Tunisia (TN)
North Africa's most Mediterranean country, Tunisia blends Carthaginian ruins, Saharan Desert, and French-influenced cafés with a warm, hospitable culture.
Leaving Tunisia
How to properly exit — protecting your finances, rights and records.
📅 General Timeline
3 months before: give notice on rental contract; start company dissolution process if applicable. 2 months before: cancel broadband/TV contracts; notify CNAM of departure; organise international health insurance. 1 month before: obtain Attestation de Régularité Fiscale from DGCI; notify bank; arrange repatriation of TND funds; cancel CNSS contributions (employer notifies on your last day of employment). 1–2 weeks before: cancel STEG and SONEDE contracts (read meters); return utilities deposits; close or notify Tunisian bank account. Last week: cancel Titre de Séjour at DGPC; read all meters; hand in rental keys; collect CNSS Relevé de Situation. Day of departure: declare any currency over DT 5,000 at customs (legal limit for TND export is DT 5,000 per trip — ensure compliance).
Deregistration
Cancel your Titre de Séjour (residence permit) at the DGPC (Direction Générale des Passeports et de l'Immigration) regional office. Bring your permit, passport, and a written cancellation request. Obtain an attestation de résiliation (cancellation certificate) — keep this for tax and financial records. If you have a Tunisian fiscal registration (Identifiant Fiscal), notify the DGCI (Direction Générale du Contrôle Fiscal) of your departure and request a cessation of activity declaration. Leave the country no later than the expiry or cancellation date of your Titre de Séjour.
Tax clearance
Obtain an Attestation de Régularité Fiscale from the DGCI (your local Recette des Finances office) confirming you have no outstanding Tunisian tax obligations. This document is required when closing a Tunisian bank account and may be requested when departing if you have had taxable income in Tunisia. File your final annual tax return (déclaration annuelle) before April 25 of the year following your departure. If you operated a business (SUARL/SARL), complete company dissolution proceedings through a notaire and the RNE (Registre National des Entreprises) before departure — this is a multi-month process and should be started well in advance.
Pension portability
CNSS (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale) contributions: you can apply for a Relevé de Situation CNSS (CNSS account statement) showing your total contribution history. Tunisia has limited bilateral social security agreements with other countries (agreement with France exists for co-ordination; check the CNSS website for current bilateral agreements). If leaving permanently and not yet of retirement age, you may apply for a refund of your personal CNSS contributions under certain conditions — consult CNSS or a Tunisian labour lawyer. Pension entitlements in Tunisia require a minimum of 60 months (5 years) of CNSS contributions to claim a pension at retirement age.
Health insurance
CNAM (Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Maladie) coverage ends automatically when your CNSS contributions cease (typically when employment ends). Notify your CNAM regional centre in writing. Ensure you have private international health insurance arranged before your CNAM coverage ends, particularly if there is a gap between leaving employment and departing Tunisia.
Bank account
Notify your Tunisian bank of your planned departure date. You can technically keep a Tunisian bank account after leaving (useful if you have ongoing TND income or rental property), but you will need to update your address and may face dormancy fees. To close your account: present your passport, Titre de Séjour cancellation, and an Attestation de Régularité Fiscale from DGCI. Important: Tunisia has strict currency controls — repatriate any funds in your Tunisian account via official BCT-authorised bank transfers before closing. Attempting to leave Tunisia with large amounts of TND (above the DT 5,000 legal export limit) is a customs offence.
Utilities
Cancel STEG (electricity/gas) contracts at your local STEG agency — take a final meter reading, present your account number and CIN/passport, and request bill settlement. Cancel SONEDE (water) similarly. Cancel broadband/telephone contracts (Topnet, Orange, Ooredoo, TT) — these may have fixed-term notice periods of 30–60 days; check your original contract. Cancel mobile phone subscription if on a postpaid plan. Return any rented equipment (routers, decoders).
Rental contract
Standard notice period for Tunisian rental contracts: 30 days written notice (Loi 4314 — Loi sur les loyers). Fixed-term contracts specify the notice period — typically 30–60 days. Give written notice via registered post (recommandé) or by WhatsApp with a dated message — keep records. Schedule a joint handover inspection with the landlord, compare to your move-in photographic inventory, and request your security deposit return in writing within 30 days.
Leaving the Country
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