Passport documents differ for Algerians in Algeria and France

Algerians who apply for a passport need different papers depending on where they live, the news website DNAlgerie reported on Monday. The list differs for people living in Algeria and for those living in France.

According to the article, the Ministry of the Interior and the Consulate General of Algeria in Paris publish lists of documents and forms to help applicants avoid incomplete files.

Applying from Algeria

For a biometric passport, the application form must be filled in and signed by the applicant or, for a minor, by their legal representative.

A first application needs a certificate of Algerian nationality, unless the applicant already has a biometric national identity card based on that certificate.

A certificate of residence is also needed if the applicant has no biometric document or has changed where they live. Minors under 19 are exempt from the residence certificate, the Ministry of the Interior says.

Applicants also need a work certificate, a certificate of non-employment or, for students and schoolchildren, a school certificate.

Two recent, identical colour photographs with a plain white background are required, as the ministry's sheet published in March 2025 requires. The file also needs a tax receipt matching the document requested, and a copy of the blood group card.

Renewal and lost passports

Renewal is needed when the passport expires or when all the pages reserved for visas are full. The renewal file asks for a work certificate, a certificate of non-employment or a school certificate, two recent photographs and a suitable tax receipt.

A new certificate of residence may be needed after a change of address.

If the passport is lost, stolen or damaged, the applicant must add a declaration of loss or theft, or the official report for the damage.

According to DNAlgerie, files are handed in at the commune services, the administrative circle or the daïra of the wilaya concerned. A commune is a local municipality, and a daïra is an administrative district within a wilaya.

Applying from France

Algerians living in France apply to the consular service that covers their place of residence. The Consulate General of Algeria in Paris publishes one procedure for a first passport and another for renewal.

A first application in Paris needs a valid consular registration card, a completed application form that is dated and signed, and the original special birth certificate, form 12S, with a copy.

People born abroad must get the 12S certificate from the civil status service of the consulate for their place of birth. The certificate must first be transcribed by the consular services.

For people born in Algeria, the application can be made online or at the commune of birth.

The consulate also asks for proof of stay in France, such as a residence permit. The article does not give the full list of accepted proof of stay.