If you only have a little to move, a few suitcases, some boxes, a bed and a wardrobe, you do not need a whole container to ship from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey. Al Basmah International Shipping puts it in a shared container (LCL) and charges you only for the cubic metres it takes, usually with a minimum of one cubic metre. The container sails from Jebel Ali to Ambarlı in Istanbul in roughly 3 to 5 weeks, then is cleared and delivered to your home in Yalova, Sapanca or any Turkish city. Urgent parcels go by air in roughly 2 to 5 days. We do not use a road route to Turkey. Send your list on WhatsApp at 0557643821 at any time.
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This guide is for people living alone or in a small flat in Umm Al Quwain: someone whose contract has ended, a student, or a small family that has bought a flat or house near the lake in Sapanca or on the Yalova coast and wants to take only what they need. We work out the volume with you using real examples, explain how to write the inventory Turkish customs asks for, why your tax number must be ready before your things sail, and what we do if you want to ship your crossover too.
How many cubic metres do you have?
- A medium carton of 60 × 40 × 40 cm takes about 0.1 m³, so ten boxes ≈ one cubic metre.
- One person’s room with its furniture usually comes to 4–6 m³ once dismantled and packed.
- A shared container charges for the space you use, usually with a 1 m³ minimum.
- The inventory, Turkish tax number and residence permit are prepared before shipping, not after arrival.
- Urgent parcels go by air; a car is not booked before its eligibility check and condition photos.
- Price: send the details on WhatsApp and the price comes back to you.
What do we ship from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey?
We ship small and medium loads in shared containers, flat contents in a full container when the volume grows, cars once their entry is confirmed, and urgent parcels by air. The shipments we see most from Umm Al Quwain on this route:
- Boxes of clothes, books, kitchenware and personal belongings, from five boxes to several dozen.
- Large suitcases beyond your airline allowance.
- Furniture from one room or a small flat: bed, mattress, wardrobe, desk and sofa.
- Small appliances, TV, computer and coffee machine, all of which work in Turkey on 230 V, 50 Hz.
- Bicycles, sports gear and fishing tackle, common among Umm Al Quwain residents.
- Small cars and crossovers, after the eligibility check.
- Documents, gifts and light urgent items by air.
Pickup areas in Umm Al Quwain
We collect from every part of the emirate, and a small load needs no container at your door: a small truck arrives with the packing crew, and your things go to the consolidation warehouse and then to the port.
- Al Salamah, Al Raudah, Al Ramlah, Al Humrah and Al Maidan.
- Al Khor, the Old Town and the Al Ras area near the Corniche.
- Falaj Al Mualla and the inland farm areas.
- The Emirates Modern Industrial Area and the Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone, for commercial shipments and samples.
- The newer residential communities on the road to Ras Al Khaimah and along the lagoon.
The team agrees the pickup time with you. We can collect boxes you have sealed yourself, as long as you open them in front of us for the inventory, or we can pack everything from scratch. If you live near the Ajman border, the same approach is covered in our Ajman to Turkey guide.
Shipping by the cubic metre: how to work out your volume
A shared container is usually charged by the cubic metre, or by weight if that is higher, with each tonne counted as one cubic metre. Household goods are light for their size, so volume decides in most cases. The sum is simple: length × width × height in metres for each item, then add them up. Three examples from shipments we see again and again:
Example 1: boxes and suitcases only
Eight medium boxes (60 × 40 × 40 cm) and two large suitcases. Each box is about 0.096 m³, so eight come to ≈ 0.77, and the two suitcases ≈ 0.25. The total is about one cubic metre, which is usually the minimum for a shared shipment, so there is no point leaving a box or two behind to save space.
Example 2: one person’s room
- A 160 cm bed, dismantled: about 1.2 m³.
- Mattress in its cover: about 0.6 m³.
- Two-door wardrobe, dismantled: about 1 m³.
- Fifteen boxes: about 1.5 m³.
- TV, small desk and chair: about 0.6 m³.
That is close to 5 m³. Dismantling makes a big difference here: the same wardrobe shipped assembled can take twice the space.
