France introduces new visa procedures for Algerians

Xavier Driancourt

VFS Global is appointed the official body to process the French visa applications for the Algerian citizens at the Consulate General in Algiers, informed France’s ambassador to Algeria, Xavier Driancourt.

VFS was chosen through a public tender, which was launched in late 2017 in an attempt to ensure “a better service for visa applicants,” said Driancourt.

The move also aims at placing a flexible visa online appointment booking system for all applicants, especially with the notable increase in the annual number of visa applications. According to the French consulate’s data, some 410,000 visas were granted last year, of which 230,000  were for citizens who live in the Algerian capital.

Applicants must pay the service fees of DZD3600 ($ 32) in advance to secure an appointment. The new online visa system, dubbed “France-Visa,” is the only online application registration portal in Algiers.

“The system will be disseminated in the country’s provinces of Oran and Annaba in the coming months and will be processed through TLS Contact which is part of the French Teleperformance Group,” Driancourt said.