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Silver Import and Export Procedures

Silver is a precious metal used in many sectors, including jewellery, investment, electronics, automotive, energy, healthcare, defence, and industry. Due to its economic value and wide range of applications, the customs procedures applicable to silver imports and exports may vary depending on the nature of the product. Therefore, it must be accurately determined before the customs process whether the silver is in the form of bullion, granules, powder, scrap, semi-finished products, jewellery, household articles, or industrial products.

In Türkiye, customs procedures for silver are primarily carried out under Customs Law No. 4458, the Customs Regulation, the Import Regime Decision, Decision No. 32 on the Protection of the Value of the Turkish Currency, and other relevant foreign trade and precious metals regulations. The Import Regime Decision governs the conditions applicable to import transactions, customs duties, financial liabilities, permits, and trade policy measures.

Accurate Determination of the Nature of the Silver

One of the most important stages of the customs clearance process is the correct identification of the goods and their declaration under the appropriate Customs Tariff Statistics Position, commonly referred to in Türkiye as the GTIP.

The customs procedures applicable to unprocessed silver are not the same as those applicable to silver jewellery, tableware, industrial components, or electrical and electronic parts.

Under Borsa Istanbul regulations, standard unprocessed silver includes silver in the form of bullion, bars, or granules with a minimum purity of 99.9% and meeting the specified technical requirements. Silver in the form of bullion, bars, doré bars, granules, powder, or scrap with a purity below this level may be classified as non-standard unprocessed precious metal.

The purity, weight, manufacturer, intended use, and physical form of the goods are important factors in determining the correct classification. The use of an incorrect GTIP or an incomplete declaration of the product’s characteristics may result in additional tax assessments, laboratory analysis requirements, delays, administrative sanctions, or the return of the goods to their place of origin.

Importation of Unprocessed Silver

The importation of standard unprocessed precious metals is not an ordinary import transaction that may be carried out directly by any person or company.

Under the applicable regulations, standard unprocessed precious metals may be imported by the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye and institutions authorised to trade on the Borsa Istanbul Precious Metals Market.

As a general rule, standard or non-standard unprocessed silver imported by authorised precious metals intermediary institutions must be delivered to the Borsa Istanbul custody vault within three business days following the closing date of the customs declaration. The first domestic purchase and sale transaction must also be carried out on the Precious Metals Market.

For transactions performed under the Inward Processing Regime, a notification obligation may apply within the prescribed period and according to the specified procedures instead of physical delivery to Borsa Istanbul.

For imports of unprocessed precious metals carried out through advance payment, cash against goods, or free-of-charge payment methods, a notification to Borsa Istanbul through the Ministry of Trade’s Single Window System may be required at least one business day before the closing date of the customs declaration.

For the delivery of non-standard unprocessed silver, the assay report issued by the General Directorate of the Mint and Stamp Printing House, together with the import and notification documents requested by Borsa Istanbul, is of particular importance. The declared purity, fine silver content, and weight must be consistent with the assay report.

Documents Required for Silver Customs Clearance

Depending on the type of transaction, the following documents may be requested:

* Commercial invoice
* Transport document
* Packing list
* Certificate of origin
* Insurance certificate
* Proof of payment
* Assay or analysis report
* Import declaration document
* Permits or conformity letters issued by the relevant authorities

The product description, weight, purity level, unit price, total value, origin, and delivery terms stated in the documents must be consistent with one another.

Particularly for high-value consignments, it is essential that the customs value be declared on the basis of the actual transaction value and any other value elements required under the applicable legislation.

For processed silver products and industrial goods, the applicable taxes, permits, and other obligations are determined according to the product’s GTIP, origin, and intended use. Therefore, each shipment must be assessed according to its own technical and commercial characteristics.

Professional Silver Customs Clearance Services

During the silver customs clearance process, the goods must be classified correctly, the supporting documents must be reviewed, the customs value and origin must be declared accurately, and all required notifications to the relevant authorities must be completed within the applicable deadlines.

Professional customs consultancy support contributes to ensuring that procedures are carried out in a more controlled manner and in compliance with the applicable legislation.

Since the physical form, purity, production purpose, legal status of the importing company, and applicable customs procedure may differ in each transaction, it is important to review the current legislation and product documentation before the shipment begins.

Legal Disclaimer

This text has been prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, tax, or investment advice.

As legislation and administrative practices may change over time, the applicable regulations should be reviewed before any import or export transaction, and professional assistance should be obtained from an authorised customs consultant according to the specific characteristics of the transaction.