How do you register the IMEI of a phone brought from abroad?
A walkthrough of the customs entry record, the e-Devlet application and the permit fee that make an imported phone work on Turkish networks.
Short answer
Dial *#06# to read the IMEI, open BTK's "Registration of Phones Brought from Abroad" service on e-Devlet and check whether you still hold a registration right, pay the usage permit fee via the Digital Tax Office or a partner bank, then go back to the same screen, enter the IMEI and confirm the application. Once the record lands, insert a Turkish SIM and test calls and mobile data.
What you need
Step by step
Read the IMEI
Type *#06# on the dialer and the IMEI appears on screen. You can also follow Settings > About Phone > Status Information on Android, or Settings > General > About on iPhone. Dual SIM handsets show two IMEI numbers, so write both down before you continue.
Check the current device status
Search for "IMEI" on the e-Devlet portal and open the Information and Communication Technologies Authority services. The query tells you whether the handset counts as registered or unregistered. If it already shows as registered, there is no fee left to pay.
Confirm the passport entry record
Your registration right is tied to the entry record stamped in your passport for the trip on which you carried the phone. The e-Devlet registration service lists your passport and travel data automatically. If the trip is missing, ask the migration or customs administration to correct the record first.
Start the e-Devlet application
Open the "Registration of Phones Brought from Abroad" service and choose the new application step. The system asks for the IMEI and the travel record you want to spend your registration right on. Once you submit those details, the fee assessment is generated on screen.
Pay the usage permit fee
For the assessed usage permit fee, use Payment > Tax/Fee Payment in the Revenue Administration's Digital Tax Office app. The same payment works through the online branches of partner banks or in person at your tax office. Keep the payment receipt, since it is your only proof if the records do not match.
Confirm and finish the application
After the payment reaches the system, return to the registration screen on e-Devlet and approve the application. Approval sends the IMEI to BTK's registered device list. Note the application number shown on screen, because any follow-up is tracked with it.
Verify that the record went through
Run the IMEI query on e-Devlet again and look for the "registered" status. Then insert a SIM card bought in Turkey and test a call plus a mobile data connection. If no network appears, power the phone off and on once.
Escalate if something fails
If the record is missing, the fee does not match or the line stays dead, contact BTK's call center or write through the BTK application channel on e-Devlet. Send the application number, the IMEI and the payment receipt. When the block comes from the carrier side, report it to your operator's customer service too.
Tips
Watch out
The most common mistake is paying the fee and then leaving the e-Devlet application unapproved: without approval the IMEI never reaches the registered list and the phone stays off the network even though the money is gone. Entering the IMEI incorrectly also creates a record that is hard to undo, so compare the digits one by one against the phone screen before confirming.
Frequently asked questions
+What happens to the phone if the IMEI is never registered?
Unregistered devices cannot connect to the network with SIM cards issued in Turkey, or they lose the connection after a while. The phone still works over Wi-Fi.
+Can I register a phone that someone else brought in?
No. The registration right follows the passport entry record of the person who carried the phone in, and the application has to be filed from that person's e-Devlet account.
+I paid the fee but the device still shows as unregistered. What now?
First check on e-Devlet whether the application was actually approved. If it was, contact BTK with the payment receipt and the application number so they can review the matching.
+Do I have to complete the registration at customs?
The registration itself happens on e-Devlet. Customs only matters for getting the trip stamped into your passport, and you go to the customs administration if that record is missing.
+Does the buyer have to register again when I sell a registered phone?
No. The record is attached to the IMEI, so the device stays registered after it changes hands. Handing the buyer copies of the application and payment receipt still builds trust.
Sources and verification
Last verified: September 15, 2026. tell us. Procedure applies to Türkiye: e-Devlet portal, BTK device registry and Revenue Administration fee payment channels.
This content is for information only; for official procedures the relevant institution’s current announcements take precedence. Details: disclaimer.