Turkey to hike departure fee 19 times in new austerity push, according to draft law

The government has proposed a substantial increase in the departure fee for citizens traveling abroad, according to a recently published draft law.

The current fee, which stands at 150 Turkish liras, is set to rise to 3,000 liras, a staggering 1,900% increase. This development is part of a broader tax package introduced by Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, aimed at addressing the country's economic crisis.

These measures have been met with criticism by opposition parties and labor groups, particularly for placing a heavy burden on the less affluent segments of society.

The departure fee, initially set at 50 liras in 2001, saw its last increase in March 2022, when it was raised to 150 liras. While the country has been grappling with soaring inflation rates since then, the hike is still well above the inflation rate. The country’s annual inflation rate was 64.27% in 2022 and 64.77% in 2023.

Of the current fee, 15 liras is allocated to the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ), with the remainder contributing to the general budget.

With the proposed increase, the government expects to collect approximately 12.5 billion liras (~380 million US dollars) over six months, assuming the number of travelers remains consistent with the 8,74 million individuals who paid the departure fee in 2023. (HA/VK)