Tunisia drops visas for Iranian travellers as land borders stay tough

Tunisia lifted visa requirements for Iranian nationals entering the country, a change made after President Kais Saied travelled to Tehran in May 2024 — the first visit by a Tunisian president to Iran since 1979. At the same time, crossings on Tunisia's land borders with Algeria and Libya remain awkward for travellers.

Key facts

• May 2024: Saied visited Tehran; Tunisia subsequently lifted visa requirements for Iranians entering the country.
• No details have been published on permitted length of stay, fees or how Iranians should arrange entry.
• July 2022: Algeria reopened its border with Tunisia after it had been closed for nearly two years.
• Algeria later tightened restrictions on Tunisians crossing the border.
• Tunisia's main border crossing with Libya faces an unstable security situation, with Tunisian traders and travellers detained by the Libyan side on repeated occasions.

What changed for Iranian visitors?

Saied visited Tehran in May 2024 to offer condolences following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and met Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It was the first visit by a Tunisian president to Iran since 1979. Tunisia then lifted visa requirements for Iranians entering the country.

The change is described only in general terms. Nothing has been published about the permitted length of stay, any fees or whether an application is needed in advance, so travellers should confirm the current requirement before booking.

What is the situation at Tunisia's land borders?

Algeria reopened its border with Tunisia in July 2022 after keeping it closed for nearly two years, a shutdown that halted overland trade between the two countries. Following the French embassy's evacuation of Algerian-French activist Amira Bouraoui from Tunis on 6 February 2023, Algeria responded by tightening restrictions on Tunisians crossing the border. The restrictions in place today are not described.

On the Libya frontier, Tunisia has difficulty controlling movement through its main border crossing, given the volatile security situation in Tripoli and repeated incidents in which the Libyan side detained Tunisian traders or travellers. Tunisia also has no ambassador in Tripoli: the previous envoy's term ended last year and the post is vacant.

What this means for travellers

• Iranian passport holders no longer need a visa to enter Tunisia under the change announced after the May 2024 visit, but should confirm the conditions of entry before travelling.
• Anyone planning to cross between Tunisia and Algeria by land should check the current crossing rules, which Algeria tightened in 2023.
• Travellers using the main Tunisia–Libya land crossing should take into account the reported detentions and the security situation in Tripoli.