Tunisia student visa and residence card

Every international student who stays in Tunisia for a course of study longer than the permitted stay must hold a residence card for studies. Students from visa-exempt countries have three months from the date of arrival; students who need a visa should check the length of stay written in it. The higher education ministry insists that the residence application be filed before that period ends.

The card is issued by the National Security services of the Ministry of the Interior, on the same 'visa - residence card' form used for all categories, with 'study' ticked as the purpose.

According to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, international students reach public universities in two ways. Under a cooperation programme, Tunisia offers yearly quotas of places, with or without scholarships, to candidates officially proposed by partner countries; files are handled by the ministry's Directorate General for International Cooperation (DGCI), and age limits for first-cycle entry range between 18 and 23 depending on the institution. Outside the quotas, an attractiveness programme opens public universities to international students who pay tuition fees.

Students admitted through the DGCI can enrol at a distance on inscription.tn with the identification number the directorate gives them. Private institutions recruit directly; for their students, the enrolment certificate filed with the police must be legalised by the ministry.

The higher education ministry's guide for international students lists the file to bring to the police: a certificate of enrolment for the current academic year (legalised by the ministry for private institutions), a certificate showing that tuition fees were paid, a certificate of attendance, a TND 1,500 solvency document or a scholarship certificate, a rental contract or accommodation certificate, two identity photos, the TND 75 receipt from the tax office, and copies of the passport's first page and of the page bearing the entry stamp.

The Ministry of the Interior's own checklist for students is shorter but consistent: proof of enrolment, proof of income, a valid passport copy, four photos, proof of housing and the completed form. Bring four photos to be safe. If you rent privately, the higher education ministry recommends going through an estate agency and getting a properly signed lease with a legalised signature.

A file lodged within the deadline costs a TND 75 receipt. Lodging it late triggers a TND 300 fine. A student who stays on after the visa or visa-free period without having applied is in an irregular situation, must pay TND 20 for each week of overstay and may face expulsion proceedings.

Apply for the residence card as soon as you arrive rather than waiting for the deadline. International students must also undergo a compulsory, confidential medical check with blood, stool and urine tests; it is free for students of public universities and costs roughly TND 70 to 80 for students of private institutions. Students with a cooperation scholarship can apply for public university housing once the DGCI has approved the scholarship and housing; others can use private student residences.

The card follows the academic year. To renew it, file again with the enrolment certificate for the new year and the other supporting documents; the higher education ministry sets 30 September as the last day for renewal applications.