Visas for Tunisia

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Updated 2022-08-06 20:18

There are many reasons why you may want to travel to Tunisia. You may be coming here for tourism. Tunisia is one of the most visited countries in Africa. In fact, it was visited by over two million tourists in 2020 alone. The country is home to stunning scenery, beautiful beaches and an abundance of historical attractions. If you are coming to Tunisia on vacation for up to 90 days, you may not need a visa. Or, you may need to apply for a tourist visa.

If you are traveling to Tunisia for business, you may be able to come to the country visa-free if your stay doesn't exceed 90 days. If you need to stay in the country for longer, you will need to apply for a long-stay visa, explain the reason for your stay, and provide proof of your business in the country.

If you want to work in Tunisia or live in the country long-term, you will need to apply for a residence permit. The procedures for applying for a residence permit depend on the purpose of your stay.

Learn about your different visa options for staying in Tunisia below.

What are the different types of visas for Tunisia?

There are two main types of visas you can consider getting if you are planning a trip to Tunisia:

Short-stay visas for stays that ate no longer than 90 days
And long-stay visas for stays over 90 days

Short-stay visas are typically issued for the purpose of tourism, business or family visits. Long-stay visas are visas related to official employment, studies, family reunion, etc.

Tourist visa to Tunisia

If you are coming to Tunisia as a tourist or are planning a short visit to see what the country is about before the big move, you may need to apply for a tourist visa. Please check below the list of countries whose citizens can visit the country visa-free and who need a visa to come to Tunisia. If you do need a visa to Tunisia, you can apply for one at a Tunisian Embassy or Consulate in your home country. You will typically be asked to present the following documents:

A passport valid for at least six months
A duly filled in application form
Return tickets to Tunisia
Proof of accommodation in Tunisia for the length of your stay
Recent photos

Note that additional documentation may be required depending on the specifics of your case.

In case there is no Tunisian representative in your home country, the request can be made to the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Nationale in Tunis. The visa will then be issued by post.

Who can travel to Tunisia visa-free?

Currently, citizens of 97 countries can travel to Tunisia visa-free for up to 90 days. This includes the citizens of all countries that are member states of the European Union, citizens of the United States, and others.

Note that citizens of some other countries are exempt from a visa to the country for different amounts of time. For instance:

Citizens of Canada and Germany can travel to Tunisia for up to 4 months
Citizens of Bulgaria can stay in Tunisia for up to two months
Citizens of Greece can travel to Tunisia for up to one month

Travelers with a residence permit from one of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states can also obtain a visa to Tunisia on arrival and can stay in the country for up 15 days. They will need to meet the following requirements:

Their residence permit in one of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) valid for at least six months
Proof of a prepaid hotel reservation
Proof of sufficient funds to cover the cost of their trip

Make sure to check whether you are exempt from a visa to Tunisia with your local Tunisian embassy or consulate.

Important:

Make sure that you do not overstay your visa-free period in Tunisia. A failure to leave the country within the assigned timeframe will have serious repercussions, including fines and the inability to travel to the country in the future.

Visa exemptions for organized tours in Tunisia

Citizens of certain countries can travel to Tunisia visa-free if they travel to the country as part of an organized tour. These countries are:

Azerbaijan
Belarus
Georgia
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Macao
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan

In addition to being part of an organized tour, the citizens from these countries will need to present a hotel voucher for the length of their planned stay in the country.

Who needs a visa to Tunisia?

Travelers from a lot of countries do require a visa to travel to Tunisia.

America

The Bahamas
Belize
Bolivia
Colombia
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Jamaica
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Puerto Rico
Suriname
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Uruguay
Trinidad and Tobago
Venezuela

Europe

Albania
Cyprus

Africa

Botswana
Burundi
Cameroon
The central African Republic
Chad
Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Eritrea
Eswatini (Swaziland)
Ethiopia
Ghana
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mozambique
Nigeria
Rwanda
São Tomé and Príncipe
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Asia

Afghanistan
Armenia
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Cambodia
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Laos
Lebanon
Myanmar (Burma)
Mongolia
Nepal
North Korea
Pakistan
Palestine
The Philippines
Syria
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Yemen

Oceania

Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Nauru
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu

If you come from one of the countries above, you will need to apply for a visa to Tunisia prior to your travels. You can apply for any of the visas we've mentioned above at a Tunisian embassy or consulate in your home country. The documents you will need to submit will depend on the type of visa you are applying for and your country of citizenship. Check with a Tunisian embassy or consulate in your home country about the related proceedings.

