Tunisia Visa For Indians
If you are going on a vacation to Tunisia and are looking for information on Tunisia Visa For Indians, then here you will find all the information you need.
Vacationing in Tunisia is becoming more and more popular among Indian travelers. If you have been planning a visit to Tunisia, you know that an elusive visa can be costly and time-consuming. But there’s good news for India! Tunisian visas for Indians are now much simpler.
New Indian passport holders can now apply for tourist visas to Tunisia. The Tunisian embassy in New Delhi has been designated as the only office in India to accept visa applications from Indian nationals.
Tunisia is a country in Northern Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. It has a population of around 11.2 million people.
Tunisia is a member of the Arab League, Union for the Mediterranean, Arab Maghreb Union and African Union. It is also a member of the European Union’s Mediterranean Initiative aimed at encouraging economic and political cooperation in the Mediterranean region. The country’s name originates from its geographic position at the northernmost point where the Sahara meets the Mediterranean Sea; this location has given name to the present-day Tunisia called “Africa in miniature”.
Touriago is a leading provider of travel services, including visa services for Tunisia. Our team of expert visa consultants has extensive experience assisting clients with their visa applications for Tunisia and we can help you too.
If you are planning to visit Tunisia, you will need to apply for a visa from the Embassy of Tunisia in New Delhi before you travel there. We can help you with this process by providing all the information and assistance you need to complete your application for a Tunisian visa in India.
If you are an Indian citizen and planning to visit Tunisia as a tourist, here is the information you need to know about getting a Tunisian visa from India.
The Tunisian Embassy in New Delhi is responsible for issuing visas to Indians who wish to visit Tunisia. You must apply for your visa at least 20 days before you depart from India. If you plan on staying longer than 30 days, then you will need to apply for a multiple-entry visa.
If you have already been issued a visa by the Tunisian Embassy in New Delhi, then it may be possible for them to reissue your visa without requiring another application process. However, this should only be done if you have lost your original passport with its visa or if there has been some kind of error made with your original visa application.
If this is not an option for you, then there are several steps that can be taken so that your visa application can be reviewed more quickly:
1) Submit all relevant documents in person at the embassy instead of sending them by mail or courier service;
2) Make sure that all documents submitted are complete and accurate;
3) All required documents must be translated into Arabic if they are not originally written in Arabic;
Tunisia Visa on Arrival Requirements for Indian Citizens
In an effort to strengthen relations with India, Tunisia is facilitating entry for Indian citizens who meet the necessary requirements. All Indian nationals who hold a diplomatic, official or special passport can enter, exit and transit through Tunisia without having to meet any visa requirements for a maximum period of 90 days.
Indian citizens without a special or diplomatic passport may also travel to Tunisia for touristic purposes without a visa if they meet the following requirements:
- Have a valid passport with at least 6 months validity
- Have a confirmed hotel booking
- Have a confirmed round-trip airline ticket
All Indian nationals will be required to show these documents at border control to gain a free visa on arrival for Tunisia. They will be allowed to stay in Tunisia for a maximum of 90 days.
When you apply for a Tunisia visa, you must have several documents which support your application, such as:
- A Tunisia Visa Application Form.
- Your passport, which is valid for at least six more months and has been issued in the past ten years.
- A photocopy of the first page of your passport.
- Passport-size pictures of yourself (1 or 2 depending on the consulate/embassy), which follows the following specifications:
- Dimensions: 35mm x 45mm
- Light gray background
- Your face must take up 65% – 75% of the picture
- Your facial features must be clearly visible
- You must be staring straight ahead with a neutral facial expression
- Glasses are not recommended. If you do decide to wear them, they must not obstruct your eyes and face. Tinted glasses are strictly not allowed.
- Do not wear headgear, unless it is for religious purposes. Even so, your face must be fully visible
- For babies and infants who cannot support themselves: Take the picture from the above as they are lying down. You must not be shown supporting them or holding them up.
- Proof of accommodation in Tunisia.
