Tunisia travel advice

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Summary (consular assistance figures). The overall level of the advice has not changed.


Travel Summary

* There are confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) Swine Flu in Tunisia (source: Tunisian Public Health Ministry). Since 1 May 2009, the Tunisian authorities have been screening all arrivals at Tunisian airports using temperature-seeking cameras. You should monitor local media reports and the British Embassy in Tunisia website (http://ukintunisia.fco.gov.uk/en) for any further developments and advice. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. Check Swine Flu for further information and the Health section of this advice for more details.

* There is a general threat from terrorism in Tunisia. Attacks cannot be ruled out and could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by British expatriates and foreign travellers. See the Terrorism section of this advice for more details.

* You are advised to use and be accompanied by a reputable tour operator or an approved local guide if you plan travel in the southern border areas with Algeria. Tourists have to obtain permission from the Tunisian authorities to enter certain desert areas bordering Algeria and southern military zones. Given the threat of kidnap in the southern border regions you should follow the advice of the Tunisian authorities on travel in these regions. See Travel Advice: Algeria for more details.

* Most visits are trouble-free. 40 British nationals required consular assistance in Tunisia in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (14 cases); hospitalisations (12 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (5 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (25 cases). You should watch out for petty criminals such as pickpockets, and bag snatchers, particularly in crowded market places.

* We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a general threat from terrorism in Tunisia. Attacks cannot be ruled out and could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by British expatriates and foreign travellers. You are advised to maintain a high level of vigilance with regard to your personal security whilst you are in Tunisia. For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

There is a risk of kidnap in Tunisia from terrorists operating in the area of the southern Tunisia/Algeria border, and we advise caution when travelling in such areas. Tourists must seek permission from the Tunisian authorities to enter certain desert areas bordering Algeria and the southern military zones and must travel with licensed guides and/or military escorts. We advise that such trips are undertaken with a reputable tour company. On 22 February 2008, two Austrian tourists were kidnapped in the south of Tunisia, close to the border with Algeria. The tourists were released in October 2008.

You should be aware that the long standing policy of the British Government is not to make substantive concessions to hostage takers. The British Government considers that paying ransoms and releasing prisoners increases the risk of further hostage taking.

The Tunisian authorities announced that they had disrupted a terrorist group on 3 January 2007, in the area of Grombalia (south of Tunis), 12 of the group were killed and 15 arrested. There have been some indications that the group may have been intending to attack tourist hotels.

There have been no bomb attacks in Tunisia since April 2002, when a group of German tourists died in a terrorist suicide car bomb attack outside a synagogue on the island of Djerba, which resulted in 19 deaths. An Al-Qa’ida spokesman later acknowledged responsibility for the attack.

Crime

There is little violent crime in Tunisia but you should watch out for petty criminals such as pickpockets, particularly in crowded market places.

There are periodically incidents of bag snatching in tourist areas and you are advised to ensure that bags are kept close to your person at all times. Where possible, you should avoid carrying all your important documents, money etc in the same bag. You should take sensible precautions to protect yourself and your belongings - as you would do in the UK.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Tunisia Country Profile

You should be aware of the impact that the situation in Iraq, as well as the violence between the Israelis and Palestinians, has across the Arab world and the potential risk of public disturbance in response.

You should follow news reports and be alert to developments that might trigger public disturbances. You should avoid political gatherings and demonstrations.

Local Travel

You are advised to travel with a reputable tour operator or an approved local guide if you plan to travel in the southern border areas with Algeria. Tourists have to obtain permission from the Tunisian authorities to enter certain desert areas on the borders with Algeria and the southern military zones and must travel with licensed guides and/or military escorts – you should seek advice from a reputable agent. See Travel Advice: Algeria for more details.

Road Travel

Driving in Tunisia is more erratic than in Europe. There is little lane discipline and pedestrian crossings are ignored. You should take particular care when crossing roads, even where there is a signal allowing you to do so. Driving tends to be fast, even in towns.

