France Refused Over One-Third of Algerian Visa Applications in 2024, Senate Report Reveals

A French Senate report published in September shows that Algerians faced the highest rate of visa refusals from France in 2024, with nearly 35% of applications rejected—twice the French national average.

According to the Senate document, 34.8% of visa applications submitted by Algerians in 2024 were refused. This makes Algeria the country with the highest refusal rate among the top ten nationalities applying for French visas.

In total, 383,680 Algerians applied for visas, with 250,095 granted and 133,548 rejected. China led the list with 562,505 visas issued, followed by Morocco (283,023) and Algeria (250,095). All three Maghreb countries—Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia—were among the top ten visa recipients, with a notable share of long-stay visas.

The report also highlights the growing workload of Capago, the private service company responsible for handling visa applications in Algeria. To meet the increasing demand, Capago plans to expand by opening new centers and hiring additional staff across the country.

Meanwhile, the French Embassy in Algiers and the Consulate in Oran signed 93 and 48 partnership agreements, respectively, to improve local consular cooperation.

From 2015 to 2019, visa applications to France increased by 19%, from 3.6 million to 4.3 million. However, the COVID-19 pandemic halted this rise, with border closures causing a sharp decline in short-stay visa requests. Since 2021, applications have surged again—up 289% over five years—though they remain below pre-pandemic levels, reaching 3.4 million in 2024.

France continues to be the leading Schengen country for short-stay visa requests.

Despite a gradual recovery in travel demand, the disparity in visa approval rates underscores ongoing tensions and administrative challenges between France and Algeria in managing mobility and migration policies.