Government of Canada services and information in Algiers, Algeria

Refer to the International adoption website.

"Kafala" is the legal method for adopting a child in Algeria, but it is not considered adoption as defined by Canadian law.

It should be noted that kafala for Algerian children is only granted to parents of the Muslim faith.

Since kafala is equivalent to guardianship rather than adoption, children under the kafala system are not eligible for immediate Canadian citizenship.

Before the child can join you in Canada, both you and your adopted child will need to complete the international adoption and immigration process.

Surrogacy or the use of a surrogate mother is not recognized in Algeria.

Refer to Children born outside of Canada.

Certificates of Registration of Birth Abroad have not been issued since 1977.

If you are a Canadian citizen and your child was born in Algeria, there is no need to register the birth with Canadian authorities. However, you will need to apply for a citizenship certificate in order to establish your child's Canadian citizenship and, if required, obtain a Canadian passport.

In Algeria, a birth must be declared within five days of the birth to the civil status officer in the place where the birth occurred. After this period, a judicial regularization procedure may be required.

To obtain information on the requirements and documents needed to register a birth, please contact the civil status office (bureau de l'état civil) of the relevant municipality directly.

Applying for a Canadian citizenship certificate from outside Canada and the United States

If you prefer to submit your application in person, you are invited to deposit it in the Consular Services drop box located inside the entrance of the Embassy of Canada in Algiers, from Sunday to Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (except on public holidays).

Address:
Embassy of Canada
18 Mustapha Khalef Street
Ben Aknoun 16035 Algiers

Australians: Australian citizenship applications are not accepted at this office - you should contact the Australian Embassy in Cairo.

Please get a criminal record verification certificate before leaving Canada from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) headquarters, not from a local or provincial police service.

The consular section at the embassy can issue an Apostille only for the original RCMP criminal record certificates.

Send a copy of the document by email to algercs@international.gc.ca to verify the possibility of issuing an Apostille.

For all other criminal record certificates, you must send your document to the relevant provincial authority to obtain an Apostille, and then have it legalized by the Algerian Embassy in Canada before using it in Algeria.

Note: The Embassy does not provide fingerprinting services and cannot provide updates of any ongoing applications.

Payment method

• Onsite payment with a credit card.
• Only MasterCard and Visa are accepted.
• Present the completed and signed credit card authorisation form at your appointment.
• Algerian CIB cards are not accepted.
• Cash payment is not accepted

Refer to Death abroad.

In Algeria, the declaration of death is mandatory and must be made within 24 hours of the death.

Cremation services are not available in Algeria.

In the event of the death of a Canadian citizen in Algeria, family members or relatives of the deceased may contact the Embassy of Canada at algercs@international.gc.ca to obtain a list of local funeral service providers, as well as information on the procedures for repatriating the remains to Canada.

Any divorce judgment issued by a foreign court must be granted exequatur by the competent court in Algeria in order to be recognized and enforced there.

Exequatur is a court decision by which an Algerian judge recognizes a foreign judgment and makes it enforceable in Algeria.

The Embassy of Canada cannot intervene in divorce proceedings or provide legal advice. Individuals seeking exequatur are encouraged to consult a lawyer in Algeria.

To obtain a list of lawyers, please contact the consular section at algercs@international.gc.ca.

The Embassy of Canada cannot provide legal advice. We recommend that you consult a qualified lawyer. You may retain a lawyer of your choice who is a member of a bar association in Algeria.

To obtain a list of lawyers in Algeria, please contact us at algercs@international.gc.ca.

Refer to Marriage outside Canada.

Marriages cannot be performed on the premises of a Canadian embassy or consulate abroad. Canadian consular officers do not solemnize marriages and are not required to attend them.

Canadian citizens wishing to marry in Algeria must comply with the laws and requirements of the competent Algerian authorities.

Before leaving Canada, it is strongly recommended that you ask your future spouse to contact the Foreign Nationals Office (Bureau des Étrangers) of the wilaya (province) where the marriage will take place in order to confirm the applicable requirements and the documents that must be submitted.

Important: under Algerian regulations, a foreign citizen wishing to marry an Algerian woman in Algeria must be of the Muslim faith.

Algerian authorities may request, among other documents:

• A criminal record check (see the Criminal record checks section for further details)
• A recent long-form birth certificate
• A document confirming that you are free to marry.

Canada does not issue a Certificate of non-impediment to marriage. However, the Embassy of Canada may issue a statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad.

