Algeria Implements New Foreign Exchange Allocation for Travelers: €750 for Adults, €300 for Minors as of July 20

Algeria Implements New Foreign Exchange Allocation for Travelers: €750 for Adults, €300 for Minors as of July 20

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

In alignment with President Tebboune’s directive, the Bank of Algeria announces the enforcement of the revised currency exchange cap for citizens traveling abroad, accompanied by streamlined operational measures to ensure efficiency and accessibility.

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Algiers, Algeria– Thursday, July 17, 2025 |  In a decisive move aimed at strengthening financial transparency and facilitating access to foreign currency for Algerian citizens, the Bank of Algeria announced on Thursday the official implementation of the new foreign exchange entitlement for travel abroad, set to take effect on Sunday, July 20, 2025. Endorsed by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, this long-anticipated reform raises the annual foreign exchange cap to €750 for adults (19 years and older) and €300 for minors between 12 and 18 years, representing a significant increase from previous thresholds.

The decision was formalized via Instruction No. 05-2025, signed on July 17, 2025, by the Governor of the Bank of Algeria. This directive not only defines the revised exchange amounts but also details the eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, and legal framework governing the allocation.

Conditions of Eligibility and Procedural Framework

To qualify for the foreign exchange allowance, the citizen’s stay abroad must be at least seven (7) days in duration. The value in Algerian dinars equivalent to the designated euro amount must be paid no later than three (3) working days prior to the travel date, and this payment must be made at branches of the Bank of Algeria or at authorized commercial banks.

A payment receipt is issued to the beneficiary, who must also provide the following supporting documents:

A valid round-trip travel ticket, or in the case of land travel, a road tax receipt and proof of fuel tax payment.

A valid passport of the beneficiary.

A copy of the passport’s identity page.

A valid visa, if required by the destination country.

When acting on behalf of a spouse or dependent, a family certificate proving the relationship must be presented.

The official exchange rate used to calculate the equivalent dinar amount is the one valid on the day of payment.

Currency in euros (or other foreign currency) is physically disbursed at departure points, such as airports, seaports, or land border crossings, upon presentation of:

A valid passport

A boarding pass issued by an airline or shipping company (for air or sea travelers)

The receipt confirming the dinar payment

Land travelers must submit the required documentation directly at the border checkpoint during exit formalities.

Return of Funds and Legal Sanctions

The directive also stipulates that any beneficiary who returns to Algeria after fewer than 7 days abroad must reimburse the foreign exchange amount to the Bank of Algeria within five (5) working days of return. Similarly, if the trip is cancelled, the full amount must also be returned.

Failure to comply with these provisions will result in suspension of exchange entitlement for five (5) years, and may lead to legal prosecution under Algerian foreign exchange laws, particularly in cases of fraud, such as transferring the funds to third parties who are not the legal beneficiaries.

The instruction explicitly warns against “any maneuver aimed at diverting the intended use of the foreign exchange amount to benefit unauthorized third parties.”

Presidential Oversight and National Mobilization

This reform was the product of months of inter-institutional coordination, initiated during a working meeting chaired by President Tebboune on February 10, 2025, with the participation of the Chief of Staff of the Presidency, the Governor of the Bank of Algeria, the Minister of Finance, and the Director General of Customs.

Previously, during a Cabinet meeting in December 2024, President Tebboune had ordered a raise of the tourist travel grant to €750 for adults and €300 for minors, in addition to a separate increase of the Hajj allowance to $1,000.

To support this reform, the Bank of Algeria and relevant agencies have established new foreign currency exchange offices at airports, maritime terminals, and land border crossings, thereby enhancing citizens’ access to official exchange points and discouraging reliance on the parallel market.

This development comes amid broader economic and monetary reforms introduced under President Tebboune’s leadership, aimed at restoring confidence in Algeria’s financial institutions, ensuring citizen mobility, and aligning national exchange policies with international financial standards.

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