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 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.
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 our Travel Insurance page.
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 our Terrorism Abroad page.
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 terrorist suicide car bomb attack outside a synagogue on the island of Djerba resulted in 19 deaths, includint
a group of German tourists. 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 precautions to protect yourself and your belongings - as you would do in
the UK.
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 our Travel Advice: Algeria.
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
our Driving Abroad page.
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 our Travelling
During Ramadan page.
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 our Your Trip page.
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.
Health
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.
Insurance
We 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.
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.