The 30 Euro Limit for Overseas Shopping

In recent years, shopping from abroad has become easy, especially online. But the changes made in Turkey’s customs rules have brought limits and extra costs to overseas shopping. In this post, you can find answers to all the questions about the overseas shopping limit, whether shipping is included, and what happens if you go over the limit.

What Is the Overseas Shopping Limit?

As of 2024, the duty-free exemption limit for individual purchases from abroad is set at 30 Euro. This limit covers the total value of products brought in by mail or express shipping from abroad. Before, this limit was 150 Euro, but it was lowered to protect local producers and increase tax revenue.

Is Shipping Included in the Limit?

Yes, with the latest regulation, shipping is also included in the 30 Euro limit. For example, if the product you ordered costs 25 Euro and shipping costs 10 Euro, the total value becomes 35 Euro, and in this case you need to pay customs duty. This rule seems to have been made to provide tighter control by taking the full product cost into account. When this limit first came in, shipping was not included in product prices. Many sellers were showing the shipping fee as high and the product price as low. This regulation may have been added for that reason. The ones affected were the people who were buying products normally with shipping.

What Happens If We Go Over the Overseas Shopping Limit?

If the total amount of your purchase from abroad, product price plus shipping, exceeds 30 Euro, you may face the following situations:

• Customs Duty Is Paid: 30% for products coming from European Union countries, 60% for products coming from other countries.
• An extra 20% tax may be applied to products subject to Special Consumption Tax, ÖTV.
• Holding at Customs and Extra Costs: Due to customs procedures, your product is inspected before delivery. If you make incomplete or incorrect declarations, an administrative fine may be imposed and the product may be sent back.

Return Process:

If you do not want to pay the customs duties, your product is returned. But this process takes time and may also cause extra costs.

What Products Can Be Bought from Abroad?

In general, the limit for products brought in for personal use is 30 Euro. However, different limits may apply to products under special inspection, such as medicine, food, and electronic devices. Also, bringing in products in commercial quantities or for commercial purposes is prohibited and requires special permission.

Why Was Shipping Included in the 30 Euro Limit?

Including shipping in the limit is a decision made to expand the scope of taxation by making low-cost products cross the customs threshold faster. This practice aims to prevent the informal economy and protect local producers. But for consumers, this regulation increases the cost of shopping from abroad.

Things to Watch Out for When Shopping from Abroad

Check the Product Value: Always keep in mind the total of the product price and shipping cost. For purchases over 30 Euro, you will need to pay extra taxes.

Choose the Seller Carefully: Make sure the platform you order from is reliable. To make the return process easier in case of wrong products or missing documents, you can choose the insurance option.

Shopping from abroad in Turkey is possible with the right information and planning. But because of details like the 30 Euro limit and shipping being included, you need to be careful when shopping. Do not forget that for purchases over the limit, you may face extra costs and long waiting times.