In a clear sign that the 2021–22 “visa quota” dispute is over, France’s Consul-General in Tunis, Dominique Mas, revealed that only 18.3 per cent of the 118,000 visa applications lodged by Tunisians between January and October 2025 were refused—half the rejection rate at the height of the row. Short-stay refusals have fallen to 13 per cent despite a 6 per cent surge in demand.
Paris lifted quota-based restrictions last year after Tunis pledged stronger cooperation on the return of irregular migrants. The consulate has since prioritised academic, professional and multi-year visas: half of all permits issued to Tunisians in 2025 are now valid for more than 12 months. Student approvals rose 9 per cent to over 5,000, boosting the pipeline of francophone engineers, IT specialists and health-care graduates sought by French employers.
![Visa Thaw: France Cuts Tunisian Refusal Rate to 18 % as Relations Warm]()
For mobility managers, the thaw translates into faster appointment availability, fewer document requests and a deeper talent pool for North-Africa-EU rotations. Nevertheless, Capago data show that 6,700 Tunisian appointments were cancelled this year because applicants uploaded incomplete files—a reminder that process discipline still matters.
Diplomats suggest the Tunis experiment could become a template for Algeria and Morocco, where refusal rates remain above 30 per cent. Business lobbies are already urging the Élysée to pair lower refusal rates with longer-duration multi-entry visas to support investment flows.
Action point: companies recruiting Tunisian nationals should revisit mobility timelines—lead times could shrink by several weeks—but continue budgeting for biometric appointments and potential December France-Visas maintenance outages.
Paris lifted quota-based restrictions last year after Tunis pledged stronger cooperation on the return of irregular migrants. The consulate has since prioritised academic, professional and multi-year visas: half of all permits issued to Tunisians in 2025 are now valid for more than 12 months. Student approvals rose 9 per cent to over 5,000, boosting the pipeline of francophone engineers, IT specialists and health-care graduates sought by French employers.
For mobility managers, the thaw translates into faster appointment availability, fewer document requests and a deeper talent pool for North-Africa-EU rotations. Nevertheless, Capago data show that 6,700 Tunisian appointments were cancelled this year because applicants uploaded incomplete files—a reminder that process discipline still matters.
Diplomats suggest the Tunis experiment could become a template for Algeria and Morocco, where refusal rates remain above 30 per cent. Business lobbies are already urging the Élysée to pair lower refusal rates with longer-duration multi-entry visas to support investment flows.
Action point: companies recruiting Tunisian nationals should revisit mobility timelines—lead times could shrink by several weeks—but continue budgeting for biometric appointments and potential December France-Visas maintenance outages.