Obtaining a Statement in lieu of a certificate of non-impediment

To prepare this statement before your trip, please send a copy of the following documents to the Consular section at algercs@international.gc.ca:

• The identification Page 2 of your valid Canadian passport;
• If applicable, your divorce certificate, divorce judgment, or the death certificate of your deceased spouse;
• A statutory declaration of your marital status*, indicating the name and citizenship of your future spouse and their permanent address (post office boxes are not accepted as permanent addresses);
• Fee: CAD $50

• A duly completed and signed credit card payment authorization form.

*The following template can serve as a reference:

“I, the undersigned [your LAST NAME and first names], a Canadian citizen born on [your date of birth] and residing at [your full residential address], solemnly declare that I am [choose the appropriate status: single, widowed, or divorced] and free to marry [NAME and first names of the future spouse], a citizen of [nationality of the future spouse] residing at [full residential address of the future spouse].”

When collecting the statement, you must present the original documents listed above, or, certified true copies when the originals are unavailable. The original Canadian passport must be presented.

Processing time is 3 business days.

Please book a notarial services appointment online to present your documents in person and collect the statement.

Registration a foreign marriage in Canada

Marriages celebrated abroad are generally not registered with the vital statistics registrars of Canada's provinces and territories.

Administrative requirements for the recognition of a marriage celebrated in Algeria may vary from one Canadian province or territory to another. We recommend that you contact the competent authorities in your place of residence to obtain information on the procedures that apply to your situation.

The Embassy of Canada in Algeria offers notarial services exclusively to Canadian citizens, by appointment only.

In limited cases, notarial services may be provided to non-Canadians, provided their documents are intended for use in Canada, but not in the context of an immigration process or visa application.

When making an appointment, please provide your first name, last name, email address, and phone number. Without this information, the appointment will be canceled.

Note: At your appointment, you must:

• Be in possession of a valid Canadian passport or a valid ID for non-Canadians.
• Present the original documents to be notarized.
• Ensure that the documents are written in French or English, or are accompanied by an official translation in one of these two languages.
• A payment of CAD $50 or CAD $20 per document, depending on the service requested. To do this:
• Print and complete the credit card authorisation form (PDF) with your application.
• Adjust the amount based on the number of documents to be notarized.

Identity confirmation form: Please note that we cannot complete documents aimed at confirming your identity as part of notarial services, such as identity confirmation forms for a bank, lawyer, the Canadian Medical Council, or other identity confirmation for a professional order in Canada.

Canadian driver’s licenses are not renewed at the Embassy, but directly with your province of residence. See Driving in Canada. We do not offer certification services for Canadian driver's licenses. However, it is possible to get a certified true copy of your Canadian driver's license.

Apostille (formerly legalization or authentication of documents)

The Apostille Convention came into effect in Canada on January 11, 2024.

Since January 11, 2024, if your Canadian documents need to be legalized or authenticated for use abroad, you must request an apostille.

The consular section can now only issue an apostille for the following documents:

1. Civil status documents (birth, marriage, death, or name change) issued by a provincial office responsible for civil status in Canada.
2. The original criminal record certificates (police check) issued by the RCMP in Ottawa.

Please send a copy of your document by email to algercs@international.gc.ca to verify the possibility of issuing an apostille.

For any other documents, you must send them to the relevant competent authority to get an apostille, and then have it legalized at the Algerian Embassy in Canada before using it in Algeria.

The apostille service is available by appointment. You must present the following documents:

• The original document to receive the apostille;
• Your Canadian passport;
• A payment of CAD $50 per document. To do this:
• Print and complete the credit card authorisation form (PDF) with your application.
• Adjust the amount based on the number of documents to be notarized.

Certified true copy of the original:

• Documents intended for use in Canada (fees applicable).
• Government-issued ID documents that need a certified copy (fees applicable).

Certification of a signature, affidavit, statutory declaration:

Documents presented by a Canadian citizen for use in Canada or Algeria, requiring signature certification by consular services (fees applicable).

Before your appointment, you must:

Complete all documents, ensuring that the date and signature are added in the presence of a consular officer. If witnesses need to sign your document, they must be present at the appointment. The witnesses must present original, official, and valid ID. It is your responsibility to ensure that your witnesses meet the eligibility criteria.

Note:

• Processing times for notarial services vary between 3 and 10 business days.
• We will contact you by email as soon as your documents are ready for pickup, to proceed with the payment and collect them.
• Consular Services: Service Standard

If you have any questions regarding notarial services, you can email us at algercs@international.gc.ca.

Australians: In accordance with the Canadian-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement, notarial services are not offered to Australian citizens.

Refer to Canadian passports and travel documents.

