Algeria Should Receive Its Illegal Immigrants Or Schengen Visas Will Be Reduced For Its Nationals!

European Commission is negotiating with Algeria and 16 other countries outside the Schengen area to accept strict measures to deport their nationals who are living in an illegal situation in the EU countries in return for granting visas to the nationals of these countries.

These efforts were revealed through an information report to the Senate Committee on European Affairs (SENAT), dated October, 19, and that was devoted to the follow-up to the findings of the investigating commission on the Schengen Space, which was prepared by Senators, Olivier Henno and Jean-Yves Leconte, and which copy is available to Echorouk.

The report states that the Schengen States want to make the visa policy an effective tool for improving cooperation in terms of the re-admission of illegal immigrants by introducing a new mechanism for the application of strict procedures for the processing of visa files when it comes to countries outside of schengen space, which do not cooperate sufficiently with regard to the re-admission of illegal immigrants who are living in an illegal situation on the EU’s agenda.

The same report also said that 17 countries outside the Schengen area were involved in such measures as Albania, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Pakistan and Georgia, in addition to the negotiations with six other countries – Algeria, Belarus, Nigeria, Tunisia, China and Jordan – to establish the principle of receiving the illegal immigrants for visas.

“Bilateral agreement (visas / acceptance of illegal immigrants’ reception) will be the main aspect of the migration policy of the EU countries in the short term”, the same report asserted.

On the other hand, the commission of inquiry proposes the adoption of simplified, faster and more secure procedures for the Schengen visa files, including a reduction in the granting of the visa’s decision or not, the possibility of completing and signing an electronic visa application and a “sequential” mechanism for obtaining multiple entry visas with a longer validity period for the travelers with good intention “real travelers”.

It was also proposed to raise the cost of the visa from 60 euros currently, to 80 euros, and to make the file filing services through service providers (companies) to make the service through companies outside the consular services.

The report pointed to an increase in the number of Algerian and Moroccan illegal immigrants who are arriving by sea to the Spanish coasts in 2017, especially young males who come alone and who are poorly qualified.

The authors of the report said that Algeria and Morocco expressed their complete rejection of the establishment of reception centers for illegal immigrants on its territory after they are intercepted in the international waters of the Mediterranean, adding that Algeria and Morocco are waiting for European support to strengthen capacities in reducing illegal immigration.

The French Senate has categorized Algeria as one of the least cooperative countries to issue consular conscription permits to enable them to return home.

In 2017, the Algerian consulates in France issued only 45% of the licenses that the French authorities demanded in order to deport the Algerian illegal immigrants to their country.

Last summer, the French president proposed the reducing of the visa quota for Algeria and other countries because of insufficient cooperation with regard to the deportation of their illegal immigrants, but the proposal was later rejected and dropped in the national assembly.