I'm sorry for not being too well-off in German. Since some time I have been trying to do research on the prenuptial medical certificate that is described in the Tunesian "Loi no. 1964-0046".

It is clear to me that tests have to be done before being able to get married. What is not clear to me is what happens if someone appears to have a chronical or venereal disease according to these tests.. My interest is especially focused on HIV and Aids.

If someone knows where to find legal rulings on this (either in Arabic, French or English) it would be very helpful to me if you'd tell me where to find them. Or if you know of someone who experienced this (in their neighbourhood).

Thank you in advance for replying, shukran djazeelan!

The required test is focussed almost entirely on tuberculosis, Syphilis, alcoholism (I wonder how they test that...) and obvious (open) diseases. There is a lung radiography and blood samples are taken.
As far as I know, there is no gene test (which would serve, given the high amount of incest marriages, a definite reason) and no specific HIV/HSV/HPV test taken.

If a person passes the test, a medical certificate is issued and the civil servant (notary) is only allowed to perform the marriage, when both partners can present such a certificate.
If a person does not pass the test and further medical attention is needed, it can be confined to an hospital.

Please understand that this medical test has a certain reason: There are no serial or compulsory medical tests in Tunisia, like in most European countries. It can, therefore, happen, that persons almost never see a doctor in their life unless they are seriously ill. In effect, Tunisia has almost no epidemiological data. But there is one way to obtain it: Almost all persons in Tunisia marry, and usually they do it when they are young. So, at this point in time, they require a medical test and, as a result, obtain the required data of the public health of almost all young adults.

However, in reality, quite a few tunisians will not really being tested, but rather buy the certificate for a lump sum from a doctor. The result of this is then, of course, an increased official state of public health (ill persons will more likely buy the certificate) - and the fact, that you cannot rely on this medical certificate.

Thank you for your response!

I do understand that the testing can have a different meaning than according to European (or Western) standards. I'm not trying to condemn, absolutely not. I'm just hoping to find out what it would mean for a person who wants to marry, probably not knowing that he or she has a disease, and finding that out through a obliged test.
What you are telling about people being able to buy a certificate from the doctor is very interesting information indeed! Does this mean that these certificates do not cost a lot? Otherwise, how would poor(er) people be able to buy them?
And your last statement about not being able to rely on the certificate, is that unreliable tests in general or only unreliable certificates due to buying them?

Most of the couples with european woman buy the certificate without making any tests. Normal price 20 until 50 Dinar.
Not unusual in Tourist-region.

We've been married in a town without tourism. So the doctor wanted to earn more money and really made all the tests and radioligy ( heißt Röntgen auf Englisch so ?? ).
We had to pay 200 Dinar for me and my husband. HIV, Hepatitis and alcohol inclusive.

...We had to pay 200 Dinar for me and my husband. HIV, Hepatitis and alcohol inclusive...

Well, a thorough test would end up, in my estimation, at least around 100+ Dinars... per person.

Indeed, I forgot to mention Hepatitis (HAV), which is endemic in Tunisia. I am not sure about the HIV test, but I think, it is not in the mandatory catalogue.

I am inclined to answer "yes", on both accounts.


The individuum will either not be allowed to marry in Tunisia ... or it will buy the test and/or the acceptance of the notary.

For HIV we had the choice. And so we made it too.
So everybody was shure that the other in good health.
Hepatitis is standard.

Thank you both again for your responses!