Al Mellah International Shipping (0580402747) is a shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Turkey serving homeowners in Turkey, people relocating there, and traders: we ship cars, furniture, boxes and cargo from Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Dammam and Qassim to the ports of Mersin, Istanbul (Ambarlı), Derince, Iskenderun and Izmir, delivering to Istanbul, Bursa, Ankara, Trabzon, Antalya and Sapanca. Door-to-door transit is 3 to 5 weeks by sea via Jeddah Islamic Port; a box starts from SAR 185, and other shipments are quoted by volume and city.
Turkey is unlike our other destinations: most of our customers shipping there are not returning expatriates but Saudis and Gulf nationals who own homes and flats in Istanbul, Trabzon, Bursa and Sapanca and want to furnish them with pieces they love, residents of various nationalities who have moved to Turkey, and traders exporting Saudi products to the Turkish market. Each group faces different customs rules, so we built this guide around one question: who are you, and what do you want to ship?
👥 Who ships from Saudi Arabia to Turkey?
🚗 Car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Turkey
Cars need the most explanation before shipping to Turkey, because the Turkish system imposes a high special consumption tax on imported cars on top of duties and VAT, and restricts the permanent import of used cars. In some cases the cost of bringing a car in can exceed its value, so we review your case before shipping anything:
| Case | What is usually allowed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turkish citizen returning after 24+ months abroad | Importing a car registered in their name for at least 6 months and no more than 3 years old | Subject to the applicable taxes, calculated before shipping |
| Foreigner relocating to Turkey | Usually temporary import tied to the residence period, with a guarantee or bond | Permanent import is restricted and costly |
| Visitor or tourist with their car | A limited temporary stay within the year, without sale | Insurance covering Turkey is required |
| Trader wanting to sell used cars | Not usually allowed for used cars | New-car imports follow a separate commercial regime |
If your case is allowed, the car is prepared with export plates and an export certificate from traffic, the lien released, fines settled and a Fasah authorisation. It then travels on a hydraulic flatbed to Jeddah port and ships by RoRo to Derince or Iskenderun, or in a 20 ft container to Mersin or Istanbul. The method, size and port set the price, so we quote after reviewing your case.
⚓ Turkish ports: where does your shipment arrive?
The container sails from Jeddah through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal into the eastern Mediterranean, reaching Mersin first as the closest major Turkish port to Suez, then services continue west and north to Izmir and Istanbul. Because Turkey is large and the road distance between Mersin and Istanbul is about 900 km, choosing the port changes cost and time considerably:
| Your destination in Turkey | Best port of arrival | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Istanbul, both sides | Ambarlı in Istanbul | The biggest city with the most sailings |
| Sapanca, Izmit, Bursa and Yalova | Derince (Kocaeli) or Gemlik | Close to the eastern Marmara region |
| Ankara and central Anatolia | Mersin or Istanbul, then by road | Whichever sailing is closer |
| Mersin, Adana and Gaziantep | Mersin | The shortest sea route from Jeddah |
| Hatay and Antakya | Iskenderun | A port near the southern border |
| Izmir and Bodrum | Izmir (Aliağa) | For the Aegean coast |
| Antalya | Mersin or Antalya depending on sailings | A resort city where many Gulf nationals own homes |
| Trabzon, Uzungöl and the Black Sea | Istanbul or Mersin, then by road | No direct services from Jeddah as a rule |
🗺️ Which Saudi city are you shipping from?
| Origin city | To Jeddah port | Box from |
|---|---|---|
| Jeddah | Direct | SAR 185 |
| Makkah and Taif | Under a day | SAR 190 |
| Madinah and Yanbu | 1–2 days | SAR 190 |
| Riyadh and Al-Kharj | 2–3 days | SAR 190 |
| Qassim and Hail | 2–3 days | SAR 195 |
| Dammam, Khobar and Al-Ahsa | 3–4 days | Request a quote |
🏡 Exemption for used furniture at Turkish customs
Turkey allows used furniture and household goods to enter duty-free for people relocating there, under conditions: the owner must have lived outside Turkey for at least 12 consecutive months, the items must have been owned and used for 6 months or more, and there must be a home address in Turkey proven by a notarised one-year lease or a title deed (tapu), together with a Turkish tax number and residence permit. The shipment must also arrive within a set window around the owner’s entry date (usually from two months before entry to six months after).
