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Intercountry Adoption > Location Information > Tunisia Intercountry Adoption Information
Effective January 21, 2026, the Department of State paused visa issuances to immigrant visa applicants who are nationals of 75 countries. President Trump has made clear that immigrants must be financially self-sufficient and not be a financial burden to Americans. The Department of State is undergoing a full review of all policies, regulations, and guidance to ensure that immigrants from these high-risk countries do not utilize welfare in the United States or become a public charge.
As noted in our Adoption Notice on National Interest Exceptions for Adoption Visas, in countries where the issuance of immigrant visas is currently limited, children being adopted by Americans can qualify for an exception under the National Interest Exception.
These American families should continue the normal adoption process. They should submit visa applications and attend consular interviews. They do not need to take other additional steps to be considered for a case-by-case exception under the National Interest Exception.
Tunisia is not party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). Therefore, when the Hague Adoption Convention entered into force for the United States on April 1, 2008, intercountry adoption processing for Tunisia did not change.
The Department of State does not maintain information on the adoption process in Tunisia because adoptions from Tunisia are rare; fewer than five adoptions by American citizen parents have taken place in the past five years. Please visit the Department's Country Specific Information sheets for more information on travelling to Tunisia and the U.S. Embassy Tunis's website for information on consular services.
To bring an adopted child to the United States from Tunisia, you must meet certain suitability and eligibility requirements. USCIS determines who is suitable and eligible to adopt a child from another country and bring that child to live in the United States under U.S. immigration law.
Additionally, a child must meet the definition of an orphan under U.S. immigration law in order to be eligible to immigrate to the United States with an IR-3 or IR-4 immigrant visa.
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