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🇹🇳 Tunisia /Culture & Society

Tunisians Abroad: Passports Now Issued in 30 Minutes

From La Presse · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Tunisia's Ministry of Interior has launched new measures to expedite passport issuance for citizens abroad.
  • Tunisians living overseas can now obtain or renew passports in as little as 30 minutes at dedicated centers.
  • The initiative aims to streamline services for the diaspora, including new offices at ports, airports, and embassies, and a digital platform for applications.

Tunisians living abroad can now obtain or renew their passports in a remarkably short time, thanks to new measures implemented by the Ministry of Interior. The initiative aims to facilitate travel for the diaspora, particularly during the summer season.

The Direction générale de la police des frontières et des étrangers has set up a dedicated space at its headquarters to allow Tunisians from abroad to obtain or renew their passport in no more than thirty minutes.

— Moez ThabetDirector of Passports and Travel Documents at the Ministry of Interior, explaining the new expedited passport service.

At the heart of the changes is a dedicated space at the ministry's headquarters where Tunisians from abroad can get their passports within 30 minutes. This service extends to students studying overseas. Additionally, passport issuance offices have been established on the Tunisian ships "Carthage" and "Tanit," processing around 800 passports last summer. Further enhancements include new passport production offices at the La Goulette port and Tunis-Carthage International Airport, serving arriving and departing travelers, even those on foreign airlines.

Travelers at Tunis-Carthage Airport who discover their passport has expired during check-in can now renew it immediately, preventing missed flights. The ministry is also expanding its international network, opening new counters in Tokyo, Beijing, and Abidjan, with Warsaw and Belgrade to follow. These efforts aim to reduce waiting times and bring administrative services closer to the Tunisian diaspora.

This service is also available to students pursuing their studies abroad.

— Moez ThabetDirector of Passports and Travel Documents at the Ministry of Interior, clarifying the eligibility for the expedited passport service.

Beyond passport services, a new electronic platform connects the border police with customs, speeding up the processing of border movement records needed for customs benefits to under 12 hours. Citizens can also now apply for passports online, pay fees electronically, and book appointments through the Ministry of Interior's portal, marking a significant step in digital transformation.

This system has reduced processing times to less than twelve hours, compared to several days, or even weeks, previously.

— Moez ThabetDirector of Passports and Travel Documents at the Ministry of Interior, describing the efficiency of the new electronic platform for border movement records.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Presse in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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