Important Visa Information

General Information

The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.

See our Directory of Visa Categories on usvisas.state.gov to determine which visa category might be appropriate for your purpose of travel to the United States.

Payment Methods & Details

For payment information on nonimmigrant visas, please visit https://www.ustraveldocs.com/tn/tn-niv-paymentinfo.asp.

For payment information on immigrant visas, please visit

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition/step-3-pay-fees.html

Appointments & Locations

On July 26, 2014 the U.S. Embassy suspended all embassy operations in Libya and relocated staff, due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest and armed conflict. The U.S. Embassy in Tripoli remains closed and visa services are not available in Libya.

In general, applicants residing in Libya may travel to and apply at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis. Please visit ustraveldocs.com for complete information on applying for a nonimmigrant U.S. visa, including a directory of nonimmigrant visa categories. To read more about the visa process, you can also visit the U.S. Embassy in Tunis website.

Immigrant Visa applicants who are physically present in Libya and who have an approved immigrant visa petition may elect to have the petition forwarded to the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia for visa processing. Once the petition is received, Embassy Tunis will contact the applicant or petitioner to schedule the immigrant visa interview.

To apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen seeking to immigrate generally must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident immediate relative(s), or prospective U.S. employer, and have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa. The sponsor begins the process by filing a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You may wish to review our Directory of Visa Categories to learn about the different types of immigrant visas to the United States, including our Diversity Visa Program. Then, follow the steps on the Immigrant Visa Process, or on the Diversity Visa Process, to begin applying for an immigrant visa.

Once USCIS has approved your petition and you have completed pre-processing with the National Visa Center (NVC), or if you have been selected in the Diversity Visa Lottery and completed processing with the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), review the instructions given to you by the NVC or the KCC, along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and instructions.

Additional Information

Status of Visa Operations (updated September 30, 2021)

The U.S. Embassy in Tunis continues to follow procedures that prioritize the health and safety of our applicants and employees. Our Consular Section has resumed full processing of immigrant visas, with appointments scheduled by the National Visa Center. Embassy Tunis is currently unable to approve immigrant visa cases transfers (to include DV cases) from applicants who are not Tunisian or Libyan citizens, currently residing in Tunisia or Libya.

The Consular Section has resumed routine non-immigrant visa processing, though is maintaining social distancing protocols in our facility. While Embassy Tunis aims to process cases as soon as practicable, there is likely to be increased wait times for completing such services due to substantial backlogs. To obtain an appointment, please follow the guidance provided at www.ustraveldocs.com. For assistance with nonimmigrant visa applications or appointment scheduling, please contact our nonimmigrant visa support center by email at support-Tunisia@ustraveldocs.com or call +216.31.37.81.45.

The U.S. Embassy in Tunis understands that many visa applicants have paid the visa application processing fee and are still waiting to schedule a visa appointment. Rest assured that we will extend the validity of your payment (known as the MRV fee) until September 30, 2022, to allow all applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment as a result of the suspension of routine consular operations an opportunity to schedule and/or attend a visa appointment with the already paid fee.

Reasonable Accommodation

If you need reasonable accommodation for your appointment, we encourage you to request your accommodation immediately once you schedule your appointment. We make every effort to provide accommodations to persons with disabilities and medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations vary, depending on the situation and the person’s needs.
Examples of accommodations include, but are not limited to:

- If you require a private appointment due to a medical condition or disability, we may schedule an alternative time for you to come in for your interview.
- If you or your child has special needs that requires a private appointment in a quiet space without distractions, we may schedule an alternative time for you or your family to come in for your interview.
- If you are unable to speak, you may be allowed to respond to questions in an agreed-upon nonverbal manner such as using pen and paper.
- If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may bring a sign language interpreter to translate during the interview if needed.
- If you have low vision, we may provide you with communications in large print.

If you are unable to provide fingerprints because of a medical condition, including birth defects, physical deformities, skin conditions, you may qualify for a fingerprint waiver for certain fingers.