Apostille Tunisian Diploma for Italy

How do you legalise, apostille and translate your Tunisian diploma so a university in Rome and the Italian Embassy accept it?

The short answer: each diploma and transcript is first authenticated by the Tunisian ministry that issued it, then you get certified copies at the municipality, an apostille from a notary, and an Italian translation by a translator on an official list, apostilled as well. Then you add a Dichiarazione di Valore (DOV) or a CIMEA statement, whichever your university asks for.

This is part 3 of our guide to studying in Italy for Tunisian students. Part 2 explains how to apply to university in Rome; this part covers the paperwork you need for the application, the visa and the scholarship.

1. Why should you start your documents months ahead?

Start your Tunisian documents in autumn 2026 for the 2027/28 intake, because each document passes through several offices, one after the other: a ministry, the municipality, a notary, a translator, then the notary again, and sometimes the Embassy or CIMEA. Each step can take days or weeks, and a mistake (a misspelt name, a missing transcript) sends you back to the start. Autumn 2026 is also when you choose your courses, so the two tasks run side by side.

There is also a new rule. On its legalisation and DOV page↗ (opens in a new tab), the Italian Embassy in Tunis says that “A partire dal 30 marzo 2026” (from 30 March 2026), education titles must first be authenticated by the competent Tunisian authority. An apostille on a document that skipped this step is not enough.

2. How do you legalise and apostille a Tunisian diploma for Italy?

A Tunisian diploma is legalised for Italy in three steps: authentication by the Tunisian ministry that issued it, certified copies at the municipality, then an apostille from a Tunisian notary.

Step 1: authentication by the ministry that issued it

The Italian Embassy in Tunis lists which Tunisian authority authenticates each original first:

Bring your full school path: every diploma you hold and the transcripts that go with it, not only the last one. Check that your name is spelt exactly as in your passport on every page; if it is not, fix it now, because the same spelling must appear on your Universitaly pre-enrolment and your visa file.

Step 2: certified copies at the municipality

Photocopy each authenticated document front and back, then have the copies certified as true copies (copie conforme) at your municipality. The procedure is described on idaraty.tn↗ (opens in a new tab).

Step 3: the apostille from a notary

Tunisia has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since 30 March 2018, and Tunisian notaries have issued apostilles since 1 March 2019. According to the HCCH page for Tunisia↗ (opens in a new tab), the fee is 10 TND per document within the notary's jurisdiction and 20 TND outside it.

3. Who can translate your Tunisian documents into Italian?

Only a translator on one of two official lists can translate your apostilled Tunisian documents into Italian for the Italian Embassy and your university:

• The Italian Embassy's list of translators↗ (opens in a new tab) (PDF dated 25 October 2024, linked from the consular services page↗ (opens in a new tab)).
• The Tunisian Ministry of Justice list of sworn translators, by district↗ (opens in a new tab) or by language↗ (opens in a new tab).

There is no official tariff for sworn translations in Tunisia, so ask for a quote per page before you start. Once the translation is ready, take it back to the notary: the apostille goes on both the original (the certified copy) and the Italian translation.

4. Do you need a Dichiarazione di Valore or a CIMEA statement?

You need whichever one your Italian university asks for: the Dichiarazione di Valore (DOV) and the CIMEA statement both tell the university what your Tunisian diploma is worth in the Italian system.

• Dichiarazione di Valore (DOV): issued by the Italian Embassy in Tunis. It describes your qualification (the school, the length of studies, the level). It is descriptive, not an equivalence.
• CIMEA statement: issued online by CIMEA, the Italian centre for academic recognition, on DiploMe↗ (opens in a new tab). Tunisia is not a party to the Lisbon Recognition Convention, so there is no free comparability: you need the Comparability + Verification package↗ (opens in a new tab).

How to request the DOV

1. Fill in the DOV request form↗ (opens in a new tab).
2. Book an appointment on Prenot@mi↗ (opens in a new tab).
3. Bring a copy of your passport, the authenticated and apostilled documents with their apostilled translations, and your proof of admission or enrolment (this makes the DOV free).
4. For questions, write to legalizza.tunisi@esteri.it.

What Sapienza, Tor Vergata and Roma Tre accept

Sapienza asks for the CIMEA Comparability + Verification but also accepts a DOV instead. Tor Vergata accepts either (and has its own CIMEA portal). Roma Tre accepts either a DOV or the CIMEA package. Rule of thumb: ask your university which one it wants before you pay for anything. In a notice of 11 July 2025↗ (opens in a new tab), the Embassy adds that the visa needs a DOV or CIMEA statement only if your university requires it.

5. Which civil-status and family papers should you prepare alongside your diplomas?

Prepare a birth extract, a family record extract, a residence certificate and your family's income papers alongside your diplomas. The Italian student visa and the DiSCo scholarship need these civil-status and family documents, and they follow the same rule as diplomas: apostille, Italian translation by a translator on one of the two lists, and an apostille on the translation.

• Birth extract, from your municipality or online with e-houwiya (idaraty.tn↗ (opens in a new tab)).
• Family record (livret de famille extract).
• Residence certificate (idaraty.tn↗ (opens in a new tab)).
• Your family's income and property papers, needed for the scholarship.

The exact list of family economic papers is in the DiSCo family documents section, and the full visa checklist is in the student visa documents section. Start the family papers together with your diplomas, as they go through the same offices.

6. In what order should you prepare your documents for Italy?

The order never changes: ministry authentication, certified copies, apostille, Italian translation, apostille on the translation, then the DOV or CIMEA statement. Use this checklist:

1. List every diploma and transcript of your school path, and check the name against your passport. For a Master's, add your Bachelor's degree, all your university transcripts and the study plan of your Bachelor's years: universities use it to check that your Bachelor's meets the Master's entry requirements.
2. Get each one authenticated by the competent Tunisian ministry.
3. Make front-and-back copies and have them certified at the municipality.
4. Have the certified copies apostilled by a notary.
5. Have them translated into Italian by a translator on the Embassy or Ministry of Justice list (if your university needs Italian).
6. Have the translations apostilled too.
7. Ask your university whether it wants a DOV or CIMEA, then book Prenot@mi or apply on DiploMe.
8. Prepare the civil-status and family papers the same way, for the visa and DiSCo.
9. Keep scans of everything; the originals are checked again when you finalise your enrolment in Rome.