How to apply for a passport from outside Canada and the United States: Video guides

• As a Canadian citizen, you cannot obtain a Canadian visa. You must have a valid Canadian passport to enter Canada.
• The validity of the passport cannot be extended; you must apply for a new one.
• If your passport no longer has blank pages, you can renew it.
• Any passport application must be paid online before submission. Please present your payment receipt with your application at your appointment.
• Book an appointment online to submit your application in person.
• When booking the appointment, please provide your first name, last name, phone number, and email address.
• Without this information, the appointment will be cancelled.

Important:

• Select the "Outside of Canada and the USA" passport application form.
• For a first-time adult passport application (over 16 years old), this is not a simplified renewal.
• A birth certificate in French will also be required.
• A guarantor is required for any passport application for a child under 16 or a first-time adult passport application (over 16). You do not need a guarantor unless you are eligible for a simplified renewal.
• If you have multiple applications to submit, please select "passport application for a family" when booking an appointment.
• Applications sent by mail or email are not accepted.
• Passports cannot be sent by mail. You will receive an email to book an appointment online to pick up your passport at the embassy.

Lost, stolen, or damaged passports

If your valid passport is lost, stolen, inaccessible, or damaged, email algercs@international.gc.ca with:

• A copy of page 2 of the passport (if available)
• Your first name, last name, and date of birth
• Date of arrival in Algeria
• Planned travel date (if available)
• Phone number

To replace a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, you must submit a complete passport application including:

• The duly completed statutory declaration form - PPTC 203.
• The original police report, with a translation in French or English.
• The receipt for the additional fee of CAD $45.

Child:

• For a child's passport application, the child's birth certificate (in French or English) is mandatory.
• The presence of both parents and the child is required at least once during the processing of the passport application, whether for submission or collection.
• Both parents must sign the application form and provide their original IDs. If one parent is outside Algeria, they must complete the PPTC 028 form ("Letter of Consent") at a Canadian Passport office. A number will be provided when submitting the application.
• For applications submitted abroad, the parent in Algeria can come to the Canadian Embassy in Algiers without an appointment to sign the parental consent, during the following hours:
  • Sunday to Wednesday: between 9:00am and 11:00am
• Children under 16 are not required to sign the application form, but those aged 11 to 15 are encouraged to do so.

Important: Parents should never sign the passport or any other Canadian travel document of their child.

Frequently asked questions

• Who can act as a guarantor?
  • A guarantor is a person who has known the applicant for at least 2 years. This can be either:
    • A Canadian passport holder, or
    • Regardless of their citizenship, a person working in Algeria that meets the requirements.
  • A family member or someone residing at the same address as the applicant can act as a guarantor provided they meet the applicable requirements listed above.

• I can't find a guarantor, what can I do?
• Who can act as a reference?
• References are not required to reside in Algeria or Canada, nor to be Canadian citizens.

• What proof of Canadian citizenship is acceptable?
• What are the photo requirements?
• In the case of separation or divorce, who can apply for a child passport?
• What are the processing times for a regular passport application?
• I’ve been in Algeria for less than 2 months, what should I do if I am turned away at the airport because I didn’t have a valid Canadian passport to return home?

You can submit a temporary passport application in person at the Canadian Embassy in Algiers. Processing times are usually less than 20 business days.

To submit your application, you must complete the required form and submit it between 9:00am and 11:00am, Sunday to Thursday. Follow the instructions on the passport application page and select the "Outside of Canada and the USA" form.

Add the following to your application:

• The passport used to enter Algeria and the missed flight ticket;
• A duly completed and signed passport application form, with supporting documents.
• The payment receipt for the fees of a regular passport and a temporary passport (CAD $110).

Australians: Australian passports are not issued by this office. Contact algercs@international.gc.ca for more information.

Refer to Benefits for Canadians living abroad and Retiring abroad.

To apply for a retirement benefit in Canada, contact the relevant services in Canada directly. Find information at Public pensions.

For the province of Québec, contact Retraite Québec for more details.

The consular service of the Embassy does not have access to individual files related to pensions. If you have a question about your file, contact the service in Canada directly.

The consular service can help you to get certified copy of your Canadian documents if you need them to submit your retirement file in Canada.

Same-sex marriage is not recognized in Algeria.

Refer to Students and youth and EduCanada.

The consular section at the Embassy of Canada in Algiers does not offer visa and immigration services. The consular section does not provide information related to visa applications, immigration, permanent residency and sponsorship and do not respond to emails or calls on this subject. The consular section is only responsible for services to Canadian citizens.

Refer to Travel documents – Visas.

• Apply to travel, study, work or immigrate to Canada.
• Find a visa application centre (VAC) to book an appointment to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo).
• Submit an enquiry using the IRCC web form to contact a visa office.

Permanent residents of Canada: Find out how to apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD).

Refer to Voting in an election while outside Canada.