Importing from China to Turkey starts well before a supplier sends a proforma invoice. The first decisions are the product's tariff classification, the importer record, whether the goods face a product-control requirement, and the full landed-cost model. A factory price does not answer any of those questions.
The Turkish Ministry of Trade's commercial import guidance is the right starting point for the legal import lane. It states that the Import Regime Decision governs commercial imports and frames the importer around a Turkish tax number. Product-specific duty, additional charges and controls must be checked against the current tariff position and applicable import measures before payment.
What should be decided before you place an order?
Lock the product specification, expected GTIP/HS classification, intended Turkish use, customs value assumptions and Incoterm before comparing supplier offers. Two factories can quote the same-looking item with different material, packing or test standard. That makes a unit-price comparison misleading.
- Describe material, dimensions, finish, packaging and acceptable defects in writing.
- Ask a customs broker to assess the likely tariff position and current import measures for the precise product.
- Check whether the product falls into a controlled or regulated category before a deposit is paid.
- Agree the Incoterm and identify who pays origin handling, main freight, insurance and destination charges.
Do this before the purchase order. A later classification change can affect duty, VAT base, documentation and delivery timing all at once.
How should customs duty and import VAT be planned?
Do not use a generic China-to-Turkey duty percentage in a budget. Turkey's tariff treatment depends on the product classification, origin and any current additional measures. Import VAT is a separate tax layer and its calculation depends on the customs-value and import-tax framework that applies to the declaration.
Build a working landed-cost sheet with the supplier price, packing, origin charges, freight, insurance, customs duty and other import charges, import VAT, broker fees, port or airport charges, inspection costs and delivery to the warehouse. Then ask the broker to validate the tariff and tax fields against the live product file. The Turkish Revenue Administration's VAT Law page is the primary legal reference for VAT; the declaration calculation should still be checked for the exact commodity.
Which documents should match before shipment?
At minimum, the commercial invoice, packing list, transport document and product description must tell the same story. Where the goods require certificates, test reports, licences or a conformity file, collect them before the cargo moves. A broad invoice description such as “household parts” is usually too weak for a product that has a specific tariff identity.
Check names, addresses, quantities, unit values, currency, country of origin, Incoterm and product descriptions across the purchase order, invoice and packing list. A mismatch does not automatically stop every shipment, but it gives the broker and customs office a question that should have been resolved earlier.
How should you check a Chinese supplier?
Supplier diligence and customs readiness are separate workstreams. Start with legal identity, bank-account consistency, production capability, sample approval and references. For a first order, use a written specification, a dated sample or golden sample, an agreed inspection point and a payment structure that does not leave all leverage with the buyer or supplier.
Ask for the factory's legal name in Chinese and English, address, production photos that can be tied to the facility, export experience for the product and the exact entity that will receive payment. Compare the beneficiary name with the contracting entity. If they do not align, pause and document the explanation.
What should happen in the week before departure?
Run one final file check with the supplier, forwarder and broker. Confirm the cargo count, departure point, transport document instructions, invoice data and the importer's contact details. For regulated products, confirm the control path rather than assuming a certificate will be accepted on arrival.
Turkey's Ministry of Trade guidance should be treated as an operational starting point, not a product ruling. Tariff classification and import measures can change. Obtain a transaction-specific broker review before making an irreversible payment or committing to a delivery date.
First-shipment checklist
- Written product specification and approved sample.
- Likely GTIP/HS classification reviewed for the exact product.
- Current duty, import measures and product controls checked.
- Landed-cost sheet reviewed with freight and broker charges included.
- Supplier identity and payment beneficiary checked.
- Invoice, packing list and transport instructions reconciled before departure.
Corpenza can coordinate the Turkish import workflow, supplier controls and company-side trade setup. Speak with the import and export team before the first production payment. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