| Condition | Detail |
|---|---|
| Prior residence abroad | 12 consecutive months for foreigners, 24 months for returning Turkish citizens |
| Possession of the items | Used and owned for at least 6 months |
| Home in Turkey | A notary-certified one-year lease, or a title deed (tapu) |
| Turkish documents | A valid residence permit and tax number |
| Shipment arrival | Within the set window around your entry date |
| The list | Detailed, stating each appliance’s brand and serial number |
A homeowner who visits Turkey in summer without a residence permit usually has their shipment treated as dutiable, with Turkish VAT (20% at the general rate). That doesn’t stop you shipping, but it makes choosing between what to ship and what to buy in Turkey an important financial decision.
🛋️ Moving furniture and furnishing your home in Turkey
Turkish furniture is widely available and reasonably priced, so we don’t recommend shipping everything. It is better value to ship what is hard to find in Turkey or means something to you, and buy the rest there:
| Usually worth shipping | Better value to buy in Turkey |
|---|---|
| Arabic majlis and floor seating | New bedrooms and wardrobes |
| Hand-made and Persian carpets | Ordinary sofas and living-room sets |
| Incense burners, special tableware and antiques | Large electrical appliances |
| Valuable used furniture you’ve owned for a while | Kitchens and cabinets |
| Made-to-measure furnishings and curtains | Everyday linens and textiles |
💵 Shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Turkey
The box price is from Jeddah and varies slightly from other cities. Other shipments are priced by volume, port and Turkish city, since line rates change with the season.
| Method | Transit | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 🚢 Consolidated boxes | 4–5 weeks | Gifts, clothes and small items |
| 🚢 Consolidated LCL | 4–5 weeks | A room, a majlis or selected pieces |
| 🚢 20 ft FCL | 3–4 weeks | A flat’s furniture or a car |
| 🚢 40 ft FCL | 3–4 weeks | A whole house or cargo |
| 🚢 RoRo | 3–5 weeks | A car to Derince or Iskenderun |
| ✈️ Air | 3–6 days | Urgent parcels to Istanbul |
How to get the cheapest price to Turkey
Send your Saudi city, your Turkish city and what you want to ship, and we will send you the best-value option.
🏭 Commercial cargo and online stores to Turkey
Turkey is a large market for Saudi dates, perfume, incense, food and plastic products. We ship full or consolidated containers for traders with a commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, imported in the name of a registered Turkish importer. Dates and food travel in reefer containers, and online stores get periodic consolidated shipping. For local transport we use Dynas and lorries for collection and trailers for containers, with straps and lifting equipment.
📦 Boxes and gifts
For anyone sending gifts, clothes or dates to relatives or friends in Turkey, or preparing boxes for their summer home before travelling, per-box consolidated shipping is the best fit, starting from SAR 185 from Jeddah. We collect from your home or at our warehouse, and the boxes reach your address in Turkey or the collection warehouse.
🧳 Suitcases for travellers to Turkey
Many summer travellers to Turkey carry extra suitcases at costly excess-baggage rates. The alternative is to hand us your suitcases weeks before you fly, so they ship with boxes in a consolidated container and reach your address in Turkey. This also suits students starting at Turkish universities and employees moving to their company’s Istanbul branch.
| Carry on the plane | Ship before travelling |
|---|---|
| Passport, documents and essential medicines | Other seasons’ clothes |
| Laptop and valuable devices | Coffee sets, incense burners and kitchenware |
| Clothes for the first days | Small rugs and linens |
| Cash and jewellery | Books and gifts |
🏢 Office and company moves to Turkey
Saudi and Gulf companies open offices in Istanbul, and employees move from the Kingdom to their company’s branches there. We ship office furniture, files and equipment with every desk numbered by department, and wrap computers, printers and servers in anti-static material. Equipment imported in a company’s name needs commercial documents and the company’s Turkish tax number and may be dutiable, unlike the personal belongings of a relocating employee, who may benefit from the used-goods exemption under its conditions.
🇹🇷 Turkish citizens returning from the Kingdom
A Turkish citizen who worked in the Kingdom and is returning to settle has specific conditions: at least 24 consecutive months of residence outside Turkey (with a maximum number of visit days in Turkey during that time) and used belongings. They can bring used furniture and appliances duty-free, and usually need to attend clearance in person. A car is accepted under age and registration conditions, with the applicable taxes, which we calculate with them before shipping. They can contact the Turkish Embassy in Riyadh or the consulate in Jeddah for proof of residence abroad.
