Checking into Turkey without an agent

sailaboutvic

sailaboutvic

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We are only a few weeks from entering Turkey , anyway East of Bodrum we got all the time in the world to clear in and if possible I don't want to pay an agent for some thing I can do my self so the question is. has anyone cleared in without using an agent , ? Where ?any Advise on how you did it .

Thanks in advance
 
Hi James
Just read all the posting , thanks. I don't intent to use an agent unless I have to , but I do understand I am going to need the help pf one to print out the transit log , happy to do the rest of the leg work .
If anyone did it this year I be interested in your comments too .
God what we do just to say a fee Bob
 
Thats right Vic, you do need to get the TL printed and entered on the system. there is no option for this, but as I said, Ali is your man. he is perfectly willing to do this and let you do the rest of the legwork yourself. You will save a few bob .And remember that you dont need to go into the Marina ,just hang a right when you enter the harbour and tie up at the customs quay . They will give you a "pass out" to go into town and do the biz.
 
We checked in at Gulluk last May, went to the Harbour Master office and he took care of all the paperwork. We had to visit the customs office, a short taxi ride away, and then go to the police with the customs guy but it was all completed within 2 hours, the boat stayed on anchor and was not inspected, no-one insisted that we have an agent.
 
If anyone is prepared to go to TASUCU it is all FREE. You can do it yourself. There is a chap on a scooter who wizzes up and down who will take all the paperwork and do it for you also for free. All he wants is a smile a thank you and of course a few sheckles as a tip.
 
Hi Vic,

Friends of ours checked OUT of Turkey a few days ago at Kusadasi. They anchored just off the marina where a marinero tried to persuade them into the marina but once they explained they were only staying a few hours to check out he said it was fine to anchor. There is also a cruise ship dock and customs facilities so there may be a Customs Dock you could use while checking in or out.

Our friends reported that all the officials were very polite and helpful, no need for an agent and absolutely no charge. Obviously you will have to pay for a Transit Log when checking in. I cannot confirm if the officials will allow you to DIY the full check in procedure because someone has to enter all the details on the computer system and print the Transit Log. ALL Harbourmasters have the ability to do this (without charge) and it is part of their duties, however many will try to refer you to an agent to do the work for a highly variable fee!!!

My experience is that Bodrum is not too bad when using Ali, Gocek and Kas are just a rip off if you have to use an agent for anything, although the Harbourmaster in Gocek will make crew changes on your Transit Log without an agent and without charge. In Bodrum you have to use Ali even for crew changes at a cost of 50TL IIRC, this is a bit annoying when you see all the Gullet and Charter Skippers going directly to the Harbourmaster without employing Ali.

Obviously being able to speak Turkish or having a Turk with you will probably make it all much easier and cheaper!!!
 
Checking in out: Datca
This is the situation as of today:
authorities won't entertain DIY clear-in/out (claim not even to possess transit logs): agent required.

There are two agents based on the quayside (South quay). Both seem to charge TL300 for checking in (including transit log); TL100 for checking out. At least one agent can be negotiated with on price.
Another agent charges somewhat less: TL260 for clearing in, including transit log; TL80 for clearing out (currently about £64/£20). He's Mr Serdar Uslu at Seher Tours, on the roundabout 100 metres above the quay.

P.S. Sorry, meant to include this yesterday but suffered a craft moment: diesel on the quay from the Total bowser, TL4.07 per litre. That's just under a quid.
 
