Trip checklist: Tunisia

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

Visa requirement

South Africans don't need a visa for Tunisia.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 90 days per visit, and you can apply to extend.

Before you go

Purpose of visit
Tourism and short business visits (GSA says tourism or work purposes). Not confirmed on an official page.
Passport validity
Sources differ. US State Department and Australia Smartraveller: 6 months beyond arrival or travel dates. GSA (for SA passports): at least 3 months, with 2 blank pages. UK FCDO: valid for the whole stay. Safest: 6 months and 2 blank pages.
How to apply
No visa needed if the exemption applies. Tunisia has no eVisa: a 2025 tender for an eVisa platform failed. Any site selling a 'Tunisia eVisa' is not official. If a visa is needed, apply in person at the Embassy of Tunisia in Pretoria.
Where South Africans apply
Embassy of Tunisia, 850 Stanza Bopape Street (formerly Church Street), corner Eastwood Street, Arcadia, Pretoria. Tel 012 342 6282 / 6283. Honorary Consulate in Cape Town, 40 Fifth Avenue, Rondebosch East, tel 021 697 0293.
Return or onward ticket
GSA (for SA passports) lists a return ticket as an entry requirement.
Proof of funds
GSA lists proof of sufficient funds. No amount published.
Accommodation or invitation
Border officers may ask for a hotel booking or other accommodation details, and some visitors have been refused entry without it (UK FCDO). GSA lists a hotel booking or letter of invitation.
Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa
No vaccinations are required for entry (US State Department, GSA). Tunisia is not on South Africa's yellow fever risk list, so no certificate is needed to return to SA, unless you transited a risk country (more than 12 hours airside or left the airport).
Arrival forms
Strict currency controls. Tunisian dinars cannot be imported or exported. Declare foreign currency worth TND 20,000 or more on arrival; keep exchange receipts. Amounts over TND 5,000 must be declared if you plan to take them out (US State Department). Undeclared money can be confiscated. Make sure your passport is stamped on entry.
Extending your stay and overstaying
Stays over 90 days need a residence permit from the local police. Overstay fines are charged per week and paid at the departure airport or in advance at a police station.
Travelling with children
Carry each child's birth certificate. A parent travelling alone should carry notarised consent from the other parent or proof of sole custody. Children with Tunisian nationality need written parental permission to leave without their parents (US State Department).
Confirm with the embassy
Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Research sources

1. US Department of State (Other government, travel.state.gov) https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Tunisia.html
2. UK FCDO (updated 2026-07-24) (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tunisia/entry-requirements
3. Australian Government Smartraveller (Other government, smartraveller.gov.au) https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/tunisia
4. DIRCO, South African High Commission Canberra (Other government, dirco.gov.za) https://dirco.gov.za/canberra/yellow-fever/
5. Wikipedia (also Visa policy of Tunisia article for eVisa tender) (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_South_African_citizens
6. The GSA (South African travel services company), updated 2025-10-21 (Commercial, thegsa.co.za) https://www.thegsa.co.za/visa-and-country-info/2613-tunisia-country-guide
7. Tusamed (Tunisian visa and travel services) (Commercial, tusamed.com) https://www.tusamed.com/en/visas
8. VisaHQ South Africa (Commercial, visahq.co.za) https://www.visahq.co.za/tunisia/embassy/south-africa/

From doineedavisa.co.za/tunisia. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.