Visa applications: anger over perceived excessive fees

Tunisia's consumer watchdog, the Tunisian Organization for Information for the Consumer (OTIC), has voiced strong criticism against private companies handling visa applications. These firms, OTIC argues, are exploiting citizens by charging excessive fees for basic administrative services, effectively creating a 'disguised monopoly' over a process that is crucial for Tunisians seeking to travel abroad. The organization points out that these fees far exceed what is reasonable for tasks like appointment scheduling or document collection, impacting the fundamental right to mobility.

OTIC highlights that the current system, where a few private companies dominate visa processing, generates significant profits from low-value services. This comes at a considerable financial and administrative cost to citizens, who often lack sufficient guarantees regarding service quality, processing times, or the protection of their personal and biometric data. The organization emphasizes that this situation is particularly egregious given that visa procedures are intrinsically linked to national sovereignty and the image of the state.

Drawing on Tunisian law, specifically Law No. 36 of 2015 concerning competition and prices, OTIC asserts that public authorities have the power to intervene when market dysfunctions or practices lead to unjustified price hikes. The organization is demanding a thorough legal, financial, and fiscal audit of these intermediary companies. Furthermore, OTIC advocates for a revised regulatory framework that respects national sovereignty and reciprocity, and crucially, proposes that applicants should be reimbursed for all or part of the fees if their visa application is ultimately denied. This call for fairness aims to rectify what OTIC deems a clear breach of contractual balance and basic consumer protection principles.