Sarp border at Turkey/Georgia: reports & updates

[Galoou]

Hi, i have cross the border (turkish to Georgia) the Monday 10 April with my small camper van. No problem, take one hour. Nothing check, just a fast look inside for see if i'm alone.
Actually to Katuasi. see you

[ChrisEle]

Hi,

Just FYI, we crossed crossed that border with our car on 1st April from Turkey to Georgia: we arrived at around 6pm and were out in Georgia after midnight. It was really only queuing! 2 or 3 document check points went smooth.
But although (as French and Italian) our national ID cards should be sufficient, they asked to show our passports (first time we used it since our departure in Italy).

Cheers,
Chris & Ele.

[Crazydre]

But although (as French and Italian) our national ID cards should be sufficient, they asked to show our passports

Was it on the Turkish or Georgian side? The Georgians in particular (at the land border) don't seem used to EU IDs, which is why I always bring, if going across the land border, a government website printout in Georgian saying my ID's OK. Had to show it a few times.

[ChrisEle]

We tried on both sides with ID card actually, but we didn't insist when both asked for passports (since we had them too). It would have probably worked though, with a bit more patience.

[georgestravelsasia]

I crossed in late september 2017, turkey to Georgia. I only had a French ID card and the little paper that the Turks had given me when I came in from Greece, and I did not have a passport to show even if they wanted to see one.
On the Turkish side they were like "no way you're getting into Georgia without a passport" but they let me through anyway.
On the Georgian side the officer was very used to the procedure and didnt seemed bothered at all. He stamped the back of the little piece of paper the turks had given me and I used that when exiting Georgia two months later at Sadakhlo-Bagratashen.

I was in and out in 30 minutes although the border was quite busy but the staff is rather efficient on both sides.

Also my ID is pretty damaged, the edges are torn, there's a big fold mark on the plastic overcoat and it's stained with yellow ocre that I use for dying fabric. No one was ever bothered.

[Emily]

No problems crossing the border on foot from Turkey into Georgia in January 2018 (one British passport, one American passport). Quick and easy experience. Walked 2 mins down the road and managed to hitch a lift into Batumi no problem.

[garvint]

I am a bit traumatised.
First of all, every single border in Armenia is closed completely from Turkey.
This only left Georgia, which is UK friendly too like Armenia as they do not require a visa for entry.
However at Georgia every border was closed, expect only the one by the Black Sea. Hopa – Sarp
Here is where things go really crazy. First of all everything is fine with the visa, that is okay. That is the first booth, police.
The second booth passport and vehicle inspection, fine again.
third booth they hold my vehicle registration and say there is a problem, after one hour i get bored and tired, then i wait for 3 to 4 more hours.
The staff then change and i have been waiting 6 hours.
They say they will not let me out to Georgia as there is a complication.
They go to the senior boss, and come back saying they recorded the vehicle as commercial on entry, but looking at my registered vehicle document i said it is registered in my name, not a company.
They then tell me i cannot leave to go to Georgia. The first option the boss suggests is to drive to Ankara, I then said this is an error that can easily be solved, which i have not made a single error.
The second option was to wait 15 days here.
Again i said the error must still let me leave.
The third option they said was to park in the customs booth till Monday, again i said just let me pass.

The fourth option they said was for me to pay them some cash, again i said its no mistake of mine and i only have my bank card, the nearest cash point was 4 km walk (in the rain)

The fifth option the man said when i walked to last booth was for me to walk into Georgia and leave the van with them.

Well i said i need my van, its my home.

I saw they also clamped a vehicle that was parked there.

They then said as the last option they let me go through the border if i never return to Turkey, so i said that is okay.

Then at the last booth the man told me to go back to the boss, this boss/last booth carried on for another hour.

Then i told the man in the last booth this is corruption, i have done nothing wrong.

I then went into the van and locked all the doors, windows up.

As they converged around the van screaming at me, i quickly hid the laptop behind the fridge.

The man then tried to break my drivers side window on 10 occasions, not breaking the window, he was using his walkie talkie base.

Then same man was screaming how he hates Britain and Germany.

He then hit the bonnet, side walls, kicking and screaming, and when he tried the break the window for the last time, i screamed for help from the others, begging them to stop, they wanted me to leave the van, i said i would not leave.

about five of them screamed at me to leave the van.

I kept saying no.

Then i said i go back into Turkey as they will not me through.

They quickly stamped my passport and i left.

[garvint]

right i am parked at the border Sarp border at Turkey/Georgia, in town.

it is starting to make a lot of sense why the border patrol were mad at me for no reason.

In town here, there is a lot of street fighting, a lot of police, ambulances, and liquor shops with bars and loud music.

I basically went to a border that is pretty crazy.

[adi]

Just to clarify those two rather incoherent previous posts: You are having trouble with the Turks?

[garvint]

Adi,

Yes was on the Turkish side. Took 3 days in the end the cross the border costing many 600 Turkish Lira.

The final reason they told me for paying for this, was that at the Georgia crossing they need this paper from the Turkish side to be allowed to cross.

of course when i crossed the Georgia side border they only wanted drivers licence and vehicle registration.

So this piece of paper i was forced to pay £120 for was not needed and yet another lie on many.

I am going to the Turkish embassy in Georgia, explain how their employees tried to smash my windows, have left some dents and marks from the walkie walkies.

their CCTV does record, i saw that at the police side in Turkey.

I will demand all the money back and apology and give them my insurance details for the repairs to be made.

thanks for showing some interest in corruption there