2025-12-08

Circular to Approved Intermediaries No. 2025-16 of December 8, 2025

The Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia issued Circular No. 2025-16 to authorize Approved Intermediaries to dispense tourist allowances for the 2026 pilgrimage campaign through single counters starting December 10, 2025. The directive mandates that intermediaries fund these allowances from available balances and Saudi Riyal banknotes, set legible exchange rates, and charge the disbursements against 2026 transfer rights without current-year usage. Furthermore, it extends the validity of foreign currency export authorizations to six months for officially listed pilgrims and accompanying delegation members, while requiring daily duplicate reporting via a standardized annex form.

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Tunis, December 8, 2025 CIRCULAR TO APPROVED INTERMEDIARIES No. 2025-16 Subject: Tourist allowance for the pilgrimage campaign of the year 1447 Hijri corresponding to the year 2026.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia, Having regard to the Exchange and Foreign Trade Code promulgated by Law No. 76-18 of January 21, 1976, as amended and supplemented by subsequent texts, particularly Law No. 93-48 of May 3, 1993, Having regard to Law No. 2016-35 of April 25, 2016, establishing the statutes of the Central Bank of Tunisia, Having regard to Law No. 2016-48 of July 11, 2016, on banks and financial institutions, Having regard to Decree No. 77-608 of July 27, 1977, setting the application conditions for the Exchange and Foreign Trade Code, as amended and supplemented by subsequent texts, particularly Decree No. 2017-393 of March 28, 2017, Having regard to Circular to Approved Intermediaries No. 2007-04 of February 9, 2007, on the tourist allowance, as amended by subsequent texts, Having regard to Circular to Approved Intermediaries No. 2016-10 of December 30, 2016, on the authorization for the export of foreign currency in banknotes and by checks, Having regard to the opinion of the Compliance Control Committee No. 2025-16 of December 5, 2025, as provided for in Article 42 of Law No. 2016-35 of April 25, 2016, establishing the status of the Central Bank of Tunisia, particularly its second paragraph regarding circulars having an urgent character.

Decides: Article 1: Within the framework of organizing pilgrim travel for the year 2026, Approved Intermediaries are authorized to grant the tourist allowance through single counters, effective from December 10, 2025. Approved Intermediaries shall use their available balances and procure Saudi Riyal banknotes from the branches of the Central Bank of Tunisia for issuing the tourist allowance to pilgrims. Each Approved Intermediary must set the exchange rates for tourist allowance currencies and display them legibly to the public.

Article 2: Tourist allowances issued to pilgrims upon submission of their applications must be charged against the transfer rights for the year 2026. To this end, when endorsing the passports of interested parties, in accordance with Article 8 of Circular No. 2007-04 of February 9, 2007, Approved Intermediaries must indicate the year 2026 in the area reserved for the allowance year. These allowances charged against the year 2026 may not be used during the current year under any circumstances.

Article 3: By way of derogation from the provisions of Article 5 of Circular to Approved Intermediaries No. 2016-10 of December 30, 2016, the authorization for exporting foreign currency in banknotes under the tourist allowance remains valid for six months from the date of issuance, exclusively for pilgrims registered on the official lists as well as members of the designated official Tunisian delegation accompanying them.

Article 4: Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 27 of Circular No. 2007-4 of February 9, 2007, on the tourist allowance, Approved Intermediaries must submit to the Central Bank of Tunisia daily and in duplicate a report prepared according to the model attached to this circular, regarding the issuance of tourist allowances for the 2026 pilgrimage campaign.

Article 5: This circular takes effect from the date of its publication. THE GOVERNOR, Fethi Zouhaier NOURI

Annex to Circular to Approved Intermediaries No. 2025-16 Of December 8, 2025 Pilgrimage Campaign of the Year 1447 Hijri / 2026. Report on the issuance of tourist allowances for the day……………….. Currency Center Number of Beneficiaries Amount Exchange Rate Applied on,………………………………………… Authorized Stamp and Signature of the Approved Intermediary