Roads are of a reasonable standard although large pot-holes can appear quickly following heavy rain. There are three motorways in Tunisia, running from Tunis to Bizerte in the north, to Sousse on the coast and west to Beja.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Air Travel

The EU has published a list of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban or restrictions within the community. You should check the following link to see whether this will affect your travel - European Commission Transport - Air.

For more general information see Airline Security.

Rail Travel

Rail travel is generally considered safe, but you should ensure that you remain vigilant against petty criminals at all times.
Local laws and customs

Local laws reflect the fact that Tunisia is an Islamic country. You should respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend other cultures or religious beliefs, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas. For more general information see Travelling During Ramadan.

In the coastal holiday resorts and main cities, the dress code is very much like any European city or tourist areas. If visiting religious sites or more remote areas of Tunisia, you should dress more modestly and avoid any articles of clothing which may cause offence. Topless sunbathing on beaches may cause offence.

Possession, use and trafficking of controlled drugs are all serious criminal offences in Tunisia. The possession of even a small amount of 'soft' drugs could result in a prison term.

If you have any concerns about taking medication with you to Tunisia, you should contact the {InternalLink:4}, for further information. Additionally in the case of prescription medication, we recommend that you carry a note from your GP confirming that the medication has been prescribed for an existing condition.

You should also be aware that it is not permitted to remove antiquities from Tunisia without first obtaining permission from Customs authorities. Failure to do so could result in lengthy delays on departure, fines and/or imprisonment.

Only married couples are permitted to cohabit in Tunisia. Homosexuality is illegal.

You should avoid taking any photographs near sensitive political or military sites.

Tunisian family law is very different from UK law and particular caution is needed when, for example, child custody becomes an issue.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Your Trip.

Entry requirements

Visas

British passport holders do not require visas for a stay of three months or less. On arrival, security checks are sometimes run on British passport holders who are not UK-born. This can take a few hours and such visitors are advised to be patient until clearance is given. There is unlikely to be a similar checking process or delay on departure.

Passport validity

You should ensure that your passport has at least six months validity before you travel to Tunisia.

Currency declarations

Tunisian regulations require you to declare on entry any large amounts of money being brought in. You will also be asked to declare if you expect to have more than £500 on you when you leave. The export of Tunisian dinars is expressly prohibited. You could be required to show the currency declaration on departure.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Embassy of Tunisia in London.

Dual Nationals

Dual nationals should enter and leave Tunisia on their Tunisian passports.
Health

There are confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) Swine Flu in Tunisia (source: Tunisian Public Health Ministry). Since 1 May 2009, the Tunisian authorities have been screening all arrivals at Tunisian airports using temperature-seeking cameras. You should monitor local media reports and the British Embassy in Tunisia website (http://ukintunisia.fco.gov.uk/en) for any further developments and advice. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk.

There is no provision for free medical attention for non-Tunisians. All doctors' fees, medication and hospitalisation in private (as opposed to state run) clinics have to be paid for on the spot. These costs can be quite high.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 3,600 adults aged 15 or over in Tunisia were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Tunisia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

General

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.

Consular registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Replacing a lost or stolen Passport

The Consular Section at the British Embassy in Tunisia offers a full passport issuing service. If you lose your passport while on holiday, you should immediately report the loss first to the nearest police station, and then to the Consular Section, who will advise on the arrangements for a replacement passport to be issued.

You should carry a copy of your passport for identity and leave the passport itself in a safe place such as a deposit box at your hotel.

Purchasing Property

There have been numerous instances recently where British nationals wishing to buy property in Tunisia have been advised to do so through a Tunisian "friend" on the pretence that it is illegal for foreign nationals to purchase property in Tunisia. If you are considering purchasing property in Tunisia, you should immediately consult a local lawyer who will be best placed to offer advice. Do not make private arrangements, which in themselves may be illegal and may result in large financial loss.

Money

ATMs are widely available in Tunisia. Almost all ATMs will accept Visa cards, and many (most notably Bank of Tunisia and BIAT) will also accept Maestro (Switch) cards for cash withdrawals. Visa and Mastercard are widely acceptable for payment in shops, restaurants and hotels although there are frequent problems in obtaining authorisation for Mastercard purchases.