📄 Required documents
| Document | Relocating with residence | Summer home without residence | Boxes | Cargo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi ID or iqama | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Fasah authorisation | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Passport | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ sender | — |
| Turkish residence permit and tax number | ✔ | Tax number | — | — |
| Notarised lease or tapu | ✔ | Delivery address | — | — |
| Detailed list with brands and serial numbers | ✔ | ✔ | Brief list | ✔ packing list |
| Commercial invoice and certificate of origin | — | — | — | ✔ |
The shipment owner may need to attend clearance in Turkey in person or give a notarised power of attorney, especially for relocation shipments. You can contact the Turkish Embassy in Riyadh or its Consulate General in Jeddah about documents.
🚫 Prohibited and restricted items for Turkey
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Weapons and ammunition | Prohibited |
| Narcotics and controlled medicines | Prohibited without prescription and permit |
| Drones | Require registration and permits |
| Old antiques and artefacts | May be referred for inspection by cultural authorities |
| Counterfeit products | Seized |
| Flammables and gas | Not allowed in standard containers |
| Fresh food and meat | Not allowed in a standard container |
✈️ Sea, air or road?
| Criterion | Sea | Air | Road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transit | 3–5 weeks | 3–6 days | Depends on border conditions |
| Best for | Furniture, cars, cargo and boxes | Urgent parcels and documents | Commercial loads via Jordan and Syria when transit is available |
| Arrival | Mersin, Istanbul, Derince, Iskenderun, Izmir | Istanbul Airport | Turkey’s southern crossings |
The sea is the standard route for furniture and cars because it is the most stable in schedules and procedures, while road depends on border conditions and changing transit rules.
🏙️ Delivery across Turkish cities
After clearance we deliver to your address. In Istanbul we deliver on both the European and Asian sides; Sapanca, Bursa and Yalova from Derince or Istanbul; and Ankara within one or two days. From Mersin we reach Adana, Gaziantep and Antalya, and from Iskenderun, Hatay. Trabzon and Uzungöl are reached by road from Istanbul or Mersin in two to three days.
🏬 Storage, insurance and tracking
🗓️ Steps for shipping from Saudi Arabia to Turkey
⚖️ How to choose a shipping company to Turkey
🔁 Shipping from Turkey to Saudi Arabia
The reverse direction is one of our most requested: new Turkish furniture for homes in the Kingdom, and goods, textiles and food for traders. We ship from Istanbul and Mersin to Jeddah and Dammam, with SABER platform requirements for regulated products, 15% VAT, and used-car import rules setting a maximum vehicle age.
❓ FAQ: shipping from Saudi Arabia to Turkey
❓ How much does shipping from Saudi Arabia to Turkey cost?
A box starts from SAR 185 from Jeddah; rooms, containers and cars are priced by volume, port and Turkish city.
❓ How long does a shipment to Turkey take?
3 to 5 weeks by sea door to door, and 3 to 6 days by air.
❓ Which Turkish ports do shipments arrive at?
Mersin, Istanbul (Ambarlı), Derince, Iskenderun and Izmir — we choose the one closest to your city.
❓ Can I ship my car to Turkey?
It depends on your case; permanent import of used cars is restricted and heavily taxed, so we review your situation before shipping.
❓ Is my used furniture exempt from Turkish customs?
Yes for people relocating, under conditions: prior residence abroad, items used for 6 months, a notarised lease or tapu and a Turkish residence permit.
❓ I own a flat in Trabzon — do you ship there?
Yes, via Istanbul or Mersin, then by road to Trabzon.
❓ Do you ship from Turkey to Saudi Arabia?
Yes, and many customers use it to ship Turkish furniture.
❓ Can I ship my suitcases before flying to Turkey?
Yes — hand them to us before you travel and they reach your address with the consolidated shipment.
❓ Do you move a company office to Istanbul?
Yes — desks are numbered by department, devices get anti-static wrapping, and company equipment travels with commercial papers.
❓ What are the conditions for a returning Turkish citizen?
24 consecutive months of residence abroad and used belongings, usually with attendance at clearance.
Furniture, boxes, cargo and cars — via Jeddah to Mersin and Istanbul.
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