Tunisia residence card photo requirements
The photo rules set by Ministry of the Interior, Republic of Tunisia for the Tunisia residence card, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What are the Tunisia residence card photo requirements?
Foreigners applying for a Tunisian residence card (carte de séjour) hand in 4 identity photos with the ministry's "Demande de visa - carte de séjour" form, whatever the reason for the stay. The Interior Ministry publishes no size, background colour or head size for these photos. Ordinary applicants file at the foreigners' office of their national security district; investors can also use the industry promotion agency.
Foreign nationals who settle in Tunisia need a residence card (carte de séjour) from the Ministry of the Interior. The ministry sets three conditions: the applicant must be a foreigner, must have entered Tunisian territory legally, and must respect the rules on entry, residence and work in Tunisia. The legal basis it cites is Law 68-7 of 8 March 1968 on the condition of foreigners and Decree 68-198 of 22 June 1968 on their entry and stay, as amended by Decree 92-716 of 20 April 1992.
The documents depend on why you are staying: paid work, study, marriage, retirement or investment. Every category asks for a copy of a passport that is still valid, proof of accommodation, the completed visa and residence card application form (model 45) and four identity photos.
Ordinary applicants file at the foreigners' office of the national security district (Sûreté nationale) for their area. Foreign investors, their families and the executives working with them can instead use the one-stop shop of the Agency for the Promotion of Industry (APII) or the investor support cell of the ministry in charge of development and international cooperation. The file is passed to the Directorate of Borders and Foreigners for review and then returned to the office where it was filed.
Tunisia residence card photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Ministry of the Interior, Republic of Tunisia:[1]
| Print size | No size published: the ministry asks for four identity photos (04 photos d'identité) |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No upload: the photos are prints filed with the paper application |
| Background | No colour published |
Key requirements
- Four photos in every category
Workers, students, spouses of Tunisians, retirees and investors each list four identity photos alongside the same application form. The count does not change with the reason for the stay.
- No published size or colour
Neither the ministry's procedure guide nor the form states dimensions, a background colour or a head size, and the readable text of the form gives no photo instructions. If the office tells you a size, follow it.
- Workers need an endorsed contract
A salaried worker adds an employment contract endorsed by the authorities (contrat de travail visé) or a certificate of exemption from that endorsement, plus a copy of the employer's statutes and of their publication in the official gazette (JORT).
- Students and retirees prove their means
Students add an enrolment or attendance certificate for the current school or university year and proof of income. Retirees with no salaried work add proof that a pension, or another income, is transferred to them regularly.
- Spouses bring the marriage certificate
A foreign spouse adds a marriage certificate drawn up by a Tunisian authority or legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If the applicant is a salaried worker, the endorsed contract or exemption certificate is needed as well.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Bring four identical identity photos
- Complete the visa and residence card application form (model 45)
- Attach a copy of a passport that is still valid
- Include proof of where you live in Tunisia
- Ask the foreigners' office which photo size it wants, since none is published
Don't
- Do not file an incomplete set of documents for your category
- Do not use an expired passport for the copy
- Do not leave out the JORT publication of the company statutes if you work for or own a company
- Do not send the file to the Directorate of Borders and Foreigners yourself; it is forwarded by the office where you file
Babies and children
The ministry publishes no separate photo rule for children. The application form asks for the number of the applicant's children and lists those under 16 by first name and date of birth, written as DD/MM/YYYY.
Printed and digital photos
The carte de séjour is applied for on paper, and the four photos are prints added to the file. There is no online upload in the ministry's procedure. Because no format is published, check the size with the office before printing.
A digital photo can be cropped and printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter.
Where to submit the photo
Ordinary applicants hand the complete file to the foreigners' office (bureau des étrangers) of the national security district that covers their address. Foreign investors, their family members and their executives can file with the APII offices or the investor support cell instead. The application form is published on the Interior Ministry's services portal in the list of forms.
Visitors who need no visa are told by the embassy in Washington that a stay longer than 90 days needs permission from the police precinct nearest to where they live in Tunisia.
How to get your Tunisia residence card photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Tunisia residence card. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: four photos in every category; no published size or colour; workers need an endorsed contract; students and retirees prove their means.
- Prepare a print or digital file. The carte de séjour is applied for on paper, and the four photos are prints added to the file. There is no online upload in the ministry's procedure. Because no format is published, check the size with the office before printing.
- Submit the photo with your application. Ordinary applicants hand the complete file to the foreigners' office (bureau des étrangers) of the national security district that covers their address.
Tunisia residence card photo FAQ
The Interior Ministry does not publish a size. Its procedure guide only asks for four identity photos in each category of application, and the form gives no photo instructions. Ask the foreigners' office where you file if you are unsure.
Four. The ministry lists four identity photos for workers, students, spouses, retirees and investors alike.
At the foreigners' office of the national security district for your address. Foreign investors, their families and their executives can use the APII one-stop shop or the investor support cell instead. The Directorate of Borders and Foreigners reviews the file.
The Interior Ministry's "Demande de visa - carte de séjour" form, model 45. It asks for the purpose of the stay, its length, your passport details, your parents' and spouse's details and your children under 16.
The ministry cites Law 68-7 of 8 March 1968 on the condition of foreigners and Decree 68-198 of 22 June 1968 on their entry and stay, as amended by Decree 92-716 of 20 April 1992.
Visitors who need no visa may stay up to 90 days, according to the embassy in Washington. To stay longer, they must ask the police precinct nearest their home in Tunisia for permission. Foreigners who stay to work, study, retire, invest or live with a Tunisian spouse apply for the residence card.
Related photo specifications
Other Tunisia documents
- Passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Visa photo
- ID card photo 30 × 40 mm
Other documents nearby
- All Tunisia photo specifications
- Other documents: photo rules by country
- Photo specifications in Africa
Official sources
- Ministry of the Interior, Republic of Tunisia. Vos démarches - Octroi de la carte de séjour pour étrangers services.interieur.gov.tn. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Ministry of the Interior, Republic of Tunisia. خدمات ذات طابع أمني - بطاقة إقامة الأجانب (Residence card procedure, Arabic) services.interieur.gov.tn. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Ministry of the Interior, Directorate General of National Security. Demande de visa - carte de séjour (form, model 45) services.interieur.gov.tn. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embassy of the Republic of Tunisia, Washington, DC. Visa for Tunisia (instruction sheet and application form) tunisianembassy.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Ministry of the Interior, Republic of Tunisia before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Tunisia residence card photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/tunisia/residence-card-photo