Business visa to Tunisia

If you are traveling to the country on business and can't visit the country visa-free, you will need to apply for a business visa. Just like with a tourist visa, you can do that at your local Tunisian Embassy or Consulate. You will need the following documents:

A passport valid for at least six months from the date of your application
Proof of onward and return flights
Proof of travel purpose (business invitation, conference registration, etc.)
Proof of sufficient funds to cover your expenses throughout your stay

Once again, additional documentation may be required depending on the details of your trip.

Transit visa to Tunisia

The transit visa applies to foreign nationals who intend to pass through Tunisia and stay for a maximum of seven days. If you are traveling from one country to another and have a stopover in Tunisia, you can arrange for a transit visa that will allow you to leave the transit zone and explore the country.

This visa is issued at Tunisia's diplomatic and consular offices and at transit border posts.

Note that you will only need the transit visa if you are not exempt from having to obtain a visa to travel to Tunisia.

Residence permits in Tunisia

If you want to stay in Tunisia for a more extended period, you will need to consider your long-term visa options. In most cases, you will need to apply for a residence permit at the nearest police station to your place of residence.

There are several bases for applying for a residence permit:

Education (student visa)
Employment (work visa)
Family reunion (family visa)
Investing in the country's economy (investment visa)

Once you receive one of the above visas, you will need to apply for a residence permit. If your application is approved, you will get a Tunisian Residency Card.

Student visa to Tunisia

If you want to study in Tunisia, you will first need to apply for a student visa from your home country. You can do this at your local Tunisian Embassy or Consulate. You will need to provide the following documents:

A letter of acceptance from a Tunisian university showing that you've been offered a place in a full-time course
Proof of enough funds to support you throughout your studies. Your tuition must also be paid in full.
Proof of private medical insurance for the length of your stay

You will also need to show an intention to return to your home country once your studies are over.

Please note that extra documentation may be required. The procedures for applying for a student visa to Tunisia may also differ from one country to another.

Work visa in Tunisia

The only way to be legally employed in Tunisia is to get a work permit. You can then use your work permit to apply for residency in Tunisia.

To receive a work permit in Tunisia, you will need to have a valid job offer for full-time employment from a company based in Tunisia. Once you have secured a job offer, you can go on to apply for a work visa at a Tunisian Embassy or Consulate in your home country.

You will generally be asked for the following documents:

A passport valid for six months from the day of application
A properly filled in work visa application form
A signed work contract
A letter of invitation from a company in Tunisia
Photos, flight tickets, proof of accommodation, etc.

More documentation may be required, depending on the nature of your work and your country of origin.

Important:

The only way to work in Tunisia legally is by obtaining a work permit. While you may be offered unofficial jobs even when on a tourist, business or family visa, accepting such offers is illegal. It can result in very serious consequences — including deportation. If you receive a job offer during a short-stay visit to Tunisia, ask your potential employer to provide you with a formal invitation. You will then need to return to your home country and apply for a work visa to re-enter Tunisia. Once in the country, you will go on to apply for a residence permit.

Traveling to Tunisia

There are many ways to travel to Tunisia — depending on where you are traveling from. The leading airline that handles international flights to and out of the country is Tunis Air. Plus, many other airlines make the journey, including KLM, British Airways, Lufthansa, and others.

The country's main airport is Tunis Carthage Airport. Other airports include Enfidha Hammamet Airport, Djerba Zarzis Airport, Monastir-Habib Bourguiba, and others.

In addition to flying, you can also get to Tunisia by ferry. You can take the ferry to Tunisia from a number of ports in Europe, including Marseilles, Naples, Palermo, and others.