Example 3: a one-bedroom flat
A small fully furnished flat usually comes to 10–15 m³. When your volume gets near that figure, ask the team to compare shared space with a full 20 ft container, because the full container sometimes works out cheaper and quicker: it does not wait for other cargo and is not unloaded at a warehouse before delivery.
Under 1 m³
Usually charged as one cubic metre. If the items are light and urgent, compare with air freight.
1 to 10 m³
A shared container is the usual choice, and the price follows the volume.
Over about 12 m³
Compare with a full 20 ft container loaded at your door.
Measuring tip
Measure after dismantling, not before, and send us photos of items next to a tape measure.
The sea route from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey
Shipping to Turkey is by sea for belongings, furniture and cars, and by air for urgent items only; we do not use a road route. This is how a shared shipment moves:
- Collection from your home in Umm Al Quwain and the inventory.
- Transfer to the consolidation warehouse, where your goods are stowed with other shipments for Turkey.
- The shared container is loaded and usually leaves from Jebel Ali, sometimes from Sharjah or Khor Fakkan.
- Sailing via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, roughly 3 to 5 weeks.
- Arrival at Ambarlı in Istanbul, Mersin or Izmir, and unloading at the customs warehouse.
- Clearance in your name, then delivery to your home in Yalova, Sapanca or your city.
A full container (20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft HC) takes the same route but is loaded at your home and arrives sealed at the Turkish port without a consolidation warehouse. To compare the emirates, see our main UAE to Turkey guide.
Transit times and the three methods compared
| Method | Approximate time | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea, shared (LCL) | 3–5 weeks at sea, a few days more for consolidation and warehouse unloading | From 1 m³ to about 12 m³ | Minimum usually 1 m³; clearance at the customs warehouse |
| Sea, full (FCL) | 3–5 weeks port to port, then clearance and trucking | A whole flat, or belongings with a car | Your own container, loaded at your door |
| Air | About 2–5 days door to door | Urgent parcels, documents, light items | Actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher; not for furniture |
Air freight for urgent parcels from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey
If you are flying out before the shared container lands, send what you need for the first days by air: official papers, your laptop, two weeks of clothes, work tools. We collect the parcel from your home in Umm Al Quwain and fly it from Sharjah or Dubai airport to Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen, or to Ankara, Antalya and elsewhere. It usually arrives in roughly 2 to 5 days door to door with clearance.
- Volumetric weight = length × width × height in cm ÷ 6000, and the charge uses whichever is higher, volumetric or actual weight.
- Example: a 70 × 45 × 30 cm suitcase has a volumetric weight of 15.75 kg, so if it actually weighs 18 kg it is charged as 18 kg.
- Lithium batteries, liquids and perfumes are restricted by air.
- Furniture does not go by air, and heavy books are cheaper by sea.
The working rule: light things you need quickly fly; heavy or bulky things that can wait go in the shared container.
Packing a small load
A shared shipment is stowed with other people’s goods and handled several times: at the UAE warehouse, into the container, and at the Turkish customs warehouse. So the packing has to be stronger than for a full container:
- New double-wall cartons, not used supermarket boxes.
- Heavy items in small boxes, light items in large ones; books in boxes one person can lift.
- Glass and plates wrapped one by one and stood upright.
- The TV in its own carton or between two sheets of heavy board.
- Furniture dismantled, with the bolts in a bag taped to the piece itself.
- Every box marked with a number, your name, your phone and the delivery city, because your things are not alone in the container.
The inventory: the list Turkish customs asks for
The inventory is not a formality. Turkish customs usually wants a detailed list of personal effects, with the brand and serial number of electrical items, and an incomplete or vague list can mean every box is opened. We write it with you on collection day like this:
| Box no. | Room | Contents | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bedroom | Winter clothes, 2 blankets | — |
| 2 | Kitchen | Plates and glasses | Fragile |
| 3 | Study | Laptop | Brand and serial number |
| 4 | Living room | 50-inch TV | Brand and serial number |
| 5 | — | Books | Heavy |
- Do not write “miscellaneous”; write what is actually in the box.
