“The information on this website on marrying or entering into a civil relationship in Tunisia is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the FCO by the relevant local authorities. The information on this website is therefore only up to date and accurate to the extent that such authorities provide us with timely and accurate information. Accordingly the FCO does not guarantee that this information is accurate and will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain information about marriage or civil partnership must also contact the relevant local authority to be sure of the requirements that they need in order for their ceremony to go ahead”

My fiancé(e) and I wish to marry in Tunisia. Is this possible?

Yes, under the local law of Tunisia, if you meet all the requirements of the law. For example: To marry here you have to be over 20 years of age or have your father’s consent. A divorced woman cannot re-marry until a period of three months has lapsed since her divorce, a widow until four months and 10 days after the death of her spouse. Marriage of a man younger than 20 or a woman under 17 is not allowed. A Moslem woman cannot be married to a man who is not a Moslem. No marriages are solemnised at the Embassy.

What form will the marriage ceremony take?

A civil ceremony (i.e. not a religious one) conducted by the registrar at a town hall (Municipalité) of any town, or at a private address before two notaries. The marriages rites are prescribed in Arabic. In some localities they may be solemnised in French if you request it.

What do I, as a British citizen, party to the marriage, have to do?

You or your fiancé(e) should enquire at the registrar’s office for authoritative advice on all formalities connected with the ceremony. Documents which are likely to be required are listed below. When both parties to the marriage have presented the full complement of documents, the registrar will be able to give an appointment for the marriage to take place: usually within a few days. Documents are required to be in either French or Arabic. We can help with translations of your documents from English.

What about witnesses?

The law requires the marriage to be solemnised in the presence of two male witnesses of full age (over 20 years old). The marriage registrar has to approve their capacity to stand as witnesses and would expect them to be able to understand the declarations made during the ceremony.

Will my marriage under the local law of Tunisia be recognised in the UK?

This is a legal question and ought to be put to a lawyer.

Can a record of my marriage be deposited in the public records in England/Scotland/Northern Ireland?

Yes. You should submit, to this Consular Section, an extract of your entry of marriage in French. Provided that the certificate has been issued by the proper authorities and there is no reason to believe that the marriage may be invalid in the UK, it will be translated officially into English and transmitted to the appropriate Registrar General. Thereafter, the Registrar General will issue, on request and on payment of a fee, a certified copy of the Tunisian marriage certificate in English translation.

Does this deposit, or non-deposit, affect the validity of my marriage?

No.

If I do marry a Tunisian citizen do I thereby acquire or have a right to acquire Tunisian nationality?

No. After a certain time of residence in Tunisia as the spouse of a Tunisian citizen you could apply to be granted citizenship. A lawyer is the best person to advise you more fully on this.

Does a Tunisian husband/wife acquire or have a right to acquire British citizenship?

If he/she resides for a certain length of time in the UK he/she could apply for naturalisation as a British citizen.  The Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office can give you more information after you are back in the UK.

After marriage to a Tunisian, may I continue to reside in Tunisia permanently?

This is a matter for the Tunisian authorities, but they would normally give their permission for this, in the form of a visa and “carte de séjour”.

After marriage, may my Tunisian spouse and I live in the UK?

Your Tunisian spouse must obtain an Entry Clearance for this purpose. You should contact Visa Section for full details of the requirements and conditions. If your spouse travels without that entry clearance the law requires the Immigration Officer to refuse him/her admission. The Immigration Officer does not have any discretionary powers about this.

After marriage should I have my name changed in my passport or apply for a new passport in my married name?

You may do either (or neither if you prefer, although in Tunisia it is usual for a wife’s married name to be the one she uses for all purposes). Application forms for a new passport or an amendment of the name in an existing passport can be obtained from the Consular Section.

Do I have any special rights or constraints as the British wife of a Tunisian citizen and the mother of Tunisian children?

There are certain restrictions in Tunisian practice (although not in the current legislation) about your rights to take actions concerning your children (such as taking them out of the country) without their father’s consent. You would be well advised to seek guidance on this matter from a lawyer or from the Tunisian Embassy in London.

