Temporary residence visa and card
carte de séjour temporaire
Foreigners staying in Tunisia more than three months in a row, or six non-consecutive months in a year, must obtain a residence visa and a temporary residence card. It is issued for a stated purpose such as work, study or retirement. Validity matches the supporting documents and is normally no more than one year. The Interior Minister can grant two-year cards in exceptional cases and five-year cards to investors living in Tunisia for at least one year.
Life in Tunisia
Money
3
Currency
Tunisian Dinar
TND
Tunisian Dinar
Cost of living
33
Price level · US = 100
World Bank price levels, 2025
Tax
15–40%
Income tax (national)
VAT 19%
40% applies above TND 70,000 a year; a social solidarity contribution adds the equivalent of one extra point on each bracket rate.
Living
1
Happiness
#103 of 145 countries
World Happiness Report 2025
Your edge here Members
What gives you an edge here: passports, visas and permits you hold, work, study, language and family ties
Who it’s for
Workers, students, retirees, investors and others staying in Tunisia longer than three months.
Eligibility
When required
You need a visa and a temporary residence card if you stay over three uninterrupted months, or six non-consecutive months in one year.
- Rule comes from Loi n° 68-7, art. 9
- Applies to any foreigner
Official wording
Any foreigner staying more than three uninterrupted months, or six non-consecutive months in one year, must obtain a visa and a temporary residence card (Loi n° 68-7, art. 9).
Legal entry and resources
The applicant must state the reason for the stay; the visa is granted only if they prove legal entry into Tunisia and that they have resources (Décret n° 68-198, art. 13).
Work or business
Anyone intending to practise a profession or trade must provide an authorisation from the competent ministry and cannot start before getting the visa (Décret n° 68-198, art. 13).
A sneak peek at what's inside
- Next requirementValidity
- Document checklist'Demande de visa – carte de séjour' form
- FeesResidence visa fee
The full requirements are for members
Create an account and subscribe to see every requirement, the full document checklist, fees, steps, processing times and conditions, and how your profile compares.
- 4 more requirements
- 5 documents
- 2 fees
- 5 steps
- Processing times and conditions
Places to visit in Tunisia
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Finding places for you…
Official sources
- Recueil des textes juridiques tunisiens relatifs à la migration, édition 2017 (Office des Tunisiens à l'Étranger) – contains Loi n° 68-7, Décret n° 68-198, Décret gouvernemental n° 2017-1061, Code du travail arts 258–269, Code de la nationalité
- Ministère de l'Intérieur – Formulaire 'Demande de visa – Carte de séjour' (Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale)
- Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Formation Professionnelle – Emploi des étrangers en Tunisie
- idaraty.tn – Obtention de la carte de séjour pour étrangers (Etudiant / Mariage / Retraité) (unreachable on 2026-10-17, HTTP 403)
Other routes to Tunisia
- Visit & tourismEntry visa / visa-free short stay
- Work permitsForeign worker employment contract
- Permanent residenceOrdinary residence visa and card
- FamilySpouse and family of a Tunisian citizen
- CitizenshipTunisian nationality by naturalisation or marriage declaration
Status in-country in other countries
- TongaResidency Visa (Tongan ancestry or spouse) and Assured Income (retirement) Visa
- Vatican CityAuthorisation to reside in Vatican City
- VenezuelaTransient rentista visa (TR-RE) for people living on foreign income or pensions
- VanuatuResidence Visa (partner, child, employee, self-funded, foreign investor, leasehold holder) and Permanent Residency
- AlbaniaResidence Permit for Pensioners
- AzerbaijanTemporary residence permit