- New appliances in their boxes may be treated as goods, so declare them clearly or take them out of the packaging.
- Photograph the contents of each box before sealing it; the photos help you at delivery.
Documents: residence permit, tax number and the rest
Personal effects
- Passport.
- A valid Turkish residence or work permit, usually required for a foreigner moving personal effects to Turkey.
- A Turkish tax number in your name, the first thing asked for at clearance, so have it before the container sails.
- The detailed inventory, as in the table above.
- The bill of lading in your own name, not a friend’s or relative’s.
- A rental contract, often 12 months or more, or the deed to your home in Yalova or Sapanca.
- Returning Turkish citizens have different conditions, which the team reviews with them.
These are the usual requirements; the team reviews your case before collection, and no customs exemption is guaranteed before that.
Samples and commercial goods
- Commercial invoice and packing list, and an importer registered in Turkey.
- Customs duty by type of goods; UAE origin does not give automatic exemption.
- Turkish VAT (KDV) at the standard rate of 20%.
- Conformity documents for some products.
Cars
- Ownership papers in your name, free of loans and fines.
- A UAE export certificate.
- Your Turkish residence permit if you have one, and the team’s eligibility result.
Shipping a crossover from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey
The first question is not what shipping costs but whether the car can enter Turkey at all. Turkey restricts and heavily taxes used-car imports by individuals, with a special consumption tax (ÖTV) that depends on engine size and value, and many personal cars cannot be imported, or are allowed only temporarily for some foreign residents. The team checks your case and the expected costs before any booking.
If the car is eligible and you choose to ship it in a container, we start with condition photos before it goes in:
- Photos of all four sides, the roof and the wheels, plus close-ups of any existing scratch or dent.
- A photo of the odometer reading and of the interior.
- The photos are sent to you on WhatsApp and used to compare the car’s condition at delivery.
- Fuel at the minimum, and no personal items inside the car except what is agreed and listed on the inventory.
- The car is strapped and chocked, and ships in a 20 ft container on its own or in a 40 ft with your household goods.
It can also go by RoRo, driven aboard the ship uncovered, and that method does not allow anything to be left inside.
Prohibited and restricted items
- Prohibited: narcotics, weapons and ammunition, counterfeit goods.
- Restricted: drones, mobile phones in quantity because they need IMEI registration, and some medicines and foods that need permits.
- Not accepted in shared shipments: flammable liquids, gas, and large loose batteries.
- Home-made food, dates and spices in large amounts may need papers, so ask before packing them.
Warning: In a shared container, one non-compliant box can delay the clearance of your goods. List everything on the inventory, and do not pack new phones, medicines in quantity or anything you are unsure about without asking the team.
Prices from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey
Here the price follows your volume first. For every service, shared, full or air: send the details on WhatsApp and the price comes back to you. Send the number of boxes and rough sizes, the furniture list, the Turkish city, and whether there is a car or an urgent parcel. You can also use our quote request page.
What decides the price of shipping to Turkey?
| Factor | How it affects the price |
|---|---|
| Method | Shared (LCL) for small volumes, full (FCL) once the volume grows, air for urgent items only |
| Volume in m³ | The main factor in a shared shipment; the minimum is usually 1 m³ |
| Container size | 20 ft for a small flat or a car; 40 ft for larger loads or a car with furniture |
| Arrival port and city | Usually Ambarlı for Yalova and Sapanca, then the inland distance |
| Packing | New cartons, special packing for glass and the TV, dismantling furniture |
| Documents and clearance | Personal or commercial shipment, and any Turkish duties and taxes |
| Car | RoRo or in a container, plus the expected Turkish taxes if it is eligible |
How to ship from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey, step by step
- List and photograph your belongings and send them on WhatsApp at 0557643821 with the Turkish city.
- The team works out the volume in cubic metres, suggests shared or full, and reviews your papers.
- You receive the price and the pickup day is set.
- The crew comes to your home in Umm Al Quwain, packs and writes the inventory with you.
