Mobile Phones in Turkey: eSIM, Roaming and Tourist SIM Cards
- Martin
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
It’s not really something you think much about once the holiday has started. Your phone just works - for maps, messages and photos back home. But Turkey is not home - and roaming charges on the phone bill arrives after the trip.
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Fortunately, it has become much easier to avoid. Today many travellers either choose an eSIM with local data or a subscription from home where Turkey is already included. It only takes a few minutes to sort out - and can save you from an unnecessarily expensive souvenir from the trip.
First and foremost, I would recommend contacting your cell-network provider to see what options they offer. You may already have a solution included in your subscription, or perhaps you can add a special roaming package that includes Turkey for a reasonable price. Just be aware that it may still become expensive in the long run.
eSIM
Another option for newer mobile phones is the so-called eSIM solutions.
You either scan a QR code with your phone or download an app, which installs a digital SIM card (eSIM) that gives you prepaid mobile internet abroad.
Note: it is incredibly easy - and just as easy to “top up” your eSIM if you need more data.
This solution is becoming more and more popular because you keep your phone number and only change the mobile internet provider during your stay abroad.
One of the most popular options is Amigo eSIM.
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Other popular eSIM providers include:
Remember to activate your eSIM before entering Turkey. Otherwise you will need a VPN installed on your phone.
The advantages of an eSIM are that it is easy to install, cheap, you don’t have to change your phone number, and your phone’s IMEI will not be blocked by the Turkish authorities (see below).
In other words: if you don’t already have a roaming solution for Turkey with your own cell-network provider, an eSIM is the cheapest, best and most practical solution.
Forget the idea of a so-called 'Turkish tourist SIM card'
In Turkey, most mobile companies offer a special tourist SIM card that is valid for up to three months.
The price varies, but you should expect to pay a high price for a service that is neither modern, practical nor cheap. If you chose to get a Turkish tourist sim-cars´d, here's what you need:
• use your passport when buying the SIM card (the setup can be slightly complicated, so ask for help in the shop)
• expect to be bombarded with SMS messages from the provider
• turn off your voicemail to avoid additional costs when listening to messages
Besides switching to a temporary number, the Turkish tax authorities will block a foreign phone’s IMEI after 3-5 months.
In other words, you will not be able to use the same phone with a Turkish tourist SIM card the next time you visit Turkey.
For that to happen, you need to register the phone - and that comes at a hefty fee: As of January 2026 the fee is 45,600 TL - roughly €1,000. And it is a long and clumsy process.
My recommendation
I recommend one of the following two solutions:
A roaming package (possibly as part of your mobile subscription) with your provider back home
An eSIM
How to install an eSim for usage in Turkey
In the summer of 2025, Turkey’s state telecommunications regulator (BTK) blocked access to websites and apps from a number of international eSIM providers.
In Turkey, telephony, mobile phones, tablets and smartwatches with SIM cards are subject to very high taxes and fees - which international eSIM providers can partly bypass.
The Turkish state would much rather sell tourists an impractical tourist SIM card - overpriced and with the previously mentioned high taxes.
THEREFORE:
Buy and activate your eSIM before you arrive in Turkey, while you still have Wi-Fi access before entering Turkey.
If you are in Tukiye, you might need to connect through a VPN, to be able to install your eSIM (VPN is an app on your phone - most hotel staff will usually be happy to help).
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*Updated with eSIM adjustments March 2026.
