Ask before you spend anything. Tunisia joined the Hague Apostille Convention relatively recently, and in practice some Tunisian institutions still expect the older consular legalisation chain. One question to the office that will receive the document settles it.
Quick facts
Tunisian administration works in Arabic and French, so an English-language document will generally need a translation into one of them. Confirm which the receiving office prefers, because it is not always Arabic.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Apostille on a U.S. state document | $3–$25 per document | Secretary of State of that state |
| Apostille on a U.S. federal document | $20 per document | U.S. Department of State |
| Consular legalisation | Published tariff | Embassy or consulate general |
| Tunisian birth certificate | $5 | Embassy of Tunisia |
| Translation | Per page | Into Arabic or French |
The $5 birth certificate is worth repeating here, because most consular networks make you write to the civil registry at home and wait. Tunisia will issue one across the counter.
How to prepare a document
- Ask the receiving institution whether an apostille satisfies it.
- Order a certified copy, or have the private document notarised.
- Obtain the apostille, or complete the legalisation chain if that is what is wanted.
- Arrange the translation into Arabic or French as instructed.
- Pay by money order naming both parties.
- Enclose a prepaid Express Mail return envelope with your exact details.
Required documents
- Original document with the certification attached.
- Translation where required.
- Copy of your identification and of your legal status here.
- Money order naming sender and recipient.
- Prepaid return envelope.
What the missions do
They issue passports and consular cards, provide Tunisian birth certificates, register nationals living abroad, legalise documents, perform notarial acts and assist Tunisian citizens in difficulty.
Additional notes
Confirm before paying
Where a country has recently joined the apostille system, practice lags the treaty. Asking first is the cheapest step.
French is often enough
Many Tunisian offices accept French, which is usually cheaper and faster to obtain in the United States than Arabic.
Order two copies
At $5 each for birth certificates, a spare is the cheapest insurance in this directory.
Never apostille a photocopy
The certificate attaches to an original or a certified copy from the record keeper.