The State Department is launching an experiment to extract passports electronically
The inclusion of passports for citizens abroad in the digital system is being piloted before it will be rolled out to various consular missions during 2027.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Tunisians Abroad, in coordination with the Ministry of Communication Technologies, has started a pilot phase to include the passport extraction and delivery service within the electronic consular system. Foreign Minister Mohammad Ali Nafti announced on Thursday, 5 November 2026, that this measure will be gradually implemented at various consular centers and missions during 2027.
The new project aims to facilitate administrative transactions for members of the community residing abroad, as well as reduce their need for direct movement to consular offices to complete procedures. The Minister explained that the initiative comes as part of the process of upgrading services and relying on digital solutions to improve their quality and reduce the waiting times and difficulties associated with extraction or renovation processes.
The business expansion plan includes the concentration of new travel document production units in both the Indonesian capital Jakarta, China's Beijing and the Canadian city of Montreal. The ministry plans to concentrate additional production units in other countries where there is an increasing demand for consular transactions to speed up file processing.
During a hearing before the National Council of Regions and Districts to discuss his ministry's mission under the draft State Budget for 2027, Naftali stressed the importance of strengthening cultural and national ties with citizens abroad and leveraging their skills and experience. These administrative moves come in parallel with the efforts of diplomatic missions that have facilitated the return of nearly 580 citizens with their families who have requested a return following the extraordinary circumstances experienced by the Middle East and the Arab Gulf, within the framework of securing consular interventions and monitoring community situations.