Trip to Algeria around Christmas

Hello, My husband and I (retired) are planning to spend a few days in Algeria around Christmas. I know a visa is required and that the application must be made in person (hotel reservation, travel insurance certificate, proof of sufficient funds), and the collection too. A few questions: -Is getting the visa easy or "problematic"? -Any hotel, guide, or points of interest recommendations for Algiers, Oran, Constantine? Thanks in advance for all your answers, and long live Voyage-Forum! Laurence

Hi Laurence, I applied for a visa two months ago and still haven’t received any response—neither negative nor positive... I’m still waiting. Consulates rarely answer the phone; I managed to reach them only once after about ten attempts. In my case, they didn’t accept the proof of funds in my file, but hotel reservations made through Booking weren’t taken into account either—I don’t know why. However, reservations from Hotels.com and Namlatic were accepted. Namlatic is an Algerian site that offers visa-supporting reservations, though I didn’t use that option. I used multiple booking sites because there aren’t many hotel options in rural areas, and my goal is to cross Algeria from west to east, from Oran to Constantine. Hope my experience helps. Safe travels!

Hi Richard, Thanks so much for the info. If you’ve been waiting for your visa for 2 months already, I doubt we’ll get ours before Christmas! Plus, the Algerian consulate (for us, it’d be in Lyon) requires an in-person meet-up to submit a visa application AND to pick up the visa, if I understood correctly… We might end up choosing another destination since I’m not sure all this hassle is worth it for just a few days’ trip. Anyway, thanks again and good luck with your visa! Laurence

Hi Laurence, I had to deal with the consulate in Toulouse—I went there without an appointment to submit the documents. The official visa website mentions 12 to 14 days for processing, but I went to the consulate twice to check on the status of my visa and ask if they could give me a date. I was told that the first visa takes longer because they do background checks. I’ve postponed my trip to Algeria until next spring and canceled all my bookings except for the round-trip ferry crossings, which aren’t refundable, so I had to reschedule them.

Hi Richard,

Indeed, getting that first visa does seem pretty complicated and time-consuming. Good luck, and have a great trip in the spring—fingers crossed!

Looking forward to following your adventures on Voyage-Forum.

You know, there are countries that make things less complicated. I’d look elsewhere if they don’t want us.

Hi,

Were you able to get your visa? I got mine in 15 days at the consulate in Nanterre.

See you soon

Hi Laurence,

I got the visa after 4 months of waiting—the consulate notified me by phone about ten days ago. I’ll be heading off in the spring for this trip.

Happy holidays to everyone.

No, we’ve (temporarily) given up. Enjoy your trip to Algeria, then!

4 months is a long time! Have a great trip to Algeria in the spring!

Hi Laurence, Just a quick update on my trip to Algeria from April 8th to 24th. We were really well received by the Algerians—they’re so kind, helpful, and always have a friendly word to share. "Welcome" was the word we heard the most. The country is definitely worth visiting, and we’ll be back next year to explore the south, which I think has some incredible landscapes. We never felt unsafe or sensed any resentment from the locals. The diplomatic issues between our two countries were never brought up at any point. I highly recommend visiting this country.

Best regards,