Tunisia
Tunisia visa and residence guide
- 8 visa types
- checked 24 October 2026
How visas for Tunisia work
Tunisia keeps entry and residence apart. At the border the question is only whether you need a visa: the Tunisian embassy in Washington publishes the list of nationalities that do not, and it includes most EU member states (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and others), the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Türkiye, several Gulf states and the Maghreb neighbours. Citizens of those countries arrive with a passport and may stay up to 90 days. Everyone else applies in advance to the Tunisian embassy or consulate that covers their place of legal residence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks every foreign visitor to hold a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and recommends starting consular formalities well ahead of the trip (its French text says no later than 20 days before departure). Visa applications are paper files lodged at the mission; the embassy in Washington, for example, sends tourist applications to the Ministry of the Interior for approval and warns that processing can take up to 21 business days.
Anyone who stays longer than the visa-free period or the period granted by a visa needs a residence card (carte de séjour). It is issued by the National Security (Sûreté nationale) services of the Ministry of the Interior, on the ministry's form titled 'Demande de visa - carte de séjour'. The ministry's guidance lists five situations, each with its own file: paid work, studies, marriage, retirement without salaried activity, and investment. With a complete file, the card is decided within one month at most.
Paid employment adds the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment. It issues one of two work authorisations: an endorsed (visé) employment contract, usually after the employment office has certified that no Tunisian candidate with the same qualification is available, or a certificate of non-subjection to the contract visa for categories such as company managers, executives of companies under the 2016 Investment Law within the legal quota, and staff of hydrocarbon and mining companies. The work residence card is then requested from the police.
Which visa do I need?
Holiday, family visit or business trip of up to 90 days: EU, UK, US and other listed citizens travel with a passport valid six months; other nationals apply for a tourist or business visa at the Tunisian mission covering their residence.
University studies: secure enrolment first (cooperation quota, the paid programme for international students or distance enrolment), then apply for the student residence card at the nearest police station before your visa-free period or visa ends.
Salaried job: your Tunisian employer obtains the contract visa or the certificate of non-subjection from the Ministry of Employment; you then file for the work residence card.
Setting up or running a company: investors and managers use the non-subjection certificate and the investor route for the residence card, with help from the Tunisia Investment Authority and the Ministry of the Interior's investor support unit.
Marriage or retirement in Tunisia: apply for the residence card on the basis of marriage, or as a retiree with proof of regular pension transfers.
Visa types for Tunisia
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Visa-free stay (up to 90 days) and short-stay tourist visa
Citizens of the countries on Tunisia's exemption list, which includes most EU states, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, visit with a passport valid at least six months and may stay up to 90 days.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days for visa-exempt nationals; for visa holders, the period granted in the visa.
Business and self-employment
- Business visa Business visa and visa-free business trips
Business travellers from visa-exempt countries visit Tunisia for meetings, negotiations or trade fairs with a passport only, for up to 90 days.
Maximum stay: Up to 90 days visa-free for exempt nationals; otherwise the stay granted in the visa. - Investor visa Residence card for investors and company managers
Foreign investors who run their own company in Tunisia, as employer, manager or legal representative, obtain a certificate of non-subjection to the contract visa from the Ministry of Employment and then a residence card.
Processing time: Residence card: within one month at most with a complete file.
Study and training
- Student visa Residence card for studies (carte de séjour, études)
International students enter Tunisia visa-free or with a visa, then apply for a residence card for studies at the police station nearest their home before their permitted stay ends.
Maximum stay: For the academic year of enrolment; renewal files are due by 30 September.
Work
- Work visa Work authorisation (contract visa or certificate of non-subjection) and residence card for salaried work
A foreigner may take salaried work in Tunisia once the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment has either endorsed the employment contract or issued a certificate of non-subjection to the contract visa.
Processing time: Residence card: at most one month with a complete file. No time limit is published for the work authorisation.
Family
- Spouse and partner visa Residence card on the basis of marriage (spouses of Tunisians and of residents)
A foreigner married to a Tunisian citizen, or joining a spouse in Tunisia, applies to the National Security services for a residence card on the basis of marriage.
Processing time: Within one month at most with a complete file.
Residence
- Retirement visa Residence card for retirees (no salaried activity)
Retirees who want to live in Tunisia without salaried work apply for a residence card in the retiree category.
Processing time: Within one month at most with a complete file. - Residence permit Carte de séjour (residence card for foreigners)
The carte de séjour is the document every foreigner needs to live in Tunisia beyond the visa-free period or the stay granted by a visa.
Processing time: Within one month at most with a complete file.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Tunisia?
Not if your nationality is on the list the Tunisian embassy in Washington publishes as visa-exempt for stays of up to 90 days, which covers most EU states, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and many others. Other nationals apply to the Tunisian mission covering their residence. Everyone needs a passport valid for at least six months from the day of entry.
What if I want to stay longer than 90 days?
Visa-exempt visitors who intend to stay beyond 90 days must ask for an extension of stay at the police station nearest their address in Tunisia. For a longer purpose such as work, study, marriage or retirement, the right document is the residence card (carte de séjour), applied for before the 90 days end.
Can I apply for a Tunisian visa online?
The foreign ministry and the embassies describe paper applications lodged at the Tunisian mission covering your place of residence, with a signed form, photo, passport and fee; none of them points to an online visa portal. Start early: the ministry recommends acting about three weeks before travel.
How much does a Tunisian visa cost?
Fees are set per mission and paid in local currency. The embassy in Washington, for instance, charges USD 90 for a single-entry and USD 180 for a multiple-entry visa, the same for all visa types and non-refundable. Visa-exempt travellers pay nothing to enter.
Can I work in Tunisia after entering visa-free?
Not on the visa-free stay alone. Paid work needs a Ministry of Employment authorisation (an endorsed employment contract or a certificate of non-subjection) and then a residence card for a salaried activity, which the police issue on the basis of that authorisation.
Embassies and consulates
Last checked 24 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.