The French Consul General in Algiers, Bruno Clerc, has advised Algerians to be careful when they apply for a Schengen visa.
The Consul pointed out that Capago is the only platform that officially handles appointments and that any other intermediaries offering these services could seriously harm visa applicants, Schengen News reports.
According to the Consul, these agencies and offices often are related to document falsification and fraudulent practices, which causes visa rejections. Recently, France has reduced the number of visas granted to Algerians by 28 per centwith the diplomatic tensions being the reason that led these visa rejections.
Algeria has refused several times to take back its expelled nationals who were ordered to leave France, and as a counteraction measure, France has not only cut visa issuance but also imposed movement restrictions on Algerian officials.
Capago International – The Only Official Platform Handling Visa Applications Since March 2025
The Consul also took the time to explain that since March 2025, the only platform that is authorised to offer appointments and collect documents for visa applications is Capago International. The latter’s services will be available starting April 8, 2025.
The platform handles visa applications in the centres of Oran, Annaba, Constantine and Algiers. Before April, VFS Global and TLScontact were handling visa applications in Algeria.
France remains the number one destination for Algerian visa applicants, who filed 279,005 visa applications to France. In total, Algerians filed 474,032 visa applications.
Booking Appointments Is Free of Charge, General Consul Reminds Applicants
Consul Celerc reminded Algerian visa applicants that there is no need to pay for visa appointments, a practice that is common for scammers who take slots and then resell them to visa applicants.
Applicants should absolutely avoid paying for services that are actually available for free via Capago’s online platform.
The consul pointed out that applicants can file their applications and schedule appointments directly, with no intermediaries being needed. Consul Clerc advised Algerian citizens to complete their own applications, noting that authentic approaches can increase their chances of having their visas approved and avoiding fraudulent practices and respect official procedures.
According to statistics published by SchengenVisaInfoAlgerians filed 152,411 visa applications at the French consulate in Algiers, the capital of the country. Another 73,215 visa requests were submitted to the Oran consulate, whereas 53,379 were filed in Annaba.