Health Alert: New Tunisian Confinement Measures and CDC COVID Test Requirement for Travel to the United States

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Please note that the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia will be closed on Thursday, January 14, 2021 and Monday, January 18, 2021 in observance of Tunisian and U.S. Federal holidays. 

New COVID-19 mitigation measures:  On January 12, the Government of Tunisia announced the following:

  • A four-day nationwide lockdown will take place from Thursday, January 14 through Sunday, January 17.  During the general lockdown, a 16:00 to 06:00 curfew will be enacted.  Residents should not leave their homes outside of the curfew hours except for essential purposes.
  • Schools will be closed from January 14 to January 24.
  • Starting January 18, all indoor restaurant and café service will be suspended.
  • U.S. citizens in Tunisia should respect the curfews, adhere to local government regulations, and monitor local media for information on additional cities and governorates enacting curfews as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves.

Traveling to the United States: 

  • **NEW** Effective January 26, 2021, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will require all air passengers (including U.S. Citizens) traveling to the United States from a foreign country  to show proof of a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test, or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19.
  • If a passenger has recovered from COVID-19, the passenger may instead travel with written or electronic documentation of a positive viral test result (RT-PCR) that confirms a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection within the last 90 days AND a letter from a licensed health care provider or public health official stating that the passenger has been cleared for travel.
  • All passengers will also be required to complete a (CDC) attestation confirming that they have received a negative qualifying test result or recovered from COVID-19 after a previous COVID-19 infection and are cleared to travel.  Futhermore, passengers must retain a copy of the required documentation to present to the airline and/or upon request by an agent of the U.S. government or public health authority.
  • The United States Embassy in Tunisia recommends that all travelers planning to fly to the United States read the full public health order on the CDC website and plan accordingly.
  • For travel to destinations other than the United States, some airlines require a negative COVID-19 PCR test prior to boarding, regardless of destination, while others do not.  Travelers should check the carrier’s website for requirements as their travel date approaches.
  • The U.S. Embassy is unable to intervene with individual airlines and/or Tunisian immigration if a passenger is denied boarding at the airport.  The passenger must inquire with the airline on why they are being refused boarding and remedy the situation.

Travelers Entering and Exiting Tunisia: 

  • Effective December 23, the Government of Tunisia (GOT) suspended flights to, from, or that transit through the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa.  The GOT will deny entry to passengers arriving from these countries and to passengers who transited through these countries en route to Tunisia.  Flights to and from other countries to Tunisia remain available.
  • All arriving international travelers must present negative results of a COVID-19 PCR test no older than 72 hours upon arrival, as well as complete a 14-day self-quarantine.  Travelers who wish to do so can take a self-funded PCR test on the seventh day of quarantine and then leave quarantine if the test is negative.
  • The Tunisian Ministries of Health and Interior will determine if individual travelers will be permitted to enter Tunisia, and the U.S. Embassy is unable to intervene if a traveler is denied entry to the country.

Other COVID-19 Mitigation Measures and Requirements:  Effective August 24, the Government of Tunisia enacted a law requiring the mandatory wearing of face masks in public and closed spaces.

Vaccinations:  The U.S. Government does not plan to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to private U.S. citizens overseas.  Private U.S. citizens in Tunisia should follow local developments and guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine information.

Total COVID-19 cases in Tunisia:  As of January 10, the Tunisian Ministry of Health has confirmed 162,350 total cases of COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak in March.  The Ministry of Health announced 3,074 new cases on January 10, a new daily record.

Local Resources:

  • Contact the Ministry of Health toll free number with non-emergency COVID-19 questions at 80-10-19-19.
  • Enroll in STEP at STEP.state.gov to receive the latest local updates from the Embassy.

Other Links:

For Assistance:

 U.S. Embassy Tunis, Tunisia

  • Address: Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis
  • Day-time phone number: +216-71-107-000

(Monday through Friday, 08:00 to 18:00, except federal holidays)

State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs

  • Day-time phone number: +1-888-407-4747 or +1-202-501-4444

(Monday through Friday, 08:00 to 20:00 EST, except U.S. federal holidays)

By | 13 January, 2021 | Topics: Alert

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