- Your goods go to the consolidation warehouse and then into the container.
- The team sends you a WhatsApp update at each stage: collection, loading, sailing, arrival and clearance.
- Your goods are cleared in Turkey in your name with your tax number.
- Delivery to your home in Yalova, Sapanca or your city.
Delivery in Turkey: Yalova, Sapanca and other cities
Yalova sits on the southern shore of the Sea of Marmara close to Istanbul, and Sapanca is the green lake town to the east; both have small houses and residential complexes that many Gulf residents buy. Shipments to them usually land at Ambarlı in Istanbul and continue by truck. The usual arrival port for other areas:
| Area | Usual arrival port | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Istanbul, European side (Esenyurt, Beylikdüzü, Başakşehir, Bahçeşehir, Küçükçekmece, Şişli) | Ambarlı | Shortest inland leg |
| Istanbul, Asian side (Kadıköy, Ataşehir, Üsküdar) | Ambarlı | Bridge crossing; off-peak delivery is better |
| Ankara | Ambarlı or Mersin | By truck from the better-placed port |
| Bursa and Yalova | Ambarlı | Both close to Istanbul |
| Sapanca and Kocaeli | Ambarlı | East of Istanbul by truck |
| Trabzon | Usually Ambarlı | Long inland leg along the Black Sea coast |
| Antalya and Izmir | Izmir or Mersin | Depends on the shipping line |
| Mersin and Gaziantep | Mersin | Closest for the south |
Houses and complexes in Yalova and Sapanca
In residential complexes, management may want notice of the delivery time, and in tall buildings furniture is sometimes lifted to the balcony with an external furniture lift. Some roads to the detached houses around Lake Sapanca are narrow, so we ask for the address and a photo of the entrance before shipping. The team arranges the delivery time with the receiver in Turkey, and if you have not arrived yet, someone you nominate can receive it for you.
Because a shared shipment is cleared at the customs warehouse, any delay in providing your tax number or residence permit means storage charges on your goods. Have everything ready before arrival.
Tips before you ship
- Measure your things after dismantling; the real figure is usually lower than you expect.
- Do not ship cheap, heavy furniture; compare the cost of shipping it with buying it in Turkey.
- Get your Turkish tax number before the pickup day.
- Separate urgent from non-urgent: a small air parcel and a shared container for the rest.
- Insurance is optional; ask the team about it before booking.
- If you have villa and garden furniture, our Ras Al Khaimah to Turkey guide suits you better, and for Dubai flats see our Dubai to Turkey guide.
FAQ: shipping from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey
What is the smallest amount I can ship from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey?
In a shared container the minimum is usually one cubic metre, about ten medium boxes. Anything smaller that is light and urgent may suit air freight better.
How do I work out my volume in cubic metres?
Multiply length × width × height in metres for each item and add the results. A 60 × 40 × 40 cm box is about 0.1 m³, and one person’s room is usually 4 to 6 m³.
How long does a shared container take to Turkey?
Roughly 3 to 5 weeks at sea, sometimes a few days more for consolidation and unloading at the customs warehouse before delivery.
Do I need a Turkish tax number to ship my belongings?
Usually yes, together with a residence or work permit and the inventory. Have the tax number ready before your goods sail so nothing waits at the port.
Do you deliver to Yalova and Sapanca?
Yes. Shipments usually land at Ambarlı in Istanbul and are trucked to your address in Yalova or Sapanca.
Can my crossover ship with my belongings?
Once the team has confirmed it can enter and what it will cost, it is photographed from every side and then shipped in a container or by RoRo.
Is there road freight from Umm Al Quwain to Turkey?
We do not use a road route to Turkey. Belongings, furniture and cars go by sea, and urgent items by air.
How do I follow my shipment’s progress?
The team sends you WhatsApp updates at collection, loading, sailing, arrival, clearance and the delivery appointment.
A small load and a new home in Yalova or Sapanca?
Send photos and sizes of your boxes and furniture on WhatsApp; we work out the cubic metres and send you the price.
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