Living and Health

[sharon englefield]

I am currently thinking about going to live on Djerba, buying a property and marrying my Tunisian boyfriend. Can anyone give me advice on these issues, also about health care, the laws regarding muslims and europeans marrying. People tell me that all assets automatically go to the husband, is this true? As I will be using my money from the sale of my house, I just need some general advice. Many thanks

[Cyndi]

I just got married in Tunis on October 5th and in my marriage contract I had community property put in because I will also be buying a house in Sousse this summer. I have it split 50/50.

[samwella]

hi sharon,

you'll be able to find a lot of info about getting married within the marriage section and what papers you'll need to take with you.

When preparing the papers it is included about entitlement etc as whether you would keep your assets separate or combine them, when signing the contract they will also confirm this with you as to what you would decide to do.

I can't offer any advice about buying property as haven't actually been through this yet or as to health care whilst over there, however I do know that for example my other half does pay for medical care and I can be added to this to be covered

good luck with everything

[kellyc]

Hi, you can apply to split everything 50-50 after the marriage and then any inheritance, funds from before the marriage you can state is yours solely, friends of mine who have married have taken this step.

I can only advise on experience but health care is normally private, dentists and doctors are not too expensive your looking at about 15 dinar for a dentist app and the same for doctors. Tunisians do get some help with a CNS card but I think the majority have to pay private as the CNS (think its called CNS or CNSS?) card only helps for a reduced amount, you may be entitled to something similar when you are married but even when my fiance gets ill I take him to a private clinic its not that expensive compared to UK. you can also get medical insurance here which I will be doing when we marry in May.

[ROULLA]

Hi sharon englefield,
how are you ! you asked what the hospitals are like in Tunisia , and well to be truthful really bad in Nabeul anyway.
But dont despair as there is light at the end of the tunnel because i actually went twice for ops in private clinics and they were really nice and the good thing is that they are so cheap and everytime i go to Tunisia i always go for a quick checkup for a mere 15/20 dinars so dont worry.
Private doctors,dentists you name it and i have seen a few they are fantastic and very clever

[Briseis]

On this note, how does the system work if you need regular repeat perscriptions? Does one simply have to pay the full amount or are there schemes which give you a discount if for instance it is something you would need until the rest of your life?

[Coyote]

Originally Posted by sharon englefield

I am currently thinking about going to live on Djerba, buying a property and marrying my Tunisian boyfriend. Can anyone give me advice on these issues, also about health care, the laws regarding muslims and europeans marrying. People tell me that all assets automatically go to the husband, is this true? As I will be using my money from the sale of my house, I just need some general advice. Many thanks

Private health insurance is available in Tunisia too, simply ask around with various insurances there. It is also possible to get an "expatriate insurance" from a European company, which is valid in all countries except the European one where you are living in.

A (private) health insurance in Tunisia along with a desaster help (to fly you back to UK) should be enough, when you are young, you even could do with the tunisian insurance and just have some high risk coverage in the UK, so that you can return to the UK for medical help in serious cases.

Regarding buying a house, I can only strongly advice to buy it in YOUR name only AND leave it like that for the first few years of your marriage!

If you later want to share, you can still do that, but keep it in your name in the beginning. Remember the saying that friendship and brotherhood stops where money becomes involved, and this goes double and triple for Tunisia.

After all, it is YOUR money that you invest and in case of a divorce you will loose it and have to undertake huge efforts to secure even the half. PLus, in case of the death of your husband, his half will go to his family, it is almost impossible to prevent from that, even in court, since other contractual arrangements are void.

There are generally no legal problems in a non-muslim woman marrying a muslim man.