French General Consul in Algeria: “Number of visas has dropped to 400,000 a year since 2002

The French General Consul in Algeria has said in a press conference held in Algiers that the number of visas granted to Algerian nationals over the past few years has decreased to reach just 400,000 per year.

• He indicated that the number of visas granted in the year 2002 for instance reached 900,000 a year.
• He said that this decrease stemmed from the fact that most of those applying for a visa to France did not fulfil the legal criteria and conditions to obtain such a travel document.
• In a separate development, the French General Consul affirmed that numerous French Nationals, who were settled in the recent past in Algeria, had started legal proceedings to recover their property including houses and commercial premises which were seized after their departure to France.
• He said, to this effect, that the relevant files were being examined by Algerian magistrates pending a breakthrough in this long drawn – out issue.