TunisiaResidence
Tunisia retirement visa and retiree residence card
Residence card for retirees (no salaried activity)
In short
Retirees who want to live in Tunisia without salaried work apply for a residence card in the retiree category. The Ministry of the Interior asks mainly for proof that a pension or other income is transferred to Tunisia periodically and regularly, plus housing proof, a passport copy, four photos and the form; a complete file is decided within one month.
checked 24 October 2026
Key facts
- Processing time
- Within one month at most with a complete file.
- Work
- No salaried activity; the category is defined for retirees not engaged in paid employment.
- Family
- Each family member needs their own residence card; a spouse can use the marriage category.
- Where to apply
- In Tunisia, at the National Security services covering your address.
Who the retiree card is for
The Ministry of the Interior has a separate file for 'retirees not engaged in any salaried professional activity'. It suits pensioners and people with their own income who want to live in Tunisia beyond the 90 days allowed to visa-exempt visitors. EU, UK and US citizens and other exempt nationals enter visa-free and apply in Tunisia; other nationals enter with a visa and apply before it expires.
The general conditions apply as for any card: lawful entry and respect of the rules on entry, stay and work.
The file
The ministry's list for retirees: the certificate of periodic and regular transfer of the pension or other income, proof of accommodation, a copy of a valid passport, four identity photos and the 'visa - residence card' form. On the form you tick the purpose of stay and give your planned length of stay, your address and former occupation, your parents' details and, if married, your spouse's name and nationality.
Required documents
Identity
- Four identity photos
- Completed 'Demande de visa - carte de séjour' form
Travel
- Copy of a valid passport
Money
- Certificate of periodic and regular transfer of the pension or other income to Tunisia
Other
- Proof of accommodation
Proof of income
The core document is a certificate showing that your pension, or any other source of income, is transferred to Tunisia periodically and regularly. No minimum amount is published in the ministry's guidance, so the office judges whether the income is regular and sufficient.
Filing and timing
File at the National Security district covering your home before the 90 days or your visa run out. The ministry decides complete files within one month at most. The form includes a box for the fiscal stamp receipt number, so buy the stamp the office indicates before submitting.
- Enter Tunisia lawfully, visa-free if your nationality is exempt.
- Arrange for your pension or other income to be transferred to Tunisia regularly.
- Secure housing and obtain proof of accommodation.
- Lodge the file at the National Security district before your permitted stay ends.
- Collect the card, normally within one month, and renew it with fresh transfer proof.
Renewal
The same form is used for first issue, renewal and replacement; you tick the matching box. Keep the pension transfers to Tunisia running so that you can document them again at renewal.
Spouse and family
The retiree card covers only its holder. A spouse who settles in Tunisia with you files their own residence application, either in the retiree category if they also receive a pension, or in the marriage category with a marriage certificate drawn up by a Tunisian authority or legalised by the Tunisian foreign ministry. Children under 16 are recorded on the parent's form. Each adult file needs its own passport copy, four photos and proof of accommodation.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum pension for the retiree card?
The Ministry of the Interior's guidance publishes no minimum; it asks for proof that the pension or other income is transferred to Tunisia periodically and regularly.
Can a foreign retiree settle in Tunisia?
Yes. Enter lawfully, visa-free if your nationality is exempt, arrange regular pension transfers to a Tunisian account and apply for the retiree residence card before your permitted stay ends.
May I work on a retiree card?
No. The category is for people not engaged in salaried activity; paid work would require a work authorisation and a work residence card.
Official sources
- Ministère de l'Intérieur (e-Interieur) - Octroi de la carte de séjour pour étrangers (retraités)
- Ministère de l'Intérieur - Formulaire Demande de visa - carte de séjour
- Embassy of Tunisia, Washington - Visa-exempt nationalities and stays over 90 days
Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.
Other visa types for Tunisia
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa 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 Maximum stay: Up to 90 days visa-free for exempt nationals; otherwise the stay granted in the visa.
- Investor visa Processing time: Residence card: within one month at most with a complete file.
Study and training
- Student visa Maximum stay: For the academic year of enrolment; renewal files are due by 30 September.
Work
- Work 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 Processing time: Within one month at most with a complete file.
Residence
- Residence permit Processing time: Within one month at most with a complete file.