Algeria formally denies the rumors reporting the suspension of the granting of visas to French nationals.
Rumors to this effect have circulated in recent days, in a particular context for relations between Algeria and France following the Amira Bouraoui affair.
In a statement made public this Sunday, February 19, the Algerian Foreign Ministry denied these rumors, which it equates to a ” misleading campaign ” and attributes to ” certain circles hostile to our country “.
” In recent days, a false campaign has been noted, emanating from certain circles hostile to our country, alleging an alleged ‘decision’ by the Algerian authorities to suspend the issuance of tourist visas for the benefit of French nationals”, writes the department of Ramtane Lamamra, who then categorically denies these allegations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to ” categorically deny ” this campaign of ” disinformation ” and specifies that the Algerian diplomatic and consular representations abroad provide ” continuous ” provision of consular services and continue to deliver, the ” most normal way “, tourist visas to nationals of all third countries, including the French, wishing to go to Algeria.
Entry visas to Algeria for the French: rumors in a particular context
Since the beginning of the current year, and within the framework of the promotion of tourist destinations in Algeria, ” additional facilitation measures have been introduced, on an exceptional basis, in order to allow the issuance of regularization visas to arrival in the national territory (international airports, land, and port border crossings) for the benefit of third-country nationals wishing to go, in a tourist context and through travel agencies, to one of the 24 wilayas of the South of the country, ”recalls the Ministry of AE.
Visa applications made, ” privately “, continue to be processed at the level of the Algerian consular services abroad, ” in accordance with the regulations and procedures in force “, the statement concludes.
Algeria decided on February 9 to recall its ambassador to France, Saïd Moussi, following the intervention of the French consular services in Tunis to allow the activist Amira Bouraoui, holder of dual Algerian and French nationality, to embark for France. Algiers denounced an ” illegal exfiltration ” of an Algerian national.
In the fall of 2021, France drastically reduced the visa quota for Algerians and nationals of other Maghreb states in order to get the governments of these countries to agree to take back their nationals awaiting expulsion from French territory.
The ” return to normal ” was announced last December during the visit to Algiers of the French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin.
