United States to Türkiye
To ship commercial goods from the United States to Türkiye, confirm the Turkish importer, commodity classification, product import status, cargo details, commercial documents, transport mode, customs-broker plan, and final-delivery responsibility before booking.
OGL coordinates freight-forwarding and logistics interfaces. The exporter, importer, commodity owner, and appropriately licensed providers remain responsible for legal, customs, tax, licensing, classification, conformity, and regulatory obligations.
Start Before Booking
Six planning steps for a shipment to Türkiye
1. Confirm the Turkish importer
Official guidance states that natural or legal persons with the applicable tax number may conduct imports, subject to product restrictions and permissions. Confirm the importer, declarant, customs broker, and party responsible for duties and destination charges.
2. Classify and screen the goods
Identify the precise goods description, HS and Schedule B classifications, country of origin, value, end use, end user, condition, and whether U.S. export controls or Turkish restrictions, permissions, inspections, or product rules may apply.
3. Build the cargo record
Provide piece count, dimensions, weight, packaging, stackability, lifting points, center of gravity, loading method, photos or drawings, battery or dangerous-goods status, and temperature requirements supplied by the responsible party.
4. Prepare the document set
Coordinate the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill instructions, certificate of origin, and any permits, licenses, health, control, conformity, or product-specific certificates required for the transaction.
5. Select mode and gateway
Compare FCL, LCL, air freight, or project-cargo options using the cargo facts, schedule, handling needs, provider acceptance, available service, requested delivery region, and agreed commercial responsibilities.
6. Confirm the destination handoff
Identify the customs-broker instructions, terminal or airport, importer readiness, destination charges, inland carrier, delivery address, receiving hours, unloading method, and site-access constraints before departure.
Document Readiness
Common commercial documents identified by official guidance
The U.S. International Trade Administration’s current Türkiye guide states that commercial shipments are generally accompanied by a commercial invoice, bill of lading or air waybill, packing list, and certificate of origin. Exact requirements depend on the commodity, classification, importer, transaction, and Turkish authority.
- Commercial invoice: Official guidance calls for a complete description, quantity, unit cost, HS code, delivery method, country of origin, and applicable payment terms.
- Packing list: The shipment record should align with the packages, piece counts, dimensions, weights, marks, and descriptions presented for transport and import review.
- Transport document: Bill of lading or air waybill details should correspond with the other transaction documents and booking instructions.
- Certificate of origin: Requirements and any attestation or certification process should be confirmed for the actual product and transaction.
- Product-specific records: Control, health, phytosanitary, veterinary, conformity, free-sale, CE-related, or other documents may be required according to the product.
- Permissions or inspections: Restricted, used, refurbished, medical, environmental, agricultural, vehicle, telecom, chemical, scrap, or other controlled goods may require additional review.
Review the current U.S. International Trade Administration Türkiye import guide and the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade import guidance. Confirm the final requirements with the Turkish importer and appropriately licensed customs or regulatory providers before shipment.
Ocean, Air, and Inland Planning
Choose the transport plan from the cargo and delivery region
Full container load
FCL may fit cargo requiring dedicated container capacity or controlled loading. Confirm container type, payload, weight distribution, packing and restraint, loading location, carrier acceptance, destination handling, and return responsibilities.
Less than container load
LCL may fit smaller commercial cargo. Review chargeable volume, packaging, shared-container suitability, consolidation and deconsolidation handling, cutoffs, destination charges, and the importer’s pickup or delivery plan.
International air freight
Air freight may be reviewed for higher-value or time-sensitive cargo. Confirm dimensions, chargeable weight, screening, battery or dangerous-goods status, export documents, airport handling, destination clearance, and final-mile requirements.
Oversized and project cargo
Large machinery or non-containerized cargo may require flat-rack, open-top, roll-on/roll-off, breakbulk, heavy-haul, or lifting-provider review. Accurate dimensions, weight, drawings, lifting points, center of gravity, and site conditions are essential.
Depending on the carrier schedule, cargo, and final destination, providers may review routings through Turkish gateways serving the Istanbul region, Mersin, İzmir or Aliağa, or an appropriate airport. A named gateway is not a service or clearance promise; the final route depends on current provider availability and acceptance.
Related OGL resources include Global Shipping, LCL Ocean Freight, Air Freight, Project Cargo Logistics, and the Global Shipping Destinations hub.
Vehicles and Full-Container Personal Cargo
Confirm import eligibility before loading a vehicle or household container
Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade guidance states that used goods and used vehicles can require permission, while vehicle imports can involve conformity and tax requirements. Do not purchase transport, load a container, or deliver a vehicle to the port until the Turkish importer and qualified customs or regulatory provider have confirmed that the specific cargo, owner, consignee, documents, and import procedure are acceptable.
OGL may review certain vehicle or substantial full-container household-goods opportunities when the ownership documents, cargo inventory, packing method, export eligibility, importer or consignee, destination eligibility, and provider acceptance can be established. OGL is not a residential mover, small-parcel courier, or customs broker.
United States Export Filing
Check Electronic Export Information and export-control obligations
Electronic Export Information may be required through the Automated Export System based on value under an individual Schedule B number, an export-license requirement, or another filing trigger. The U.S. Principal Party in Interest or an authorized U.S. agent handles the filing according to the transaction facts and current regulations.
Review the current International Trade Administration AES guidance. Export-control classification, sanctions screening, license requirements, end-use review, and filing responsibility must be confirmed by the responsible parties rather than inferred from this page.
OGL’s Role
Freight forwarding and logistics coordination—not customs brokerage
Onsite Global Logistics LLC is an FMC-licensed Ocean Freight Forwarder, License No. 023947F. OGL can coordinate cargo-data review, U.S. origin transport, ocean or air forwarding interfaces, booking communication, document handoffs, shipment milestones, and destination-provider interfaces within the agreed scope.
NVOCC and chartering services are provided through sister company OnBoard Global Logistics LLC, a legally distinct entity, NVOCC License No. 027470N. OGL is not a customs broker and does not determine classification, duty, tax, importer eligibility, licenses, permits, product admissibility, CE conformity, or regulatory compliance. Customs brokerage may be coordinated through appropriately licensed alliance providers when requested.
Türkiye Shipping Inquiry
Start with the cargo, importer, and route
Submit the known shipment facts and identify what remains uncertain. The form routes only to kirk@oglww.com. Do not submit payment-card, bank-account, government-identification, export-license, or other highly sensitive information through the website form.