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| Customs regulations in Tunisia | |||||||
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To enter Tunisia, a person needs a passport which remains valid for at least 6 months after the entry. With package tours (flight + hotel), a national identity card is also often accepted from citizens of certain countries. On entry, a visa will be stamped into the passport (it is practically no more than a simple date stamp). German and USA citizens can stay, as tourists, up to 4 months in the country, citizens of other western countries only up to 3 months. As soon as this "normal" visa expires, an extension can be requested for a maximum of combined 6 months. Such an extension will cost around 10 TND per week (approx. 6 EUR/UKP, 8 USD) and has to be requested and paid with the police. Theoretically, this fee could be paid on departure as well, but if any police control takes place and one has been remaining in the country longer than the visa permitted, at least some discussions will take place, so it is recommended to request the extension ahead of time. No matter, whether one enters with passport or identity card, one must fill out a two-part entry form, of which one half must be constantly carried along with the passport and later returned to the customs on departure. The other half remains in the files of the customs. This entry form is often distributed in the airplane ahead of landing. The loss of such a form is, however, usually not causing any problems, one must then just fill out a new form before the departure - blank forms can often be found at the check-in. However - of one enters only with a national identity card, then the visa stamp goes onto this form and has to be presented at any police control. If the form is missing then, some discussions might take place. If a person stays longer in the country than the visa permits (more than a maximum of 6 months), serious problems will arise - ranging from punishment by high fines to imprisonment and denial of further visits to Tunisia. If the permitted time is exhausted, one must leave the country, however it is sufficient to leave the country duly and re-entering right away ("walk around the border post"). This is not too easy, though, since both bordering countries, Libya and Algeria, require a pre-obtained visa for most nationals. So, the easiest way is a short flight home or a return ferry passage to Italy. After each entry into the country, the "permitted" time is reset and one can thus stay in Tunisia practically throughout the year, if he only briefly leaves the country 2-3 times for a short period. Note: Officially, there is a regulation, according to which one cannot reside in Tunisia without a long residence permit ("Carte Sejour") more than 180 days per year. This regulation is usually not enforced, however, it does exist and the authorities might decide to enforce it, if they really do not want a person to stay in their country using this "unofficial" method. |
The entry with a car is absolutely unproblematic. Needed are just 2 things:
A vehicle can remain up to 3 months in the country without having to pay taxes for it. When this period is exhausted, the permission can be extended for another 3 months (on this occasion, taxes must be paid for the remainder of the year and starting with the day of entry to Tunisia). After this period, 2 more extensions are possible up to an absolute maximum of 12 months, provided, the taxes have been paid. Vehicles, which remain longer than 3 months in the country, will receive a special Tunisian plate, which must be attached to the car. After a stay of 12 months the vehicle must then irrevocably leave the country for the duration of 6 months before it can re-enter again. A vehicle will always be stamped into the passport, which means, that one cannot leave the country without the car and that one must have a passport on entry. In emergency cases (e.g. illness in the family) however, a dispensation can be issued, which must be requested at the customs authority in Tunis. The vehicle must then either stay in the customs office storage facility in Tunis or at any location. In the latter case, however, registration papers and keys must be surrendered to the customs at the departure airport and can be picked up there again on re-entry.
Much is possible in Tunisia - inofficially, by bribing authorities. The author is, however, strictly opposing any bribery - because it will lead at least to more demands later, if not to prosecution (Tunisia has special commands to fight corruption, however, they act only rarely and usually on "bigger" cases). In each case, however, by bribing someone, a person shows that the term "integrity" does not belong to his favourite words (but then loudly complains about corruption in the homeland). Bribery is generally a bad signal and it will only encourage corrupt officials to continue and to increase their demands! I only can strongly discourage anyone to take part in bribery, actively of passively - however, the final decision is up to each one self! |
Permitted is, for example, the import of
Note: If someone enters the country only with a
national identity card, he can not have "stamped" anything into it! Strictly forbidden is, for example, the import of:
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