Algeria family visit visa

Consulates issue a separate family visa for visits to relatives. Mission checklists are written with the foreign spouse or child of an Algerian in mind: if the Algerian spouse or parent is registered with the mission, a copy of their consular registration card replaces the invitation from Algeria. Other relatives, and friends, rely on an invitation or accommodation certificate from the host in Algeria.

The visa covers short visits only. A foreign spouse who intends to live in Algeria uses the family visa to enter and then applies to the police for a resident card before the visa expires.

The invitation must name the inviting family member, give their address in Algeria and state the relationship, and it must be certified by the local authorities; embassies in other countries describe the same document as a certificate of accommodation legalised at the town hall of the host's place of residence. Attach a copy of the inviter's identity document and evidence of the relationship, such as a marriage certificate, family record book or birth certificate.

The rest of the file matches the tourist visa: two typed and signed forms with photos, a passport valid for six months with two blank pages and a copy of its first two pages. Applicants who are not citizens of the country where they apply add a copy of their residence permit.

The family visa costs the same as other short-stay visas at most missions, for example USD 160 for US citizens in Washington; the amount depends on nationality, duration and entries, and some missions take it in cash only. Missions do not publish a fixed processing time and may ask for more documents.

Law No. 08-11 requires anyone who lodges a foreigner, whether a hotel or a private host, to declare the guest within 24 hours to the police station, the gendarmerie or the town hall. A host who fails to do so faces a fine of DZD 5,000 to 20,000. Visitors must be able to show their papers whenever officials ask.