Services / Foreign Trade Consultancy
Foreign Trade Consultancy
Guidance on choosing the customs regime, fixing the tariff position with Binding Tariff Information, and assessing incentives and exemptions.
What is foreign trade consultancy, and what does it cover?
Foreign trade consultancy is not about carrying out a shipment's transaction — it is about deciding how that transaction will be structured: which customs regime to choose, whether the product's tariff position will be fixed with Binding Tariff Information, which incentive or exemption can be used, and what document obligations these decisions will create. Once the decision has been made, the declaration and registration process falls under customs brokerage, while tracking the documents is the subject of our foreign trade documentation tracking service.
Who It Is For
- Manufacturing firms that import raw materials and export finished goods (inward processing assessment)
- Firms that want to clarify permit and control regimes in chemical and agricultural product imports
- Healthcare institutions assessing exemption and tender conditions in hospital equipment imports
- Businesses about to move to a new customs regime or wanting to benefit from an incentive or exemption
- Firms struggling to keep up with regulatory changes
- Entrepreneurs new to foreign trade
How the Process Works
- 1Analysis of the firm's current foreign trade process
- 2Determining the appropriate customs regime (inward processing, customs warehousing and free zone operations, transit, etc.)
- 3Assessment of incentive and exemption applications
- 4Regulatory compliance check
- 5Consultancy support during implementation
- 6Sharing periodic regulatory updates
Timelines and limits you should know
The timelines below come from legislation, not from an ACR commitment. There may be exceptions depending on the product group and country; your specific file is checked case by case.
| Subject | Rule | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Validity period of Binding Tariff Information (BTI) | 6 years from the date of issue | Also binds the administration; for repeated imports during its validity period it closes off any GTİP (Türkiye's 12-digit HS-based tariff code) dispute; if the tariff schedule changes and no longer matches the BTI, it loses validity before its expiry (Art. 9/5-a, Law No. 4458). |
| Where a BTI application is filed | Authorised Customs and Trade Regional Directorates | Using the application form annexed to the Customs Regulation. |
| Cancellation of a BTI | Cancelled if it is based on incorrect or incomplete information given in the application | This is why the technical file is prepared before the application is filed. |
| Duration of an inward processing authorisation certificate | The export commitment period may be set for up to a maximum of 12 months, depending on the sector | If the period is not chosen realistically from the outset, the risk of needing an extension arises. |
| Application to close an inward processing commitment | Within 3 months at the latest from the end of the certificate period (and any extensions obtained) | A certificate for which no application is filed in time is closed ex officio. |
| If the commitment cannot be closed | The taxes not collected are demanded with default interest; a penalty may also arise depending on the case | The advantage is replaced by a sanction — this is the real risk. |
Required Documents
- The firm's current foreign trade file (recent declarations and their annexes)
- Product/GTİP list and product technical documentation (catalogue, analysis report, technical drawing)
- Any existing permit, regime, or incentive certificates (inward processing certificate, customs warehouse authorisation, BTI)
- Destination country and buyer details (for assessing preferential tariffs and rules of origin)
- Production flow and wastage/yield data (if an inward processing assessment is to be carried out)
- The firm's authorisation documents (signature circular, power of attorney)
Factors Affecting Time/Cost
- The firm's sector and the breadth of its product portfolio
- The targeted regime or incentive type (inward processing, customs warehousing, transit, exemption)
- Whether the product's tariff position is disputed — if it is, the BTI process comes into play
- Whether a preferential trade agreement exists with the export/import country
- Permit, control, or conformity requirements specific to the product group
- How much retrospective file review the current process requires
Frequently Asked Questions
We import raw materials and export finished goods — is inward processing right for us?+
Eligibility is determined by looking at three criteria: whether the imported input is actually used in the exported product, whether wastage and yield ratios can be documented, and whether the export commitment can be closed within the envisaged period. The certificate period may be set for up to a maximum of 12 months, depending on the sector; if the period is not chosen realistically, the tax advantage gives way to a sanction. The decision is made by reviewing production capacity and the export schedule together.
Our inward processing certificate is expiring and we cannot close the commitment — what happens?+
The closing application must be filed within 3 months at the latest from the end of the certificate period (and any extensions obtained); a certificate for which no application is filed in time is closed ex officio. If the commitment is not closed, the taxes not collected are demanded together with default interest, and a penalty may also arise depending on the case. A request for extension is possible in the cases provided for by legislation, but granting it is at the administration's discretion. The real protection is monitoring actual performance throughout the certificate period and spotting any deviation early.
Different GTİP codes are being suggested for the same product — how do we determine which one is correct?+
The definitive solution is a Binding Tariff Information (BTI) application: a decision issued by the administration that also binds the administration itself, and that is valid for 6 years from its date of issue. The application is filed with the authorised customs and trade regional directorates. Classification is assessed on the basis of the tariff text, explanatory notes, and the product's technical characteristics. For products imported on an ongoing basis, a BTI is cheaper than re-arguing the classification with every shipment.
What is the difference between foreign trade consultancy and customs brokerage?+
Customs brokerage carries out a shipment's declaration and registration process: the declaration is prepared, duty is paid, the goods are collected. Consultancy, on the other hand, deals with the decisions made before the transaction begins: which regime will be chosen, which tariff position the product will be fixed under, which incentive will be used. One asks "how will this shipment go out," the other asks "how will this business be structured." The two services can be taken together or separately.
We are starting to export to a new country — what should we look at first?+
Four items directly affect the price quote: (1) the product's tariff position and duty rate in that country, (2) whether a preferential trade agreement exists and which movement/origin certificate is required, (3) any product-specific technical, health, or conformity requirement, and (4) the delivery and payment terms. If these only come to light later, the margin gets eaten up by duties on the buyer's side. All four are clarified before a quote is given.
Can we also get consultancy at customs points outside Antalya?+
Yes. Our head office is in Antalya; we also actively track files at the Mersin, Istanbul, Izmir, Gemlik, and Mudanya customs and port points. Regime and incentive decisions do not depend on which customs office the goods are cleared through — they are made on a product and firm basis. Which point the cargo enters or exits from is mostly determined by the freight and sailing schedule; consultancy is structured around that decision, and the number to call does not change.
The Turkish original of this page was reviewed by our licensed customs broker. This translation is provided for information; the Turkish version prevails.
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