- Hotel reservation or other type of tourist accommodation
- A Letter of Invitation from a host in Tunisia
- Travel itinerary, including travel tickets, accommodation, dates of travel/departure etc.
- Any other documents related to your purpose of travel, such as a Letter of Invitation from Tunisian company if travelling for business etc.
- Proof of paid Tunisia visa fee, as per the specifications of the embassy or consulate.
Keep in mind:
This is not an all-encompassing list of Tunisia visa requirements. They differ depending on your country, the purpose of your travel, and the time you intend to stay, among others.
Moreover, the Tunisian authorities handling your visa application may request additional documents as they see fit.
How to Apply for a Tunisia Visa?
Currently, the only way you can apply for a Tunisian visa is through a Tunisian consulate or embassy. The application process for a Tunisian visa is as follows:
- Find the Tunisian diplomatic mission (consulate or embassy) in your country. If there is not one in your country, you must:
- Contact nearest one such as in a neighboring country
- Apply directly to the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Nationale in Tunis
- Visit the Tunisian embassy/consulate’s website to find more information
- Contact them to inquire about making an appointment as well as the Tunisia visa requirements. Some diplomatic missions may allow you to make an online appointment.
- Submit the required documents along with the application
- Wait for the Tunisia visa to be processed
Tunisia Business Visa for India Passport Holders
While all Indian nationals traveling to Tunisia for tourism do not need to obtain a tourist visa on arrival, all those traveling for business purposes will need to apply for a visa by completing an application form. They will also need to hold a passport valid for at least 6 months and provide a copy of the passport biographic page on arrival, along with 2 passport size photographs.
Indian citizens traveling to Tunisia for business purposes must also provide:
- A confirmed round trip air ticket
- A hotel booking or voucher
- An endorsement letter from an Indian business organization, to be faxed or e-mailed directly to the Embassy
- Original copies of the latest three months bank statement of the company and of the applicant.
How Will the Tunisia Electronic Visa for Indian Citizens Work?
The government of Tunisia has announced its intention to implement an electronic visa application aimed at the nationals who currently do not require a visa to enter the country.
If you are eligible for the eVisa you can obtain it by completing a simple online application form and paying the fee. The process is simple and quick, all you need is:
- A valid passport from an eligible country
- A valid debit or credit card to pay the online visa fee
- A current email address to which the approved eVisa will be sent.
This will make the process of entering Tunisia easier, as there will be no need to wait in queues for a visa on arrival at the border or visit an embassy prior to the trip to obtain travel authorization. It is also expected to make traveling safer for both locals and visitors since the pre-screening of travelers will help identify and prevent any possible threats.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Tunisia Visa?
The processing time for a Tunisian visa depends from country to country, as well as from different consulates and embassies. You can expect to wait anywhere from 5 business days to over 20 business days to obtain a Tunisian visa.
If you have any incorrect or missing documents, the Tunisia visa processing time will increase. If the embassy/consulate has to receive authorization their home office in Tunisia, the processing time, again, will be longer.
As such, make sure you apply for a Tunisia visa about a month before you intend to travel and inquire about the processing time at the time of application submission.
What are the Tunisia Visa Fees?
There is not a standard set of fees for a Tunisia visa. The visa changes from country to country as does the method of payment. Some embassies may request a bank transfer only, while others also accept cash.
To learn the adequate Tunisia visa fee for your country of residence you must contact the consulate or embassy in which you are applying.
However, after the implementation of the Tunisia online visa, you will be able to pay the visa fee online at the time you apply.
What is the Validity of a Tunisia Visa?
A Tunisian tourist visa is issued for a maximum of 90 days but can be issued for less, depending on your travel purpose/itinerary.
If you intend to stay in Tunisia for longer than 90 consecutive days or for more than 6 months overall, then you must apply for a Tunisia long-stay visa and a temporary residence permit.
Which are the Types of Tunisia Visas?