Will the children of my marriage with a Tunisian citizen be recognised as British citizens?

If the mother was born in the UK and the child was born after 01/01/1983 the child will be British by descent from her, even if born overseas.  If the father was born in the UK, any legitimate child born overseas will likewise be British by descent.

Will those children be Tunisian nationals?

As we understand it, yes. But do ask the Tunisian authorities or a lawyer to confirm this.

Can my children be both British and Tunisian?

As far as British law is concerned they can be British/Tunisian dual citizens. Do be aware however that while in Tunisia their Tunisian citizenship will take precedence and, under international law, they will not be able to receive any consular protection and assistance from the British Embassy. (This is explained in the notes on dual nationality in your British passport). This means for example that if, unfortunately, there were to be a dispute between you and your spouse about the custody of the children we could not help secure their return to you. Consult a local lawyer immediately if such a problem should arise.

What about international conventions on the return of abducted children?

Tunisia is not a party to either of the international conventions. A UK custody order cannot therefore, be enforced in Tunisia. You would have to take separate action in a Tunisian court to try to obtain custody under Tunisian law. Consult a local lawyer about this.

• List of local lawyers

You are likely to be asked to produce the following documents in advance of your wedding day; and they must be in French or Arabic, translated where necessary.

1. Certificate of no impediment to marriage.
   

   For British citizens this is issued by the Consular Section of this Embassy. To apply for this you need to: Be 18 years of age or have the written consent of your father (or other person whose consent is required by the law); Have resided at least 21 clear days in Tunisia; Show evidence that any previous marriage has ended (spouse’s death certificate or divorce decree); then Give notice of your intended marriage, by calling in person at the Consular Section and signing appropriate forms.
   The consular officer taking this notice will post it on the public notice board for a further 21 clear days. If no objection is raised during the publication of the notice, the certificate of no-impediment, in French, can be issued.

   OR You can give notice of marriage at a registry office (or British consulate) in another place (e.g. the UK) where you are resident, and present to the Consular officer of this embassy the resultant statement after its 21 days posting there. The certificate of no-impediment in French will then be issued with no further waiting.

2. Birth certificate
   This can be translated into French by this Consular Section, where required. It should be a ‘full’ extract not the shortened form which omits parents’ details etc, and should be of recent issue.
3. Medical certificate
   It must be recent and issued by a Tunisia medical practitioner. It involves a blood test (testing for transmissible diseases).
4. Father‘s consent
   If you are under 20. The marriage officer at the Town Hall where the ceremony is to take place can tell you what form this consent should take.
5. Certificate of divorce decree or death of previous spouse, if applicable
   You may be asked to produce this. It can be translated into French by this Consular Section.

Consular Fees are set by Order in Council and are subject to revision by Parliament from time to time. They cannot be reduced or waived by Consular Officers.
Under the Consular Fees Order 1999, the Consular fees levied for different services in the above procedure are as follows (payable in dinars):
For receiving notice of an intended marriage: £ 59.00 For issuing a certificate of no-impediment: £ 59.00 For certifying and transmitting a local law marriage record to the United Kingdom: £ 34.00 For issuing a certified French translation of an English birth certificate/divorce decree death certificate etc.: £ 42.00

Please note that the notice of marriage formalities mentioned in these notes is provided for under the Foreign Marriage Order 1970, and applies when one party to a proposed foreign marriage is resident in the United Kingdom and the other party is resident in the country where the marriage is to be solemnised i.e. Tunisia. In other words, two British citizens who live in the UK cannot plan to marry in Tunisia while on a short holiday and the UK Registrar cannot accept their notice of marriage for that purpose.

To register the birth of a British citizen you will need to provide the following documents:

• Child's local birth certificate issued by the Tunisian Town Hall in French
• Parents' British birth certificates (or Certificate of Naturalisation)
• Parents' marriage certificate
• Completed application form
• Consular fees.