Your rights and duties

Duties of Refugees and Asylum-seekers

  • Comply with all Tunisian laws
  • Respect the people, regardless of age, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, political opinion, ethnicity, skin color, as well as public and private organizations and institutions
  • Renew your Identification Document (refugee or asylum seeker card)
  • Inform of your residence, telephone number and email

Rights of Refugees and Asylum-seekers

  • Non-Refoulement: Refugees and asylum seekers cannot be returned or expelled to a country where their lives or physical integrity are at risk of being violated and in no circumstances shall be returned to their country of origin. If you are prosecuted and face an extradition or expulsion procedure, you have the right to free legal assistance provided by UNHCR’s partner through the legal counseling and assistance unit.
  • Non-Penalization: Asylum seekers and Refugees have the right not to be investigated or fined for their irregular entry into the Tunisian territory.
  • Legal Assistance: Refugees and asylum seekers have the right to free legal assistance provided by UNHCR’s partner.

For more information on legal assistance click here.

  • Protection against sexual and gender-based violence: In Tunisia, men and women have the same rights. Thus, any form of violence against women, based on gender identity, is a crime. Women who are victims of violence have the right to medical assistance and to report the criminal act by going to police stations specialized in combating violence against women.
  • Education:  Refugees have the right to attend public schools – Basic, Middle or High schools – as well as to take part in professional and technical capacity building public programs.

For more information on education, please click here.

  • Birth registration: Birth registration in the civil registry establishes the existence of a person under the law and lays the foundation for safeguarding civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. As a fundamental human right, every child has the right to be registered at birth. To register new-born children in Tunisia, parents must:
    • Obtain a birth certificate from the hospital where the child was born;
    • Bring the birth certificate to the municipality recording in the Birth and Deceased logs. 

Under Tunisian law birth registration procedures must be completed within 10 days following birth. If parents miss the deadline, a court procedure is required to obtain a birth certificate and a nominal fee must be paid.


You can also visit our Frequently asked questions for quick information about UNHCR in Tunisiaaccommodationfinancial assistanceeducation and other helpful services. 

See also

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