There are two main types of Tunisian visas:
- Tunisia short-stay visas, for stays of up to 90 days
- Tunisia long-stay visas, for stays longer than 90 days
Tunisia short-stay visa
The Tunisia short-stay visa is issued for any purpose which does not require you to stay in Tunisia for longer than 90 days. Additionally, you cannot take gainful employment with a Tunisia short-stay visa.
Tunisian short-stay visas are only issued for tourism, business, or social visits among other reasons.
Nationals of several countries are allowed to travel to Tunisia without having to apply for a Tunisian short-stay visa (see above).
Tunisia Return Visa
The Tunisian Return Visa is issued to Tunisian permanent residence permit holders who want to leave Tunisian territory for longer than six months.
If you have a permanent residence permit, and you stay out of Tunisia for longer than six months without having obtained a Return Visa beforehand, you will lose your resident status.
Tunisia Exit Visa
If you are living in Tunisia with a temporary residence permit, you must obtain an Exit Visa before you leave the country. It is the Tunisian General Directorate of National Security who is in charge of issuing the exit visa.
Tunisia Transit Visa
You need a Tunisia transit visa if you are a visa-required national and will enter Tunisian territory on your way to a third country. The Tunisian Transit Visa allows the holder to transit in Tunisia for a maximum of seven days. You must show proof of your onward travel, such as a travel ticket to a third destination and a visa (if one is required).
You are only exempt from a Tunisia transit visa if:
- You are from a visa-exempt country (as outlined above)
- You will change planes on a Tunisian airport but will not leave the international/transit area of the airport
- You are travelling by water, but you won’t leave the ship
Tunisia long-stay visa
The Tunisia long-stay visa is the type of visa you should apply for if you have to stay in Tunisia for longer than 90 consecutive days or for more than 6 months per year.
In addition to a long-stay visa, after you travel to Tunisia, you also have to apply for a Tunisian residence permit to be allowed to remain in the country.
Even nationals of visa-exempt countries have to apply for a Tunisia long-stay visa and residence permit.
Tunisia Residence Permits
There are two types of Tunisian residence permits:
- The Temporary Residence Permit
- The Permanent Residence Permit
You must apply for a residence permit after you arrive in Tunisia. If your application is successful, you will receive a Residence Card, which serve as proof of your legal residence status.
Tunisia Temporary Residence Permit
If you enter Tunisia with the purpose of remaining over 90 days, you have to obtain a temporary residence permit from the local police department in your place of residence in Tunisia.
It is the Tunisian Ministry of the Interior who issues residence permits.
Prior to the residence permit, you need a temporary residence visa, which you can get in your home country. However, the visa is not the only requirement you need to remain in Tunisia – you must get the residence permit.
To be allowed to get a residence permit you must have a valid reason, such as employment, studying, joining a Tunisian family member or investment.
Tunisian temporary residence permits are issued for 1-2 years, and can be renewed. If you have a work contract, you must renew the residence permit every time you renew your contract.
Tunisia Permanent Residence Permit
You are eligible for permanent residence in Tunisia if you fulfill one of the following conditions:
- You have lived in Tunisia uninterrupted for at least five years with a temporary residence permit.
- You are married to a Tunisian citizen
- You have children who are Tunisian citizens
- You have contributed to Tunisia in a significant manner
Tunisia Visa for US Citizens
US citizens do not need a visa for Tunisia if they’re only staying for up to 90 days. If you are not a US citizen, but are living in the US temporarily, then you will have to obtain a Tunisia visa at a Tunisian embassy or consulate in the US, unless you have a US B1/B2 visa.
If you are a US citizen and want to stay in Tunisia for longer than 90 days, then you need a Tunisia long-stay visa and Tunisia residence permit combo.
Conclusion
Despite of the development, the tourism in Tunisia is still undervalued by India. We are expecting that in upcoming years, the number of Indian tourists visiting Tunisia will increase rapidly compare to earlier periods. We have asked some Indian tourists why they did not choose Tunisia as their tourism destination; they answered that they did not find any website which informs and helps them to apply for visa.