Excessive Fees for Visa Services Denounced by Tunisian Consumer Organization
The fees applied for scheduling appointments, filing applications, or administrative services related to visa requests have become, in several cases, excessive compared to the services provided. This is what the Tunisian Organization to Inform Consumers (OTIC) denounced on Tuesday, according to statements relayed by the TAP agency, which is also concerned about the lack of sufficient guarantees regarding the quality of service, processing times, and protection of personal and biometric data of applicants.
Concerns About Intermediate Companies
The organization particularly points out the practices of certain intermediate companies responsible for processing visa applications. According to OTIC, several breaches have been identified in terms of transparency, fair competition, and respect for personal data.
Call for Stricter Control
In response to this situation, OTIC calls for these companies to be subject to stricter legal, financial, and tax control. It also demands a comprehensive audit to verify their compliance with Tunisian legislation. The organization believes that the delegation of part of the visa procedures by foreign chancelleries has favored the establishment of a costly system in Tunisia, despite limited added value for citizens.
Regulatory Framework Revision
In this context, OTIC recalls that Tunisian law on competition and prices allows authorities to intervene in cases of practices that cause unjustified tariff increases. It also calls for a revision of the regulatory framework to better protect visa applicants, particularly through the possibility of obtaining a full or partial refund of service fees in case of application rejection. According to OTIC, several countries already apply more equitable mechanisms.
Establishment of a Complaint Mechanism
Furthermore, the organization calls for the establishment, within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, of an official and transparent mechanism to receive and process visa applicants' complaints. This would help to address the concerns of citizens and ensure that their rights are protected.
