Turkey - How to stay longer?

[ViolaGiraffa]

Hello! We will be entering Turkey shortly, but we realize that 90 days is too short for us. We are therefore evaluating ideas to stay longer. We would like to stay about 5 months.

We are from Italy and we have 90 days visa free and we are travelling with a motorhome.
Does anyone have the experience to extend the permit? Especially for the campervan?

The options we have considered are:
- Ikamet - however, it seems a bit expensive and complex to do to stay only two months more, we keep it as a last resort
- Going to North Cyprus or Georgia, but then from what I read you would have to stay there 3 months before returning to Turkey, is that correct?
- Pay the fine to stay 60 more days. I know it is cheap for people, but I don't know how it works with the car, does anyone have experience? Also, could there be other implications?

Anyone have other experiences?
Thank you!

[PeterM]

Dear Viola,

the 90/180 days rule is even more restrictive.
It seems to be not enough to have been outside Turkey for 90 days to stay again 90 days.
We had been to Turkey in June for 18 days. Stayed in Georgia and Armenia and entered Turkey again end of October. More than 90 days later.
They only gave us 72 days ! So they calculated 90 days minus the days we already stayed within the 180 days - at the arrival.
Maybe that is wrong - but you can't argue with them.

In any case, I would absolutely avoid to stay longer than allowed. It is not just "paying a fine when you exit". Just some days ago a German family overstayed by 10 days. They were caught at an ordinary police control. Arrested, photos, interrogation, fingerprints taken .....

There are a lot of police controls. And they now have mobile tablets and check your car plate number.

[benni.rosinante]

I'm facing exactly the same situation.

The process for the Ikamet is complicated (at least when living in a car).
Staying on Cyprus seems to be a good option for me, but if they really calculate the dqys like described in the last comment, it's not that good.

What did you do in the end?

[benni.rosinante]

I researched etc. and from my location near Marmaris these are the options I found.
Maybe this little overview helps somebody facing the same situation.

a) Ikamet/ temporary residency: complicated or expensive because you need an address in Turkey and the cost without a rent for address would be around: 300€ for 6 months (fees, health insurance)
b) Samothraki: pretty cold in Winter, 280€ diesel + 150€ ferry = 430€
c) going to Cyprus ( orthern and southern part) and back after the initial 180 days + 5 days have past with new visa: 310€ ferry
d) Peloponnese: 650€ diesel or 500€ ferry + 160€ diesel + 120€ diesel = 780€
e) going east in cold season: cold
f) Chios from Cesme: 190€ ferry + 120€ diesel = 310€

The ferry and diesel costs depend on the car. I'm driving a 6m long Hilux with a cabin on its back which consumes about 12l of Diesel on 100 km.

My idea right now is going with c)

[PeterM]

Hi Benny,

we are back to the EU from Turkey. We are still not 100% sure how they calculate in Turkey.

The Turkish customs have an English FAQ, but that even let me have more questions than before.
https://www.trade.gov.tr/customs-formal ... d-vehicles

You should check how long you can stay in Cyprus.
In any case, keep in mind that you can not leave Cyprus by sea or plane- even without your car - from South Cyprus when you entered from the north.

[benni.rosinante]

Hey Peter,

Thanks for your reply. Yes. This website from the Turkish customs is pretty interesting.

Thanks for the info about leaving the southern part of Cyprus.
But it is possible to go with the ferry from Tasucu in Turkey to the northern part of Cyprus, from the northern part to the southern part, back from the southern to the northern and then back to Turkey, right?

[benni.rosinante]

Hello again,

I asked the officials of the Republic of Cyprus/ the southern part: It's really completely illegal to cross the border from the northern part to the southern part if one hot to Cyprus via the northern part

Thanks Peter, for pointing me at this.

I guess then I'll have to break the limit of 90 days in the northern part (because the ferries arr noz going every day) or I'll go to Chios for 90 days...

[PeterM]

Hello,

yes, for South Cyprus Authorities, you entered Cyprus in an illegal way if you enter by North Cyprus. That is the reason why you can not exit from South Cyprus.

However, it is absolutely no problem to go to South Cyprus from North Cyprus and back as often as you want.
As you speak German, you might want to check this article by some people we recently met :

http://fred-on-tour.de/mit-dem-camper-nach-zypern/

Peter

[benni.rosinante]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the link and your reply.
Alright. I'm going to Cyprus

All the best
Benni