Sources Confirm That France Is Not Blocking Visa Applications from Algerians
Key Takeaways:
- Sources have confirmed that France is not blocking or freezing the visa application process for Algerians.
- This confirmation follows frustration over appointment availability and processing delays.
- The challenges faced by Algerians have been attributed to the transition in outsourcing companies.
Sources have clarified that French authorities are not blocking or freezing visa applications for Algerian nationals. This comes after rumors circulated on social media suggesting a blockage in the visa request process.
Despite recent diplomatic tensions between France and Algeria, including calls from the French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, to end the Franco-Algerian agreement, sources for Visa Algerie explained that the issues are due to organizational challenges related to the transition from VFS Global and TLS Contact. They emphasized that the visa process for Algerians has not been frozen or blocked by France.
Frustrated Algerian nationals have voiced their concerns on social media, citing difficulties in obtaining French Schengen visas, especially securing appointments and dealing with delays. These issues have been linked to the ongoing transition to the new outsourcing company, Capago International, and it remains to be seen if they will help resolve the situation.
Tensions between France and Algeria have been escalating, prompting France to consider additional measures. French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin recently suggested removing visa-free entry for Algerian diplomatic passport holders, following an incident where Algeria refused to accept a deported Algerian influencer.
Schengen Statistics for 2023 indicate that Algerians were the most frequent applicants whose visa requests were denied by France, with 93,151 Schengen visa rejections. Other European countries like Spain, Italy, Malta, and Belgium also had high refusal rates for Algerians.