Algeria info

[Bartosz]

Hi folks
For your info.
We are waiting for algerian visas from December with no answer.
Group from Poland with 2 cars.

Bartosz

[roro]

Which agency have you contacted ?

RR.

[Bartosz]

Tenezrouft

Bartosz

[ferdi]

Hello,

at the moment, also the agencies situated in the south (also InSalah) don't get the stamps from the authorities for the invitation,a friend of mine in Tam told. Last week on the homepage of the algerian consulate in Germany all agencies in the southern Wilayas (except Adrar) were deleted, now the whole page is deleted - try an agency, hotel or "friend" more north.

Ferdi

[Yves]

Hi,
>at the moment, also the agencies situated in the south (also InSalah) don't get the stamps from the authorities for the invitation

according my information the situation is different.
About 2 weeks ago a new procedure for obtaining tourist visa had been imposed. But this procedure is refused by the tourist business (may be not in Adrar).
So in fact, actually it may be difficult to obtain a tourist visa.

A couple of tourist who returned from Algeria end of February reported to me that their trip passed as usual. Tassili du Hoggar, Teffedest, Tam-Djanet crossing still banned for tourism. And lots of military activity in the south to secure the southern border.

Regarding visa: In Europe it takes 1 to 2 weeks. And in Switzerland it was impossible to obtain a double entry visa for Algeria.

[ferdi]

Hoi Yves,

according to my "private" information, the situation changed 2-3 weeks ago. E.g. in Tam it was impossible (10 days ago) to get the stamp. Maybe in Tim or Adrar. In D the visa takes at least 3 weeks (for the south and west germans), if you will get one, 2x entry since 7 years nearly impossible here.

I changed my plans - 3 weeks DZ to 2 weeks TN, may be DZ in autumn.

Greetings
Ferdi

[Tomek]

Hi all,

Originally Posted by ferdi

Hello,

at the moment, also the agencies situated in the south (also InSalah) don't get the stamps from the authorities for the invitation,a friend of mine in Tam told. Last week on the homepage of the algerian consulate in Germany all agencies in the southern Wilayas (except Adrar) were deleted, now the whole page is deleted - try an agency, hotel or "friend" more north.

Ferdi

On our invitation issued by Tanezrouft there are no stamps from authotities...

Regards

Tomek

[Yves]

Tomek,
since your invitation had been issued, back in 2010, the procedure changed. At least until February 2011 no stamp was needed for a successful visa application.
But now it is a mess as most agencies refuse the new procedure.

[roro]

Originally Posted by Bartosz

Tenezrouft

Bartosz

Bad news....

RR.

[Jose Brito]

Hi,

Doesn't add much, but I've been waiting for a visa since early March, with no anwser as well. We were organising a scientific expedition, thus contacts were official (Ministery of Culture, University, etc). No chance at all...

Good luck,
jc

[Bartosz]

Answer from embassy in Poland was like that:
If we travel by car we must wait for permit from ministry in Alger, if we travel by plane we can get visas faster.
So, we travel by car and we are waiting so long.
Maybe we can get visas for autum. It would be great.

Bartosz

[roro]

About visa applications, I'm sure that it depends where (country) you're from (ie. it depends from your country's Algerian general consulate).
For exemple, in France you don't need to give the "original" form from the agency you've chosen, a copy is OK.

Other topic: I've received a reply fromTanezrouft Voyages telling me that, to go to Beni Abbes and Timmimoun, I need to be escorted with "gendarmes".
I'm very surprised about that, may be it's only if I left the tarmac betwen these two towns.

What is you opinion?

RR.

[Chris Scott]

I believe the 'original invite' requirement in the UK (as well as a longer issuing time and much higher price) was a response to the Brits turning the screws on Algerian visa apps. In Europe the old fax method is still used.

Rally organisers should have got the message by now: your events are not welcome/treated suspiciously in Algeria, I suspect because the army (who calls the shots) doesn't want the bother. A few years ago Hubert Auriol (ex Dakar racer and TSO chief) tried to organise a mini rally/raid in Alg. You'd think he'd have some clout/connections, but same thing: last minute the Algies dumped on him.

The good news seems to be that that confrontation between agencies and the tourism ministry has come to nothing so far. If tourist invites were handed over to be issued by the ministry, I suspect the space-time continuum would have collapsed.

As for Beni Abbes area, I believe that is a special case for the wilaya or Adrar, possibly as a result of a skirmish there two years back (AQIM types coming up from the south), or similar activity. My group got caught up with the green & whites in February coming down along the road from Oran ('pour votre securite'), at times crawling along at 40kph or waiting hours for the next patrol to turn up and take over. If I was to try and get to Timimoun, I would come down the TSH and turn after El Golea. Shame, as that corner is a nice area.

Anywhere else in Alg, it's just agency escorts required, AFAIK.

Ch

[roro]

So, if I understand well, If I come from El Golea (coming from In Salah, after a Immidir/Ahnet loop), I can go to Timmimoun only with our guide?
And I want to continue till Beni Abbes (by road) ? ... I've never get there.
RR.

[Chris Scott]

You'll have to ask Tanezrouft, roro, I am just speculating as usual.
And actually Beni Abbes is in Bechar wilaya according to this map so maybe the Moroccan border is the issue with the gendarmerie (who are a national guard and not regional?, so wilaya borders may be irrelevant, anyway).

Ch