Algerians Paid 115 Billion Centimes To Obtain Schengen Visas In One Year

Number of Algerians who obtained Schengen visas, for the period between January,2, and November,30, 2016, reaches 553.000, in order to enter the EU territory, while 25% of the visas applications were rejected, by contrast they paid over 115 billion centimes, European Union Office in Algeria said.

EU official in Algeria told Echorouk, on Wednesday, that the EU embassies recorded, during the 11 months of 2016, an increase of 13% in the number of Algerians who wished to enter 26 European countries which belong to the Schengen space.

“Algeria ranks first among the Arab and Maghreb countries and the seventh in the world with regard to applications for Schengen visas, during the past three years, i.e since January,1, 2014 until November 30, 2016”.

In terms of numbers, it the same source explained that the states of the European Union, granted during the period between January,2, until November 30, 2016, over 553.000 Schengen visas, of short and long terms, for Algerians.

“France tops the list of countries that granted this kind of visas, by giving more than 120.000 Schengen Visas, as the French centers “Visa France” in Algiers, Annaba and Oran, receive more than 1500 applications per day, followed by Spain, Belgium and Germany, while the rejection ratio exceeded 25% during the same period, a figure that was confirmed by the Director of immigration and Home Affairs in the European Union, which said that the Algerians obtain more rejection of the visas to enter the Unified European territories, Schengen”.

In contrast, the same source adds that the financial value that Algerians disbursed during 2015 in order to obtain Schengen visas exceeded 110 million euros, which is equivalent to almost 115 billion centimes.

According to the figures of the files that are rejected by some embassies that mostly demanded by Algerians without offset, the French embassy occupies the lead with 40.000 rejected files since 2016, of the total deposited files, which owner pay, which is the sum of 10.000 DZD without compensation, followed by Belgium with 20%, then Spain with 13%.