Algiers

Passport validity requirements  

To enter Algeria, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. 

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.  

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen. 

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual Citizenship.

If your passport is lost or stolen in Algeria 

If your passport is lost or stolen during your stay, the Algerian authorities will ask for a police report when you leave the country. 

Visa requirements 

You must have a visa to visit Algeria. 

Check your visa details, including validity dates, before you travel. If you overstay, it is likely Algerian immigration police will detain you at the airport on departure. You may face criminal prosecution and up to 3 months in prison. 

If you want to extend your stay in Algeria, apply at the town hall (‘la wilaya’) nearest to you. 

Applying for a visa 

Before you travel, apply for a visa through the Algerian Consulate in the UK.  

You may be able to get a tourist visa on arrival at some airports in Algeria if the majority of your travel is in the south of the country. You should have a confirmed reservation with an approved local travel agency. Contact the Algerian Consulate in the UK for more information and for details of approved travel agencies. 

Vaccine requirements 

To enter Algeria, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Algeria guide. 

Travelling with children 

In Algeria, a child is:  

• someone under the age of 19 years and one day  

• considered to be an Algerian citizen if one of their parents is Algerian

If an Algerian citizen or a British-Algerian dual national child travels with one parent, the parent (whether mother or father) must prove their parental link through a ‘Livret de famille’ (original or certified copy).  

Algerian children travelling alone must have a letter (‘Autorisation Parentale’) from their parent or legal guardian giving them permission to leave the country. Children not from Algeria travelling alone need to show proof of permanent residence in the country they are travelling to. 

For further information, check the website of the Algerian Ministry of Interior or contact the Algerian Consulate in London. 

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into and out of Algeria. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Souvenirs

You can get a prison sentence for smuggling antiquities in Algeria. If you buy souvenirs, get proof of authenticity for anything that looks old or antique. Otherwise, the Algerian authorities may detain you on departure at the airport and confiscate the souvenirs.

Taking money into and out of Algeria

Declare cash at your point of entry and exit into Algeria if the amount you are carrying exceeds 5000 euros or its equivalent in other currencies. Failure to declare or false declaration of imported and exported cash constitutes an offense which may lead to criminal prosecution.

Only travellers with residency status are allowed to bring in and take out Algerian banknotes, up to a maximum of 10,000 Algerian dinars.

For further details, see You arrive in Algeria - Direction Générale des Douanes.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into and out of Algeria. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Souvenirs

You can get a prison sentence for smuggling antiquities in Algeria. If you buy souvenirs, get proof of authenticity for anything that looks old or antique. Otherwise, the Algerian authorities may detain you on departure at the airport and confiscate the souvenirs.

Taking money into and out of Algeria

Declare cash at your point of entry and exit into Algeria if the amount you are carrying exceeds 5000 euros or its equivalent in other currencies. Failure to declare or false declaration of imported and exported cash constitutes an offense which may lead to criminal prosecution.

Only travellers with residency status are allowed to bring in and take out Algerian banknotes, up to a maximum of 10,000 Algerian dinars.

For further details, see You arrive in Algeria - Direction Générale des Douanes.

Emergency services in Algeria  

Ambulance: 1021 

Fire: 14 

Police: 17 or 1548 

Contact your travel provider and insurer 

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do. 

Refunds and changes to travel 

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first. 

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including: 

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider 
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim 

Support from FCDO 

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including: 

• finding English-speaking lawyers, funeral directors and translators and interpreters in Algeria  
• dealing with a death in Algeria 
• being arrested or imprisoned in Algeria 
• getting help if you’re a victim of crime 
• what to do if you’re in hospital  
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack 

Contacting FCDO 

Help abroad  

See how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency. 

Help in the UK  

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.  

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)  

Find out about call charges

Get travel advice updates  

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.  

Follow FCDO: 

• travel advice on X

• travel advice on Facebook

Risk information for British companies  

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating in Algeria on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks. 

Areas where FCDO advises against travel

Algeria border areas

FCDO advises against all travel to within 30km of Algeria’s borders with:

• Libya
• Mauritania
• Mali
• Niger
• Tunisia – in the provinces of Illizi and Ouargla and in the Chaambi mountains area

Rest of the Algeria-Tunisia border

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to within 30km of the rest of Algeria’s border with Tunisia.

Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: 

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.

Get travel advice updates

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. 

Follow FCDO:   

• travel advice on X

• travel advice on Facebook

• Travel Aware on Instagram

Laws and cultural differences  

Personal ID 

You will need your passport to check in to any hotels in Algeria. You do not have to carry your passport at all times, but take it with you on longer journeys. You must have your passport if you travel inside Algeria by air. Keep copies of your passport’s photo page and your visa or entry stamp in a separate place. 

Ramadan  

Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country, next starting in February 2027. During this time, do not:  

• eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public in the daytime, including in your car  
• play loud music or dance  
• swear in public  

Get more advice when you arrive from your tour guide, hotel or business contacts.  

You should also:  

• check opening hours of shops and restaurants  
• be aware that if hotels and restaurants are providing food or drink in fasting hours, they may separate you from Islamic guests, for example with screens  
• be aware that most restaurants do not serve alcohol  
• follow local dress codes – clothing that does not meet local dress codes may cause more offence at this time  
• be aware that fasting can cause tiredness, particularly during the later afternoon and early evening 
• be patient and show tolerance 

Alcohol laws  

It is illegal to drink or be under the influence of alcohol in a public place. 

Illegal drugs and prison sentences 

There is zero tolerance for drugs-related offences. The penalties for trafficking, smuggling, using and possessing illegal drugs are severe and can include the death penalty depending upon the severity of the offence.

Mobile phone coverage 

Mobile phone coverage can be patchy or unavailable in more remote areas, particularly in the south of Algeria. Some online maps may not be accurate in remote areas. 

Using cameras in secure areas 

It is illegal to bring drones, binoculars, telescopes and certain types of photography equipment into Algeria without authorisation. If you have any doubt about items you plan to bring with you, contact the Algerian customs to check prior to your travel.

LGBT+ travellers 

Sexual acts between people of the same sex are illegal in Algeria. 

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers. 

Family law and child custody

Algerian family law is different from UK law. Mothers cannot renew their children’s passports without written consent from the father. Fathers can renew their children’s passports without needing the mother’s consent.

Algerian nationals, including dual-nationals, who enter the country on an Algerian passport, must leave the country on an Algerian passport, so if you are travelling with a child who has British-Algerian dual nationality, and you are unable to access a valid Algerian passport for them, you will not be able to bring the child out of Algeria without the father’s written consent or permission from the Algerian courts.

Military service

If you are a British male of Algerian origin, you may be liable for national service even if you have been living outside of Algeria. You can contact the Algerian consulate near you to check your status prior to travelling to Algeria.