Tunisia Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in tunisia, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
Select Country Guide
Business Travel
Last published date:

Business Customs

Tunisia is a fairly open society, and most business practices resemble those of Europe. The business environment is formal. Business dress is recommended, and company representatives should always have business cards available. The exchange of inexpensive gifts is a common practice, but U.S. business representatives should refrain from offering high-value items.

Travel Advisory

The Department of State provides advisories on travel to Tunisia on its website.  

Visa Requirements

U.S. business travelers generally do not need a visa for stays of less than 90 days. A traveler who wishes to live and work in Tunisia must appear at the local police station to obtain a residency card. The Ministry of Economy and Planning can help expedite residency and/or work permit processes for foreign investors. By law, these permits are valid for only one year and renewable for one additional year by application.  

The U.S. Embassy in Tunis is committed to facilitating valid business travel by qualified Tunisian nationals to the United States. Generally, travel that qualifies for a business (B-1) visa includes consultations with business associates; attendance at scientific, educational, professional, or business conventions, or conferences on specific dates; contract negotiations; or participation in short-term training. Applicants are encouraged to apply well in advance of intended travel.  The Embassy’s website outlines the nonimmigrant visa application process and offers links to the required online forms and appointment system.

U.S. Companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States are advised that security evaluations are handled via an interagency process. Visa applicants should go to the following link: State Department Visa Website.  

Currency

The local currency is the Tunisian dinar (TND), which is divided into 1,000 millimes. All major credit and debit cards, including Visa and MasterCard, are widely accepted by vendors, though cash payments are more common.  Vendors may require additional identification, such as a passport, for credit card users.  

ATMs are commonplace in cities and towns, on the street, in retail outlets, and at some gas stations. Visitors should be aware that bank transaction fees may apply.  It is not uncommon for ATMs to be out-of-order or empty; advance planning is recommended.  Traveler’s cheques are not generally accepted for purchases. Visitors should inquire about the policy of the bank, hotel, or store before seeking to cash a personal check.  

For currency or other numerical quantities, a point (i.e., a period) is commonly used to mark off the thousands position and a comma to denote millime amounts; for example, “1.234.567,890 TND.” 

Telecommunications/Electronics

Access to high-quality telecommunications services, particularly high-speed/high-capacity data transmission and internet access, is widely available. Tunisia uses GSM cellular phone technology; 4G and 5G network services are also available. Many U.S. cellular companies provide roaming service in Tunisia, though verification of availability with a particular carrier is advised prior to travel.  International calling cards do not work in Tunisia.

Seven private Internet Service Providers are licensed by the government. Broadband connections have recently been made available to private customers.  In 2024, there were about 12.4 million internet subscribers, 81% (10 million) of which subscribed through smartphones.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services are available and provided by the telecom operators (Tunisie Telecom, Ooredoo, and Orange).  The use of VOIP technologies and applications such as Messenger and WhatsApp is permitted.  

Transportation

Tunisia has a relatively well-developed transportation infrastructure that includes eight international airports. The principal airport gateway is Tunis-Carthage International Airport, situated eight kilometers from the center of the capital city Tunis. Other international airports are Monastir-Habib Bourguiba, Djerba-Zarzis, Tozeur-Nefta, Sfax-Thyna, Tabarka, Gafsa-Ksar, and Enfidha. These airports handle tourism-related charter flights from Europe and are mostly seasonal. The national airline, Tunisair, started direct flights between Tunis and Montreal in 2016. In 2014, Tunisia and the PRC signed an agreement to allow direct flights between the two countries; scheduled flights have yet to start.  

The railway network is operated by the public sector company Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Tunisiens (SNCFT); Société de Transport de Tunis (TransTu) operates the light-metro railway.  TransTu also runs the public urban railway and bus transport system in Tunis.

A 53-mile high-speed train network, dubbed Rapid Railway Network (RFR), is under construction in Greater Tunis, using EU funding.  The first six-mile portion of the network (line E) entered into service in 2023 and the second eight-mile portion (line D) entered into service in January 2025.  

The national road network is well developed.  Major toll highways have been constructed, are under construction, or are in the planning phase.  The highways link the major coastal population centers to the interior. 

Although overall road and telecom infrastructure in Tunisia is developed, regional disparities exist.  Rural areas in south and central Tunisia lag behind the major urban centers on the coast. 

Language

The official language is Arabic, but French is widely spoken and serves as the language of commerce. An increasing number of Tunisians speak English, Italian, Spanish, and/or German. 

Health

Except when specialized care is required, most illnesses can be treated locally. Private clinics in Tunis and other major urban centers feature Western-trained physicians, though increasing numbers of doctors have left the country in recent years to earn more money abroad. However, Western-style trauma care is not available, and the number of intensive care units is limited. Food standards are fair, and potable water is available for 85.2% of the population. Bottled water is inexpensive and readily available. 

Local time, business hours, and holidays:

Tunisia is GMT+1. 

Business hours are:

Government        

Winter   

Mon-Thurs          08:30 – 12:30 and 13:30 – 17:30
Friday                   08:00 – 13:00 and 14:30 – 17:30

Ramadan and Summer (July/August)

Mon-Thurs          08:00 – 14:30
Friday                   08:00 – 13:30

Private Sector* (including banks)

Winter    

Mon-Fri               8:00 -12:00 and   14:00 -18:00

Summer (July/August)                                     

Mon-Fri                7:00     13:00

Ramadan           

Mon-Fri                8:00     15:00

* Many private companies are moving towards a shorter break in the middle of the day, with the close of business brought forward to 17:00.

Major Tunisian secular holidays are as follows:

  • Tunisian Revolution Day and Youth Day              January 14
  • Tunisian Independence Day                                      March 20
  • Martyrs’ Day                                                                      April 9                                            
  • Labor Day                                                                           May 1
  • Republic Day                                                                    July 25
  • Women’s Day                                                                   August 13
  • Evacuation Day                                                               October 15                                                                                                                    

Several religious holidays are also observed.  Actual dates are based on the lunar calendar and vary from year to year (o/a = on or about).  The following dates are for 2026

  • Eid al-Fitr (Esseghir) (three days) o/a                         March 19, 20, 21
  • Eid al-Adha (El Kebir) (two days) o/a                          May 26, 27
  • Ras El Am El Hijri (one day) o/a                                     June 16
  • Mouled (one day) o/a                                                        August 26

Temporary Entry of Materials and Personal Belongings

Depending on the legal status of non-residents, temporary entry of materials and personal belongings is permitted. Companies and individuals should verify applicable regulations before attempting to bring items into Tunisia. 

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility