Every child needs their own biometric passport

Every Algerian child must hold their own biometric passport to travel abroad, a rule that has applied since 24 November 2015, Algérie 360 reported.

Minors can no longer be listed on a parent's passport, so each child needs a document of their own. A biometric passport lasts 10 years for adults and five years for minors.

Algeria sets the age of majority at 19, so a young person counts as a minor for passport purposes until then. The passport is made in Algeria, even when the application is filed at a consulate, so waiting times are longer. It is best to start well before the holidays.

Applying in Algeria

In Algeria, families file the application at any commune (local area), administrative area or daïra (district) in their wilaya (region) of residence. Filing at any of these offices lets families choose the most convenient counter.

Filing and registering biometric data gives families a receipt. Children under 19 are exempt from the residence certificate.

For a renewal, families add the expired passport and the birth certificate of the father or mother. If neither is available, a death certificate of one parent is required, according to the Ministry of the Interior website. Stamp duty varies by passport type and the period chosen.

Applying from abroad

Families living abroad file their application at the consular service of their place of residence. At the Algerian consulate in Nantes, the file needs a valid consular registration card, a signed form and the birth certificate 12-S.

It also needs proof of address, a school certificate and four photos. A dual national can use a French identity card in place of the residence permit.

The consulate also asks for proof of blood group and, where relevant, the parents' marriage certificate or divorce judgment. Adults pay 60 euros in chancellery fees, while minors and students pay 30 euros.

Does the child need to attend?

A child under 12 does not need to attend when the file is filed, as long as the photos meet the rules. The consulate can still ask for the child to come if it needs to carry out a check.

From the age of 12, the child must be present to give fingerprints. The child must come with their father, with their mother if the father does not have Algerian nationality, or with their legal guardian.

A divorced mother who has custody of the child provides a copy of the divorce judgment. When the mother comes with the child because the father is a foreign national, she provides a copy of the father's identity document. Consulates may ask for other documents depending on the family situation.

Rules can vary slightly from one consulate to another. Families should check the list of documents with their consulate before filing, to avoid confusion.