A noteworthy spike in visa applications—118,846 in total—was received by the French Consulate General in Tunisia in 2023, a considerable rise of 24.4 percent over the previous year.

The French Consul General, Dominique Mas, emphasized that during the previous year, there has been an increase in interest among Tunisians in long-stay visas, as well as an increase in both application and approval rates.

Tunisians made up the third-largest nationality getting first residence permits in EU nations during this time, and Tunisia was the eighth-highest place of origin for French visas.

The two French consulates in Tunis and Sfax, which are situated in the country, saw a significant increase in the number of visa applications they received in 2023 compared to the previous year, when 95,515 Tunisians applied for visas to France.

Mas told Webdo that the two facilities’ TLS service provider handles more than 600 visa applications every day on average.

In addition, Mas disclosed that 94,700 visas were issued to citizens of Tunisia, representing an astounding 80 percent approval rate, out of 118,846 applications received.

Eight out of ten Tunisian applicants were actually successful in securing a visa to France throughout 2023, with acceptance rates often rising to 80 percent.

Mas added that the French consulate’s rejection rate was significantly lower than the norm for the other Schengen nations. Compared to other countries in the Maghreb, the percentage of Tunisian applicants who were denied a visa was roughly 28%, and the bulk of the visas that were granted were for periods longer than six months.

In 2023, France granted 71,500 long-stay visas to citizens of Tunisia, a noteworthy rise of 43% over the year before. Among these visas were 23,000 issued to workers and students.

A total of nine thousand visas were distributed to researchers, seasonal workers, and employees—a remarkable fifty-one percent increase over 2019 levels. Furthermore, compared to pre-pandemic levels, a 12 percent rise in student visa approvals was seen.

Mas went on to reveal that 8,250 more visas were granted to citizens of Tunisia in order to facilitate family reunions.