Turkey eSIM for long stays: mobile data for 4–8 weeks visiting family
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Every summer, many families living abroad travel to Turkey for four to eight weeks to stay with relatives. Data needs are high – WhatsApp video calls, navigation, streaming for the kids – and three traps are waiting: roaming (Turkey is NOT covered by EU roaming rules, so even an EU plan doesn't roam at domestic prices there, and a UK, Swiss or US plan isn't covered by those rules at all), the 120-day phone block, and the eSIM providers' websites and apps, which have been blocked in the country since July 2025. This guide deals with all three (as of October 2026).
Contents
Comparison table
Long stays in Turkey: providers compared (as of October 2026)
| Provider | Best offer | Unlimited | Network | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holafly Unlimited (30 days) | €68.90 / 30 days · €98.90 / 60 days (−5% with HERMESINVEST) | Yes – also for 60 and 90 days | Turkcell / Türk Telekom | 4–8 weeks visiting family |
| Airalo data package | 5 GB $10 · 10 GB $15.50 · 20 GB $22.50 (30 days each) | Optional (30 days $69) – not needed for 2–3 weeks | Türk Telekom | Shorter stays, hotspot use |
| Saily | 10 GB $15.99 · 20 GB $22.99 (30 days each) | Yes – unlimited plans for up to 30 days | Türk Telekom / Turkcell | Good-value pick for moderate use |
| Turkish tourist SIM (Turkcell) | Tourist Welcome Pack: around €30–35 for 20 GB / 28–30 days | Depends on the plan | Turkcell direct | WARNING: starts the 120-day IMEI counter |
- Offer:
- €68.90 / 30 days · €98.90 / 60 days (−5% with HERMESINVEST)
- Unlimited:
- Yes – also for 60 and 90 days
- Network:
- Turkcell / Türk Telekom
- Best for:
- 4–8 weeks visiting family
- Offer:
- 5 GB $10 · 10 GB $15.50 · 20 GB $22.50 (30 days each)
- Unlimited:
- Optional (30 days $69) – not needed for 2–3 weeks
- Network:
- Türk Telekom
- Best for:
- Shorter stays, hotspot use
- Offer:
- 10 GB $15.99 · 20 GB $22.99 (30 days each)
- Unlimited:
- Yes – unlimited plans for up to 30 days
- Network:
- Türk Telekom / Turkcell
- Best for:
- Good-value pick for moderate use
- Offer:
- Tourist Welcome Pack: around €30–35 for 20 GB / 28–30 days
- Unlimited:
- Depends on the plan
- Network:
- Turkcell direct
- Best for:
- WARNING: starts the 120-day IMEI counter
The 120-day rule: how to avoid the phone block
Without registration, a phone brought in from abroad may only use a Turkish SIM card on the network for 120 days – after that, the device is blocked via its IMEI. In 2026, registering a device costs 54,258 lira, the equivalent of around €1,000 (as of October 2026).
Important for family visits: the clock starts the first time the phone connects with a Turkish SIM and keeps running in calendar days – even when you are long back home. According to Turkish media reports, the allowance is granted afresh each calendar year. A single summer visit of 4–8 weeks therefore won't get your phone blocked; but if you come a second time in the same year (say in spring and again in late summer) or stay longer than four months, you suddenly find yourself without a network.
A travel eSIM, by contrast, runs on international roaming – it doesn't count as a Turkish SIM, and provider statements and user reports agree that it doesn't start the 120-day counter at all. For anyone who comes several times a year or stays for several months, that is THE argument against a local SIM card.
Important: install the eSIM BEFORE you fly
Since July 2025, Turkey's telecoms regulator BTK has been blocking the websites and apps of many international eSIM providers inside the country – including Holafly, Airalo, Saily and Nomad. The block is still in place (as of October 2026): buying, first-time installation and topping up don't work reliably in Turkey. The fix is simple: buy and install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi, set activation for the day you arrive – and book enough days or data for the whole stay straight away.
Once installed, it works perfectly normally in Turkey, according to providers and user reports.
Holafly for Turkey in detail
Holafly sells unlimited data by the day rather than by the gigabyte: 7 days €25.50, 15 days €46.90, 30 days €68.90, 60 days €98.90 and 90 days €128.90 – the price per day drops noticeably the longer the plan runs (30 days: around €2.30, 60 days: around €1.65).
