Tunisia customs rules for tourists

If you're 18 or older, you can bring in: • Tobacco — 200 cigarettes OR 50 cigars OR 250 g of pipe tobacco. • Alcohol — 1 litre of spirits (over 22% ABV) OR 2 litres of wine/beer. • Perfume — 50 ml of perfume + 250 ml of eau de toilette. • A reasonable quantity of personal belongings (clothing, toiletries, books, hobby gear). • Electronics — laptop, phone, tablet, camera with reasonable lenses, a personal drone IS NOT included (see below). Gifts up to a total value of ~TND 200 (≈€60) are duty-free. Above that, customs may apply duty at 30–35% of declared value.

Tunisia operates strict currency controls. Three rules really matter: 1. The Tunisian dinar (TND) is a CLOSED currency. It is illegal to import or export it. Do not buy dinar before flying — you can only get it inside Tunisia, and you must spend (or convert back) before you leave. 2. FOREIGN CURRENCY DECLARATION — any traveller (Tunisian or foreign, resident or non-resident) entering, leaving OR transiting Tunisia with foreign banknotes, traveller's cheques, precious metals or negotiable instruments worth the equivalent of TND 20,000 or more MUST file a currency declaration with customs. This is set by the Arrêté of the Minister of Finance of 24 July 2019 (amending the arrêté of 1 March 2016), applying articles 100, 107, 108, 114 and 140 of Law n° 2015-26 of 7 August 2015 on the fight against terrorism and money laundering. The declaration itself costs a TND 10 fiscal stamp, whatever the amount. Failing to declare = confiscation + fine. 3. Non-residents who want to re-export more than TND 5,000 of foreign banknotes on the way out MUST have filed an import declaration at entry, stamped by customs. Above TND 30,000 of foreign banknotes cannot be re-exported at all even if declared on entry. Source: Tunisian Customs — Devises et Change (douane.gov.tn/devises-et-change/). See /plan/currency for full conversion advice.

Strictly prohibited: • Narcotics (including CBD products in some interpretations — leave them at home). • Firearms, ammunition, gas pistols, hunting weapons (without prior permit). • Pornography and material insulting to religion or the head of state. • Counterfeit goods. • Tunisian antiquities and pre-1900 cultural artefacts (export forbidden — UNESCO 1970). • Coral (raw or worked), ivory, sea turtle products, certain shells (CITES). • Live plants and seeds without phytosanitary certificate. Restricted (need permit): • Drones — see below. • Satellite phones. • Professional film/photo equipment with intent to broadcast. • Medical drugs in large quantities (bring prescription).

Tourists CANNOT just bring a recreational drone into Tunisia. You must apply, before travel, to the Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC) and the Ministry of Defence with: passport copy, drone make/model/serial, intended dates and locations of flight, and a tourism justification. Approval typically takes 2–4 weeks. Without it, the drone is confiscated at the border. Flying near airports, military zones (much of the south + border areas), and over crowds is forbidden even with a permit. For most holiday photography, leave it at home — Tunisia is unusually strict here.

You can bring a dog or cat if you have: • A recent rabies vaccination certificate (more than 30 days, less than 12 months). • A health certificate from a vet, dated within 10 days of travel. • Microchip ID (EU pet passport satisfies this). • For dogs: also a tapeworm treatment certificate. On arrival, the airport vet stamps the documents. Most beaches don't allow dogs, but inland and rural Tunisia is pet-friendly. Verify with your hotel before booking — many resorts don't accept pets.

EU residents can drive their own car into Tunisia for up to 3 months as a tourist using the green-card system. Carry: original car registration, EU driving licence, international insurance (green card valid for Tunisia), passport. The car gets stamped into your passport on arrival and must leave with you — if you leave without it, customs will pursue. Tunisian residents abroad bringing a car under TRE (Tunisien Résident à l'Étranger) status follow a different process — see /diaspora/cars-tre for that flow.

On departure you can take out: • Personal belongings (no limit). • Souvenirs and artisan goods (no antiquities — buy modern replicas if in doubt). • Foreign currency up to what you declared on arrival. • Up to TND 5,000 unspent dinar are converted back to euros at the airport bank IF you have your stamped declaration form and ATM/bureau-de-change receipts. Without receipts, you cannot convert dinar back. A long Tunisia tradition is to use up the last dinar at the airport duty-free.