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Don't
take your car from the UK. You will be much better off buying a 'new'
car when you arrive in Turkey and it is much safer to drive a car with
the steering wheel on the left-hand side. This is particularly the case
if you will be driving in towns or country areas without the benefit of
a passenger to help you check for oncoming vehicles when overtaking.
You will also find that it is much easier to get spare parts for
Turkish cars. Even if you think your present car is sold throughout
Europe you will find that there are many parts that are different on
the UK model because its steering wheel is on the right-hand side. It
is also widely reported that a local car makes you less visible in the
community and thus less likely to be burgled. Cars in Turkey are
generally cheaper than in England and so selling your car in the UK and
buying another one when you arrive could be financially advantageous.
If
you insist on taking your British car you will be able to use it on
Turkish roads only for a maximum of six months. A further six months'
extension may be granted if you apply to the customs authorities before
the expiry of the initial six-month period. The car can only lawfully
be used on Turkish roads when it complies fully with the requirements
necessary for use on English roads, including rules relating to testing
and taxing it. Insurance will only be available from British insurance
companies and you will have to disclose to the company that you are
using the vehicle abroad.
If you intend to keep a British car in
Turkey for more than six months you will need to insure and tax it in
Turkey. Additionally you will have to obtain a Turkish visitor's plate,
for which you require the following:
• a work permit
• a residence permit
• a letter from your employer confirming your employment in Turkey
• a letter of guarantee from a bank in Turkey
• a valid driving licence
The minim urn age for a class A licence is 18. For car hire insurance purposes the rules for other classes are as follows:
• Classes B, D, E and F - age 22 and over, must have one year's valid national or international licence.
• Classes G and H - age 25 and over, must have 2 years' valid national or international licence.
• Classes L, X and M - age 27 years and over, must have 3 years' national or international licence.
Taking Your Pet
Rules about taking pets to and from Turkey have changed dramatically over the last few years. Get up-to-date information before making any plans by contacting your local vet or the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, especially if you want to take an exotic animal to Turkey. Animals other than ordinary pets would require a special importation certificate from the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture, which could have conditions attached to it.
You must decide whether you intend ever to bring the pet back to the UK. If so, you will have to comply with the British rules for the importation of pets into the UK, which are more stringent than the rules about the importation of pets into Turkey. In this case you will need one of the new pet passports. Most people obtain them as a precautionary measure. Do it early. See your vet at least six months beforeyourdeparture.lt usually costs about £250. If you know that you are not going to want to bring your pet back to the UK. All you need is an export certificate from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and a health certificate issued within 15 days of your departure by an approved vet. Cats must be vaccinated against various ailments. Individuals a re generally only allowed to take two animals into Turkey at any one time, but this doesn't prevent you from coming back and bringing more animals later.
Once you arrive, see a vet and find out what vaccinations are advisable.
Health and Emergencies & Costs and Insurance
Turkey currently has no reciprocal health agreement with the UK. Medical costs, although lowerthan in Europe and the United States, can be expensive in Turkey and all foreigners have to pay for medical treatment. Medical insurance typically costs around £25 a week, and a policy should provide for flying you home if need be.Travel insurance will give you medical cover providing you are not actually residing in Turkey. Check the details of your policy for the maxim urn number of days it covers. If you are spending extended periods of more than 60 days at a time away from home or making frequent holiday visits of two or three weeks it is almost certainly worth investing in an annual travel insurance policy, which is available from a wide range of insurers in the UK, typically for around £80 to £120 for two people.
You can also get reciprocal private health plans from the UK, which give you access to private hospitals and healthcare. UK insurers such as BUPA International (t (01273) 208181) have no age limit. If you are under 55 you can purchase a health insurance plan in Turkey.
Healthcare
Assuming you have insurance, it is best to use private healthcare when you need it. Hospitals are marked by blue street signs with a large white H (hastahane- hospital).Turkish state hospitals aren't always endowed with the sanitary standards that you might expect in the West. Although some have better equipment than their private counterparts they are often very busy and understaffed, and queuing is a tedious reality.
There are English-speaking doctors in most towns and resorts, and are often advertised as such on their premises, or you can ask at the local tourist office where they can be found if you want one. You could also try consulting a pharmacy (eczahane or eczcrne); every town has one that stays open at night. The Turkish word for night pharmacy is nobetci eczahane. There are free health clinics which can give prescriptions and diagnoses.
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Buying a property in Turkey is becoming increasingly with holiday home owners and investors around the world.
