Machines to accept departure fee at Istanbul Airport

ISTANBUL

Turkish citizens obliged to pay a departure fee every time they leave the country can now make the payment at machines placed recently at Istanbul Airport.

Due to this new implementation – a first in Turkey – commuters will no longer wait in line in front of the relevant desk at the airport to pay for their fee stamp.

“Sometimes there would be lines for the departure fee stamp. And now I think things will get done in 5-10 seconds,” said one passenger at the airport.

Initially, 10 machines have been set up at Istanbul Airport as part of the pilot program. This project is planned to be extended to the Sabiha Gökçen Airport with six machines at the airport on the city’s Asian side.

Harun Gümüşdoğrayan, one of the software engineers in the project, said that the machines aimed at saving time for commuters.

“The project has been very successful. It came out from long-lasting works. And hopefully, it will be used in all airports [across Turkey]. Both cash and credit card can be used [for payment],” he said, adding that a commuter can get their stamp and pay for it in a total of about 30 seconds.

Turkish citizens are charged a departure fee of 50 Turkish Liras (about $8.7) while leaving the country.

There is no need to get a departure fee stamp if the person has a residence permit abroad as of the date of exit.