requirements. Most tap water in the larger towns and cities has been chlorinated, but bottled water is still recommended for drinking. Food from street vendors should be treated with caution. Medical facilities and standard of health care are not high in state hospitals and private health insurance is recommended. There are adequate local doctors and pharmacies available.

Customs

Religious customs should be respected, particularly during the month of Ramadan when eating, drinking and smoking during daylight hours should be discreet as it is forbidden by the Muslim culture. Dress modestly when visiting mosques or religious shrines. Do not take photographs of or near military and official institutions and always ask permission when taking photographs of people.

Communications

The international country dialling code for Turkey is +90. The outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Mobile phones work in most of the country; the network operators use GSM networks. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts.

Customs Regulations

On Entry:

The following items may be brought into the country duty free as personal effects:

One TV, one colour pocket TV (maximum 16 cm screen), one TV-tape-radio combination, one video recording camera and 5 video cassettes (blank); 5 records, 5 tape cassettes or compact discs, one video player, cine-projector (8 mm) and 10 rolls of film (blank), one slide projector, one pocket computer (maximum main memory capacity Ram 128k. Byte), electronic playing devices (without cassette - keyboard). One transistor radio and portable radio - tape player (its specification to be determined by the Ministry of Finance and Customs), one Walkman or pocket tape recorder, one portable compact disc player.
Binoculars (one pair, except night binoculars)
Harmonica, mandolin, flageole, flute, guitar, and accordion (only one of each type, maximum 3 musical instruments).
Personal sports equipment.
Necessary medical items.
Bicycle, baby buggy, toys.
200 cigarettes and 50 cigars.
200 grams of tobacco and 200 cigarette papers, or 50 grams of chewing tobacco or 200 grams of pipe tobacco, or 200 grams of snuff
(In addition to the above allowances, it is possible to purchase 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, and 500 grams of pipe tobacco from the Turkish Duty Free Shops upon entering the country).
1.5kg. coffee, 1.5kg. instant coffee, 500 grams of tea.
1 kilo chocolate and 1 kilo sweets.
5 (100 cc) or 7 (70 cc) bottles of wines and/or spirits.
Five bottles of perfume (120 ml max. each).
One camera with 5 rolls of film.
Other items necessary during the journey.

Valuable items and all items with a value of over $15,000 must be registered in the owner's passport upon entering Turkey, for control upon exit.
Sharp instruments (including camping knives) and weapons may not be brought into the country without special permission.
The bringing into the country, trade, and consumption of marijuana and all other narcotics is strictly forbidden and subject to heavy punishment.

On Exit:

Gifts and souvenirs: For a new carpet, a proof of purchase; for old items, a certificate from a directorate of a museum is necessary.  
Exporting antiques from Turkey is forbidden.  
Valuable personal items can only be taken out of the country providing they have been registered in the owner's passport upon entry, or providing they can show they have been purchased with legally exchanged currency.  

Tax Refund: You can receive a tax refund for the goods you purchased in Turkey.

Travellers who are not resident in Turkey may receive a refund of the Value Added Tax paid on goods purchased in the country.
1. Refunds will be made to travellers who do not reside in Turkey.
2. All goods (including food and drinks) are included in the refunds with the exclusion of services rendered.
3. The minimum amount of purchase that qualifies for refund is 5,000,000 TL.
4. Retailers that qualify for tax refunds must be "authorized for refund". These retailers must display a permit received from their respective tax office.
5. The retailer will make four copies of the receipt for your refund, three of which will be given to the purchaser. If photocopies of the receipt are received the retailer must sign and stamp the copies to validate them. If you prefer the refund to be made by cheque, a Tax-free Shopping Cheque for the amount to be refunded to the customer must be given along with the receipt.
6. For the purchaser to benefit from this exemption, he must leave the country within three months with the goods purchased, showing them to Turkish customs officials along with the appropriate receipts and/or cheque.
7. There are four ways to receive your refund:
a) If the retailer gives you a cheque, it can be cashed at a bank in the Customs area at the airport.
If it is not possible to cash the cheque upon departure or if you do not with to cash it, then the customer must, within one month, send a copy of the receipt to the retailer, showing that the goods have left the country, who will, within then days upon receiving the receipt, send a bank transfer to the purchaser's bank or address.
b) If the certified receipt and cheque are brought back to the retailer on a subsequent visit within one month of the date of customs certification, the refund can be made directly to the purchaser.
c) Retailers may directly refund the amount to trustworthy customers upon purchase.
d) The refund may be made by the organization of those companies that are authorized to make tax refunds.

Additional Information:

Ministry of Finance and Tax Dept. General Directorate
Maliye Bakanligi, Gelirler Genel Mudurlugu
KDV Subesi, 06100
Ulus/Ankara
Telephone: 00-90-312-310 38 80
Fax: 00-90-312-311 45 10 - 311 35 20

Alternatively you can visit:
www.globalrefund.com

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