Which airports and ports in Turkey do you ship to?
- Air: Istanbul Airport (IST) is the main cargo airport, and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) also handles cargo. Ankara (ESB), İzmir (ADB) and other cities are served via Istanbul or by truck from it. We choose the flight by price, capacity and schedule.
- Road: full trucks (FTL) and part loads (LTL) leave Finland by ferry and drive through Central Europe and the Balkans. Road works well for pallets, machinery and goods that are too large or heavy for air.
- Sea: Ambarlı (Istanbul), Mersin, Gemlik, İzmir/Aliağa and the Kocaeli ports have regular container services. Full containers (FCL) and smaller shipments (LCL) both work.
How long does freight from Finland to Turkey take?
| Service | Typical transit |
|---|---|
| Air freight to Istanbul | 1–3 days |
| Air freight to other cities | confirmed in the quote |
| Road freight, full or part load | confirmed in the quote |
| Sea freight to Turkish ports | confirmed in the quote |
Indicative, updated 14 October 2026. Times run from handover in Finland and assume complete documents. Customs in Turkey is not included.
What Turkey requires on the documents
Before shipping we check that:
- The consignee can import: it has a Turkish tax number, and its name and address are the same on the commercial invoice, packing list and air waybill or CMR.
- The invoice is complete: full goods description, HS code, quantity, unit price, total value, currency, Incoterm, country of origin, gross and net weight.
- The A.TR or proof of origin is ready when the buyer needs it to avoid duty (see below).
- Permits and conformity checks are arranged for regulated goods. Turkey checks many product groups for safety and standards, and food, medicines, cosmetics, chemicals and some machinery need registrations or permits. The buyer’s broker confirms what applies.
- Wooden packaging is ISPM 15 treated and marked.
- Dangerous goods and lithium batteries are classified and packed under the IATA DGR for air or ADR for road before booking. Dangerous goods
Export from Finland and EU sanctions checks
A shipment to Turkey leaves the EU, so it needs an export declaration. Send us the commercial invoice, packing list and your EORI number. Dual-use goods need an export licence from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland before shipping.
Turkey is one of the countries the EU watches for circumvention of its Russia sanctions. In practice:
- “No re-export to Russia” clause: if you sell goods on the EU’s lists of sanctioned or common high-priority items, such as many electronic components and machinery parts, your contract with the Turkish buyer must forbid re-export to Russia and Belarus.
- End-use checks: we ask who the end user is and what the goods are for, and check further when something does not fit.
- We do not ship to, from or through Russia or Belarus.
Once the goods have left the EU, Finnish Customs confirms the export. Keep that confirmation: it proves the sale is zero-rated for VAT.
The EU–Turkey customs union and the A.TR
- Industrial goods: goods in free circulation in the EU travel to Turkey with an A.TR movement certificate, and Turkey charges no customs duty on them. The A.TR shows customs status, not origin, so it also covers non-EU goods that have been cleared into the EU. We prepare it together with the export declaration.
- Agricultural products and coal and steel products: these are outside the customs union. They can get lower duty under separate EU–Turkey agreements when they are of EU origin, proven with a EUR.1 certificate or an origin declaration on the invoice.
- VAT and other charges: Turkish import VAT and any other taxes are paid by the importer, even when there is no duty.
Common problems on the Turkey lane, and how we avoid them
- No A.TR, or an A.TR that does not match the invoice: the buyer pays duty it could have avoided. We prepare the A.TR from the same data as the export declaration.
- Agricultural or steel goods sent with an A.TR only: the A.TR does not cover them. We check the HS code and arrange proof of origin instead.
- No re-export clause or unclear end use: the export can be held for checks in Finland. We ask for the end user and contract terms up front.
- A missing permit or conformity document: the goods wait at the Turkish border or airport. We ask the buyer to confirm requirements before loading.
How it works
- Send the pickup address, destination, goods description, dimensions, weights, Incoterm and end user.
- You get a price, routing and transit time for air, road or sea.
- We collect the goods, check the documents and sanctions points, and clear export in Finland with the A.TR where it applies.
- You get the AWB, CMR or B/L number for tracking.
- Our partner clears import in Turkey and delivers.
Updated 14 October 2026 · Reviewed by Artem Tchervonni, Managing Director