Planning a trip to Turkey and hoping to stay connected with an eSIM? It’s a smart idea for convenience, but there’s a unique situation you need to be aware of. According to the Freedom of Expression Association (İFÖD), the Turkish government has recently prohibited the use of eSIMs from eight major providers: Saily, Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Instabridge, Mobimatter, Alosim, and BNESIM.
This move by the Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) appears to be a strategic effort to encourage travelers to rely on local Turkish network operators. As a result, many of these popular eSIM provider websites are simply inaccessible when you’re connected to the internet within Turkey. It can be quite frustrating to arrive and suddenly find your carefully planned connectivity solution won’t work!
Interestingly, during a recent two-day trip to Turkey, I personally experienced this firsthand. While I couldn’t even access the websites for Airalo or Holafly, Microesim proved to be a surprising exception. Microesim Turkey-specific plans could still be installed even after arriving in the country, though they do recommend setting it up before you depart. My internet connection with Microesim was smooth and reliable throughout my stay, which was a huge relief given the general restrictions.
What makes Microesim even more appealing is its competitive pricing. As of July 31st, it remains one of the few eSIM providers whose Turkey plans can still be installed locally. However, with the ever-changing regulatory landscape, there’s no telling when this might change. If you’re heading to Turkey soon and want the convenience of an eSIM, it’s highly recommended to look into Microesim sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you might find yourself needing to purchase a more expensive local physical SIM card upon arrival.
