Hi, my parents are in Turkey right now and they bought a rug there as a gift for me. They said the store is able to ship it directly to me but needs my passport number in addition to my mailing address. Apparently there were a bunch of people in the store putting their passport numbers on the shipping forms but it's the first time I've encountered this, and I haven't seen anything about it in other forum posts. Is this a standard/legit request?
1
sarikanarya
That is a new one to me.Perhaps it is a new export customs ruling,I don't know.If your parents don't feel comfortable about doing this then they can go to any post office(PTT)and send it.The post office will supply them with the necessary packaging materials too.It can be sent on a couple of different systems depending on how quickly they want it to arrive and there is also an online tracking system you can use to track the package.
2
flyingfestoon
Hm! My parents are leaving shortly so I don't think they'll be able to get to a post office. I think they got the rugs at a government-run place (Elifsu Turizm Cappadocia--is Elifsu a name or does it translate?) and they said they've paid for the shipping already.
Thanks for the info and suggestions!
3
sarikanarya
Elifsu Turizm Ltd., is the name of the company but the name of the carpet shop is Bazaar54 and I can tell you it is not a government run company but a private one.There are government run shops which are called G.E.S stores.(geleneksel el sanatları=traditional hand made crafts).
http://www.ges.gov.tr/en/
Additionally,local carpet cooperatives around the country product carpets and other products which private carpets shops buy to sell in their own shops but these are private businesses not government shops.
If your parents have already paid for shipping I doubt the shop will refund that portion so I guess they just have to bite the bullet now,unless they are prepared to take the carpet with them and find a post office later and pay for postage themselves.
4
swampeastmike
I've shipped a number of things (including rugs) home to myself while touring in Turkey in the last few years and none have asked for my passport number. That said, I've never shipped to a third party--such may well make a difference to the Turkish and/or U.S. government. I also see no reason not to provide the information they request--if there were some nefarious purpose it would be far easier to get that (and even more) information from visitors actually in Turkey.
5
Thorn Tree
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