A major fake visa operation was uncovered at Houari Boumédiène International Airport in Algeria, leading to the arrest of the travel agency owner and several associates, alongside the seizure of multiple devices. The investigation revealed that forged Schengen visas for France and Spain were produced within this agency, which was also linked to migrant smuggling activities.

The case, which began in June 2024, has now been completed, and the authorities are preparing to present it to the criminal court.

The scandal first came to light when police caught an Algerian passenger attempting to board a flight to Barcelona with a forged Spanish visa, reportedly purchased for around €3,300 from the implicated travel agency. Later, in October 2024, another Algerian national was found with a fake Spanish Schengen visa, having allegedly paid about €5,300 for it from the same agency. Several other individuals, including a family of four, admitted to using the agency’s services to obtain counterfeit visas for France and Spain in exchange for large sums of money.

Authorities have not yet explained why these Algerian nationals resorted to fake visas when official Schengen visa applications cost only about €90.

In 2024, Algerian citizens submitted over 544,600 Schengen visa applications, ranking sixth among nationalities applying for Schengen visas. Of these, approximately 340,780 were approved, while 185,101 were rejected. France and Spain were the top destinations for Algerian applicants, receiving 352,295 and 123,991 visa applications respectively.