UK ↔ Turkey
Home & Office Removals

After Brexit: One More Customs Border on the Way

The United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union's customs union. So on the way between the UK and Turkey, your belongings also cross the customs border between the UK and the European Union. That makes the customs paperwork a real part of the move, not an afterthought.

We handle the customs declarations for your move on your behalf. Handling them doesn't mean paying them, though: any customs duties and official fees are not included in our quote and are notified to you separately. The UK government also advises checking the rules of both the country you're leaving and the one you're moving to, because they can differ. Please confirm the current official requirements on gov.uk.

The Turkish Consulate General in London: What You Need

For duty-free household goods at Turkish customs, you need an ikamet nakil belgesi (residence transfer certificate). The Turkish Consulate General in London issues it at its notary section, by appointment. According to the Consulate's guidance, the conditions and documents are:

• At least 24 months living in the UK, shown by visas or foreign passports covering that period
• No more than 180 days in total in Turkey in the last calendar year
• A valid Turkish ID card and Turkish passport, with two photocopies of each
• A petition (dilekçe) addressed to the Consulate General
• An official letter showing that you are returning for good

Which letter you need depends on your situation. Employees get it from their employer or accountant, and students from their school. Employers bring a document from their tax office or chartered accountant. Everyone else gets the letter from their local council, confirming that no Council Tax will be due from the date of return. The Consulate also notes that you cannot apply with a foreign passport.

Moving from Turkey to Britain: Apply for ToR1 Before Anything Ships

Moving from Turkey to Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales)? You may be able to bring your belongings in without paying duty under Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief. According to GOV.UK, the main conditions are:

• You have lived outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months
• You have owned the goods for at least six months before moving
• You bring the goods in within 12 months of coming to live in the UK
• You don't lend, pledge, hire out or transfer the goods for 12 months

The key practical step: you complete the ToR1 form and get a unique reference number, and GOV.UK wants this done before your goods are shipped. GOV.UK then says you give your agent or removal company the information needed to claim the relief on your declaration. As we handle the customs declaration for your move, that information comes to us – so please apply for ToR1 early and send us your reference number.

The official information on this page is based on guidance published by the authorities named and is for general information only. Rules can change, so please check the current version with the relevant authority before you apply.