Spain assigns private company to examine visa applications

The Spanish foreign ministry assigned a private company in Madrid to study visa applications submitted by Algerians and other countries, Echorouk has learnt.

• The ministry launched a call for tender to sign a contract with a Madrid-based private company to study visa applications of about 50 countries including Algeria.
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• The Algerian applications are collected at the Spanish consulate in Algiers and Oran (west of Algiers). Data about applicants are transferred to the police in charge of examining the applications in Madrid via a computer system.
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• The same cost will be kept for applications while an additional sum is paid to the private company but it should not reach 50 percent of the visa cost which is estimated at 60 Euros.
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• Applicants will be called by the consulates after their applications are studied in Madrid.
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• Spain and many other European countries work with Algerian private companies to collect and receive visa applications before transferring them to consulates in return for 2,500 DZ for each application.