France has officially denied setting a target of two hundred fifty thousand annual visas for Algerians, reinforcing a policy that links visa approvals to deportation cooperation. Following a cabinet meeting on July twenty-second, twenty twenty-six, the government stressed that Algeria must provide necessary travel documents for its nationals being removed from France. Despite slight improvements in diplomatic relations, visa issuance for Algerians has decreased by eighteen point three percent.
- President Emmanuel Macron rejected a visa quota for Algerians, clarifying that no numerical targets exist for visa issuance.
- France maintains that visa relaxation is strictly conditional on cooperation regarding the deportation of Algerian nationals from French territory.
- The policy remains firm despite an ambassador’s earlier claim of a two hundred fifty thousand annual visa target.
The Élysée Palace rejected a proposed return to pre-crisis visa volumes for Algerians, saying France has set no numerical target and will not ease restrictions without concrete cooperation from Algiers on deportations.
The clarification followed a July 22, 2026 cabinet meeting. The Council of Ministers said visa issuance remains conditional on Algeria accepting its nationals deported from France and providing the consular documents needed to remove them.
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The dispute began after Stéphane Romatet, France’s ambassador in Algiers, said in a July 15 interview that France intended to restore annual visa levels to approximately 250,000. Paris moved quickly to narrow that message.
Maud Bregeon, the French government spokesperson, said President Emmanuel Macron intervened to correct the ambassador’s remarks.
“President Macron reaffirmed that there is no numerical target for the number of visas issued. France shows 'no laxity' in this regard, and any relaxation is tied to tangible results on migration cooperation.”
The presidency used similar language in its own statement, rejecting both a quota and any automatic restoration of services.
“We have not set any quantitative target nor shown any leniency. The granting of visas remains strictly conditional on the effective cooperation of Algerian authorities in the fight against illegal migration and, specifically, the issuance of consular travel documents (laissez-passers) for the deportation of their nationals.”
Paris links any visa easing to deportation documents
The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said a diplomatic rapprochement is under way, but visa quotas do not form part of any signed bilateral agreement. The condition remains operational: Algeria must accept deportees, including people subject to France’s removal orders, and issue laissez-passers.
The disagreement has also exposed the political pressure surrounding the relationship. Right-wing and far-right leaders, including Marine Le Pen, criticized the ambassador’s comments as a “capitulation” and a sign of migration weakness. The government’s response put migration cooperation back at the center of the policy.
The latest dispute follows a breakdown that peaked in August 2025. France suspended visa exemptions for Algerian diplomats, and Algeria responded by canceling the 2013 visa waiver agreement.
Relations have since shown limited movement. In April 2026, reports described a “discreet shift” after Algeria began issuing more laissez-passer documents for deportations following a visit by French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
That progress did not produce a published visa quota. Paris has kept the two issues connected, but it has not announced a return to the volume described by the ambassador.
| Issue | Position or figure |
|---|---|
| Annual volume suggested by the ambassador | Approximately 250,000 visas |
| Position from the presidency | No quantitative target and no leniency |
| Condition for easing | Effective migration cooperation and laissez-passers |
| Visa trend in early 2026 | 18.3% decrease in visas granted to Algerians |
| Economic and work visa approval rate | Approximately 9.4% |
Algerian applicants still face tighter access
The policy dispute has immediate consequences for applicants. Algerian citizens continue to face difficulties securing visa appointments, while early-2026 figures showed an 18.3% decrease in visas granted compared with previous years.
Economic and work visas have been particularly difficult to obtain. Their approval rate stood at approximately 9.4%.
The figures sit alongside the diplomatic dispute rather than resolving it. Even as Algeria issued more deportation documents in April, France maintained that any broader visa relaxation would depend on tangible results.
A separate dispute adds pressure to the relationship. France supports Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a position Algeria strongly opposes.
The government’s July statements therefore left the ambassador’s 250,000 figure without policy effect. Any change will remain tied to the return of deportees and the delivery of laissez-passers, rather than to a predetermined annual number.
