Algeria summons French chargé d’affaires over visa dispute

Algeria has summoned France’s chargé d’affaires to protest a statement issued by the French Embassy regarding visa procedures.

The move followed a Tuesday announcement by the French Embassy that its diplomatic and consular staff in Algeria would be cut by one-third by September 2025 due to Algerian refusal to grant visas to new personnel.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry accused Paris of pursuing a “policy of blackmail” over visa issuance and expressed its “categorical rejection” of the embassy’s remarks.

The ministry warned the French envoy that his embassy statement breached diplomatic protocol by addressing the Algerian public directly and misrepresenting facts in an attempt to place sole blame on Algeria for not approving French staff.

Tit-for-tat move

In its statement, the French Embassy said that deteriorating bilateral relations had led to a sharp drop in staff at its diplomatic missions in Algiers, Oran, and Annaba, and limited its ability to process Algerians’ visa applications.