5G/4G on the Turkcell and Türk Telekom networks; according to user reports, stable in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and the coastal regions – and, to be honest, weaker in the mountainous interior and in the east.
What users say: Trustpilot currently shows around 4.7/5 from more than 100,000 reviews (as of October 2026); user reports praise the easy QR-code setup, consistent everyday speeds and the 24/7 chat support.
An honest caveat: you can only share 1 GB per day via hotspot, and with very heavy use the network may temporarily throttle your speed (fair-use policy; according to Holafly, for one day at most).
In plain terms: the code HERMESINVEST gets you 5% off all Holafly eSIMs – last checked on 16 July 2026. Details are in our discount guide (→ Holafly discount code 2026: save 5% with HERMESINVEST).
The alternatives, honestly assessed
Airalo data packages (5 GB $10 · 10 GB $15.50 · 20 GB $22.50, 30 days each) make sense for 2–3 weeks, or if you want to get a laptop online via hotspot. Validity ends after 30 days at most – for longer stays you have to buy a second package before you leave, because topping up inside the country doesn't work reliably.
Saily offers 10 GB for $15.99 and 20 GB for $22.99 (30 days each), with no hotspot restrictions according to the provider – a solid good-value pick for moderate use.
Turkish tourist SIM (e.g. Turkcell's “Tourist Welcome Pack”: 20 GB plus call minutes for around €30–35 per 28–30 days; Türk Telekom and Vodafone are sometimes cheaper): attractively priced for long stays and it comes with a Turkish number, BUT you have to register your passport in the shop – and it starts the 120-day IMEI counter.
Practical tips for the family visit
Dual SIM: your home number stays active for WhatsApp and for the codes your bank sends by text message (online banking!).
Keep data roaming on your home SIM switched off at all times – otherwise the phone will latch on to the expensive network after all whenever the eSIM signal is weak.
For villages and the interior, favour providers that also use the Turkcell network (Holafly according to the provider, Saily according to comparison reports; Airalo runs on Türk Telekom) – Turkcell traditionally has the best coverage away from the coast.
Our recommendation by length of stay
- 2–3 weeksAn Airalo or Saily data package – no need for unlimited.
- 4–8 weeks visiting familyHolafly Unlimited for 30 or 60 days (with code HERMESINVEST). No sums to do, no topping up.
- Back again every yearAs a rule, a travel eSIM rather than a Turkish SIM – because of the IMEI rule, especially if you come a second time in the same year.
What to watch out for
- 120-day IMEI block: the counter starts with the first Turkish SIM and keeps running after you leave – as things stand, travel eSIMs don't trigger it.
- Install the eSIM BEFORE you fly, without fail – many providers' websites and apps are blocked in the country, and buying or topping up doesn't work reliably there.
- Turkey is NOT covered by EU roaming rules, whether your plan is from an EU country or from the UK, Switzerland or the US – switch off data roaming on your home SIM.
- Mind the hotspot limits on unlimited plans (Holafly: 1 GB/day).
FAQ
Does a travel eSIM count towards the 120-day rule?
As things stand, no – it connects as a foreign roaming SIM and is not a Turkish SIM profile; according to providers and user reports, it doesn't start the IMEI counter. That is exactly why it is the safe choice for regular visitors to Turkey.
Can I wait and buy the eSIM once I'm in Turkey?
Risky: many providers' websites and apps have been blocked in the country since July 2025, and buying and installing don't work reliably there. Buy and install before you fly – and set activation for the day you arrive.
Is one unlimited plan enough for the whole family?
For your own phone, yes – but the daily cap (1 GB per day with Holafly) makes it unsuitable for sharing via hotspot. For several devices: a separate package for each, or a data package from Airalo or Saily, where hotspot use is allowed.
Is there a Holafly discount code?
Yes: the code HERMESINVEST gets you 5% off all Holafly eSIMs – last checked on 16 July 2026. All the offers we have verified are in our discount guide (→ Holafly discount code 2026: save 5% with HERMESINVEST).
Go straight to Holafly: unlimited plans for 30, 60 or 90 days. Enter the code HERMESINVEST at checkout for 5% off (checked on 16 July 2026).
Go to Holafly (code: HERMESINVEST)Prices according to the providers, as of October 2026 – subject to change.
Ali Cetinkaya is a business IT specialist with more than 15 years of experience in IT and online marketing. For DealsScout he evaluates plans, tools and deals – honestly, transparently and without jargon.