Algerian consulates issue emergency passports in certain cases

Algerians living abroad can get an emergency passport in certain situations, under a 2016 executive decree that sets the rules.

ObservAlgerie reported that Fawzi Dib, Algeria's consul in Nice, said the conditions in a podcast. The podcast was broadcast on 5 November on the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The emergency passport is meant for urgent cases and does not replace the ordinary biometric passport. A biometric passport holds data about its holder, such as physical features used to check identity.

Who can get one

Algerians who do not hold a biometric passport can apply if they must travel to Algeria for urgent family or personal reasons.

These cases include the death of a first-degree relative or a court summons. The rules also cover urgent trips for work, administrative or medical reasons.

Algerians living abroad and registered with a consulate can apply if their passport is lost, stolen or damaged on a short stay in another country.

Not being registered does not automatically give the right to an emergency passport.

Unregistered Algerians can get it if their request to stay in the host country has been accepted and they need a valid passport for paperwork.

This group includes Algerians living in France who must show a valid passport to the prefectures, the French local offices that handle residence permits.

Eligibility is decided after the case is checked, and applicants must provide the required documents.

Algerians living legally abroad can also ask for the document if their passport was lost, stolen, damaged or expired during a stay in Algeria. It lets them return to their country of residence.

How long does it last

The emergency passport is an electronic document that machines can read.

The consulate in Nice has said its validity ranges from three months to one year, depending on why it is issued.

The decree sets the limit at one year from the date of issue, and the document cannot be extended.

It must be handed back to the responsible authority when a biometric passport is issued.

Its use for travel abroad depends on the entry and transit conditions of the countries concerned. Holders should check that their destination or transit country accepts it before they travel.

How to apply

Applications must be made at Algerian consular services abroad.

The file includes a completed and signed form, with supporting documents that match the applicant's situation.

The decree, numbered 16-58, is dated 3 February 2016 and was published in the Official Journal of Algeria on 7 February 2016.