How to Send Humanitarian Aid to Turkey from Abroad?
Custom Regulations for Sending Humanitarian Aid to Turkey for Earthquake Disaster
On 6th February 2023, Turkey had hit by 7.8 magnitude earthquake which killed more than 12,000 people and toppled thousands of buildings across a wide region. President Tayyip Erdogan declared on Tuesday a three-month state of emergency covering Turkey's 10 southern provinces hit by devastating earthquakes and called it a disaster zone in a move meant to bolster rescue efforts. The Turkish Government has issued a Level 4 alarm, calling for international assistance.
Therefore, humanitarian aids will be delivered to Turkey from abroad are exempt from custom duties, tariff, and commercial policy measures. You can find below the conditions of sending humanitarian aids to Turkey from abroad either with any vessel including shipping and aircraft.
Basic relief items and other goods sent by foreign nations to be distributed to the victims in affected disaster/earthquake areas can be imported with exemption from customs duties and commercial policy measures, if they are sent to:
- Government institutions
- Public interest organizations
- Tax exempt organizations as listed by Presidential Office
To facilitate the coordination efforts by the relevant Ministries, such goods should be donated and sent to one of the following institutions/organizations:
- AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency)
- Ankara Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation
- Şanlıurfa Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation
- Kahramanmaraş Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation
- Adıyaman Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation
- Adana Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation
- Hatay Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation
- Diyarbakır Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation
For customs procedures of such goods, it would be sufficient to submit the following documents to the customs office of entry:
- Shipping document, if any
- A list of goods (issued in accordance with the following table)
We strongly advice the communication of above-mentioned institutions and organizations before sending humanitarian aid to Turkey.
Legal Turkey will provide free consultation to the firms and individuals in abroad who wants to send humanitarian aid to Turkey. Our firm will provide free consultation for the firms abroad to Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey to learn the necessary goods for the humanitarian aid and making the incoming goods comply with the customs in Turkey for the exemption.