Question: What is Transit procedure?
Answer: Transit is a customs procedure that allows for the transport of goods within the customs territory of Turkey:
 

• From a country to another country,
• From abroad to Turkey,
• From Turkey to abroad,
• Between two internal customs.

The regulations about Transit Procedure are:
 

• Turkish Customs Code Articles between 84-92,
• Turkish Customs Regulation Articles between 212-244,
• Common Transit Convention,
• Circular No: 2012/4
• Communique No: 3,4,5,6 and 8

Question: What is the Common Transit Procedure and its aims?
Answer: The Common Transit Procedure (CTP) is used for the movement of goods between the 28 EU Member States, the EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) and Turkey (since 1 December 2012) and Republic of Macedonia (since 1 July 2015) and Serbia (1 February 2016)
. The legal basis of CTP is the Common Transit Convention (CTC) of 20 May 1987. CTP provides for customs and excise duties and other charges on goods to be suspended during their movement. Turkey became party to CTC since 1 December 2012.
CTP has been developed, for both economic operators and customs administrations, into an instrument of commercial policy essential for facilitating and managing the huge growth of international trade in goods. This system allows that goods can be dispatched between the Community customs territory and EFTA countries with a minimum of formalities and with customs duties and national charges suspended.
 
Question: What is NCTS?
Answer: The NCTS (New Computerized Transit System) is a computerized transit system based on the use of advanced computer systems and the electronic processing of data. It provides a more modern and efficient management than the paper-based system. This system is used by Turkey since 2012, while it has been used by other contracting parties since 2005.
Briefly, NCTS is a program in which each process -from submitting the transit declaration to discharging of the procedure- is performed in electronic media. Moreover, customs offices communicate not only with each other but also with economic operators via electronic messages; and also significant simplifications are available for reliable economic operators.
 
Question: What are the main advantages of Common Transit Procedure?
Answer:
- Accelerating the process and simplification of procedures,
- Non-paper based process (except for fallback procedure),
- Benefiting from simplifications if certain conditions are provided,
- Traceability of the guarantees,
- Easier border crossing through Contracting Parties,
- In case of using comprehensive guarantee, ensuring the release of Guarantees rapidly.
 
Question: What is the difference between Common Transit Procedure and National Transit Procedure?
Answer: National Transit Procedure is a transit procedure which allows movement of goods from a departure authority to an arrival authority both of which located within the Customs Territory of Turkey. On the other hand, Community transit is a customs procedure that allows movement of goods from one point in the Community to another. Within provisions of CTP, “T1” symbol is applied for non-Community goods and “T2” for Community goods. Also, “TR” symbol is applied for National Transit Procedure in Turkey.
 
Question:  What are the simplifications within Common Transit Procedure? 
Answer: Following an application by the holder of the procedure or the consignee, as appropriate, the competent authorities may authorise the following simplifications:
 

1. Use of a comprehensive guarantee or guarantee waiver,
2. Use of special type seals,
3. Authorized consignor status,
4. Authorized consignee status,
5. Procedures specific to certain modes of transport:

1. Goods carried by rail,
2. Goods carried by air,

Question: Who is the “Holder of the Procedure” and what are the Holder of the Procedure’s obligations?
Answer: Holder of the procedure is the person who makes the common transit declaration or on whose behalf the common transit declaration is made.
The holder of the procedure shall be responsible for all of the following:
(a) presentation of the goods intact and the necessary information at the customs office of destination, within the prescribed time-limit and in compliance with the measures taken by the customs authorities to ensure their identification;
(b) observance of the customs provisions relating to the common transit procedure;
(c) unless otherwise provided for in the Convention, provision of a guarantee in order to ensure payment of the amount of the debt, which may be incurred in respect of the goods.

 
Question: What is the comprehensive guarantee?
Answer: A comprehensive guarantee covers several operations. The reference amount of the comprehensive guarantee shall correspond to the amount of the debt which may become payable in connection with each common transit operation in respect of which the guarantee is provided, in the period between the placing of the goods under the common transit procedure and the moment when that procedure is discharged. The customs office of guarantee shall establish the reference amount in cooperation with the holder of the procedure. The holder of the procedure may use a comprehensive guarantee or guarantee waiver, up to a reference amount. The guarantee instrument shall be retained at the office of guarantee which is Directorate General of Customs in Turkey.
 
Question: What is authorised consignor?
Answer: Authorised consignor is a person who is given the authorization to carry out common transit operations without presenting the goods at the office of departure which are the subject of the transit declaration.
 
Question: What is authorised consignee?
Answer: Authorised consignee is a person who is given the authorization to receive goods entered within common transit procedure and a transit accompanying document, at their premises or at any other specified place without presenting them at the office of destination.
 
Question: How do I submit my transit declaration on NCTS?
Answer: By using the Internet connection from any computer with internet connectivity, transit declaration shall be submitted electronically. It is not necessary to come to customs offices for submitting transit declarations. 
Question: What is Transit Accompanying Document?
Answer: Transit Accompanying Document is a document based upon the transit declaration data. After completion of customs procedure and before dispatching of goods, the customs officer at the office of departure retrieves and prints Transit Accompanying Document. Barcode and registration number called MRN are located at the top right side of this document.
 
Question: What is EORI number?
Answer: EORI is the abbreviation of the Economic Operator Registration and Identification scheme. It is an EU initiative that helps traders communicate with customs officials when they are importing and exporting goods.
Importers and exporters are able to register for an EORI number which is valid throughout the EU.