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Could try Fethiye - two boats we know checked in without an agent there and we renewed our transit log there last October without an agent. We originally checked in Kaş and tried to do it ourselves, but gave up with good grace after a couple of hours. The agent charged us a fee of 100TL, (approx £33 then) which we didn't think was a rip off.
It may be useful to note that the Transit Log has two price components - the cost of the log, last October in Fethiye this was 70TL , the remainder of the cost was made up with a calculation that used the gross tonnage of the boat from the registration document. One of the "benefits" of doing it yourself is that you get to see exactly how it is done, we had wondered why there was so much variation in what friends had been charged for their logs. Our exact bill was 148.78 TL exactly!
If you are interested in using Fethiye PM me and I can tell you where the various offices are that you will need. They are all minutes walk away from each other and the renewal took us less than half an hour. The check in requires one extra place to visit so took our friends about 45mins. There is great satisfaction in DIY, if you manage it, but even if you can't it doesn't have to be a rip off. :)
 
Thanks for that info , we been told by friends who have spent last winter there it not possible to do DIY at Fethiye , it seems checking out is easier and that's Possible . At the moment Datca seen our best option unless we find out otherwise , again thanks for the info
 
Over on the CA MedNet forum, comes news that Bozborun is open again as a clearing in/out port. We have always used Salih at Lodos (or his daughter if he isn't in). The process takes 20 minutes or so, and was very reasonable in price.

Not sure if it helps as far as the DIY aspect, but nice to know the option is available again.

Cheers, PT
 
Just read this new post this morning on the Captains Mate CA app- gives all the details of what we did! Looks like it is possible still......


"Of the four entries into Turkey, this has to be the easiest we have experienced. All offices are within a 100 yard circle and ideal for a DIY procedure. It took us a record 1 hour and 5minutes start to finish. The procedure is as follows: 1. Cross the road from ECE Marina to the Chamber of Shipping and purchase a Transit Log. Cost TL173. 2. Walk back up the road to any Agency and get them to complete the log for you. You cannot do this yourself as you have to be put on the computer system. Cost TL 50. 3. Walk further up the road to Health Control which is in a yellow building, second floor. 4. Cross the road and visit Port Police at thwack ok the Marina. Passports and Visas etc. 5. Next the Customs who are next door to the Port Police. 6. Final stop the Harbour Master. Cross back over the road and walk down past the Chamber of shipping. 7. That's it .... Coffee time. Total cost TL223. Tony Smith IOLANTHE 19 May 2015"
 
Wife of Lofticus said:
Forgot to say, we went to harbourmaster office, just 50m further up the road, where they will print the Transit Log for free too! :) hope this helps with your plans sailaboutvic :)
Click to expand...

Thanks again Tony , Datca quote 280 Tl to do the lot so I wondering if it worth the 18 euro to sit back and let some one do the running around .
HELLO SIR
TOTAL CHECK IN WITHOUT YOUR VIZAS 280 TURKISH LİRAS IF YOU NEED VIZAS 25 € EACH ONE
IF YOU WANT YOU CAN EMAİL TO ME BACK WITH YOUR BOAT NAME OR PHONE ME OR YOU CAN ASK ME HARBOUR MAN.SEE YOU SOON.THANK YOU FOR EMAİL TO ME
SEHER TOUR
SERDAR USLU
0532 364 51 78
 
We paid 148 TL total, for a 47ft boat, (gross tonnage 18.69) the difference between that and and 280 TL works out at more than €45 I think. Then again if your boat is smaller the savings would be more. However, there are somes days when it doesn't seem quite worth it does it - time taken could equate to a couple of ice cold Efes! ;) enjoy Turkey when you get here, we love it! :)
 
Good afternoon:

Have heard and read conflicting reports about clearing into or out of Turkey at Bozburun so have just phoned Lodos Yachting at Bozburun (+90 534 624 37 70) who confirmed that clearance is possible. I didn't ask about cost as it is unlikely to be more expensive than Marmaris but it will be a lot easier without the need to tie up to the large truck tires outside the ferry terminal.

Cheers

Squeaky
 
BOZBURUN ...
Lodos yachting want 105 euros , ( price quoted in Euros not TL ) 40 Euros for the work and 65 for the transit log .

Not sure how that works out but it seen Datca is cheaper at the moment .
We decided next week , we got to way up if there no wind to cross from Rhodes to a near point as the fuel different make up for the extra cost or if there wind , which we hope we sail back to Datca
 
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