In Algeria, the student visa obstacle course

“But where have Moha, Aksel, Mourad, Mahdi… and so many other young people from the town gone? » asks Yazid, 45. Upon returning from Algiers to celebrate his wedding in his hometown of Kabylia, this official was surprised to see the absence of the young people who usually help during local events. many are “abroad”mainly in Canada and France. A good number of these new expats have obtained higher degrees in Algeria, an added advantage for obtaining a student visa.

Many people apply for a visa before the last year of studies, so as not to waste time. According to Campus France, the information organization on studies in France, in 2023 there were 32,147 Algerian students in the country, 4% more than in 2022. This is the second community of foreign students in France, behind that of Morocco.

At the Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) center, an Indian company responsible for processing applications for many countries, including France, in Oued Smar, 20 kilometers east of the center of Algiers, thousands of them show up every day in the hope of obtain the visa you are looking for. They are often accompanied by their parents, coming from Algiers, Boumerdès, Béjaïa, Tizi Ouzou, Tipaza and other neighboring wilayas, as evidenced by their license plates.

This September morning, Manal, 23, who completed her French studies at the Bouzaréah Language Institute and obtained approval from a Parisian university for a postgraduate program, confesses that “Getting this visa would really be the fulfillment of all my dreams.”.

Denial without clear explanation

Also waiting, Amani, enrolled at the New Sorbonne, tells of her difficulties in searching for this administrative document. “I used all my energy trying to get this appointment. The appointment, which should be a simple procedure, turns out to be the most restrictive step of the entire process for applicants for studies in France”said. Manal, who received acceptance from Paris-VIII University, adds: “And you don’t win anything! »

The two young women point out that obtaining a student visa is no longer guaranteed as before. Despite complete files, including the agreement of the host university, the validated language test, the fees paid, the irrevocable transfer certificate (AVI) in the amount of 1,154,000 dinars (approximately 8,000 euros) and the reserved accommodation , several of his friends were denied access. , without a clear explanation.

The justification is reduced to a concise bureaucratic formula: “The information provided to justify the conditions of stay is incomplete and/or unreliable”. Those who failed say they don’t understand where the “flaw” in your file. Many believe that these refusals respond more to a desire by the French authorities to limit the arrival of young Algerian graduates. These disappointments, which have become frequent, do not, however, discourage candidates, who do everything possible to optimize their chances.

In fact, any application to study at a French university goes through Campus France, which supports students in the preparation of their academic project. This nine-month process, which begins on October 1 on the Campus France platform, includes several stages: submission of the electronic and paper file, sending to the chosen universities, French language test and interview. Application and language test fees must be paid to the French Institute in Algiers or its branches in Annaba, Constantine, Oran and Tlemcen.

Wassim, just 17 years old, seems calm. “I passed my baccalaureate at the French Alexandre-Dumas high school in Ben Aknoun [sur les hauteurs d’Alger]. Normally my chances are optimal to obtain a student visa”he said frankly. The young man explains that his family already has a base in Ile-de-France, which simplifies the process. However, he acknowledges that some of his friends had to pay significant sums of money before reaching this point.

“They spent around 10,000 dinars on the file and between 12,000 and 19,000 dinars on the language test. [soit un peu plus de 200 euros au taux de change officiel]in addition to visa fees [99 euros]AVI and savings needed for the first months before finding a small job. » Aware of his luck, Wassim emphasizes that the student visa is an object of desire, regardless of financial means. “Some families in Algeria even sell property to finance their children’s studies in France. “They are investing in their future.”concludes.

Hundreds of young people tried to obtain student visas, especially in August and September, when application processing centers were always full. France and, to a lesser extent, Canada, are preferred destinations for linguistic reasons, but so are Germany, Turkey, Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. The language barrier is now overcome thanks to training available online.

Like Yazid, the young married man who realizes that his village is now populated by older people, many in Algeria wonder whether these departures represent an opportunity or a loss for the country. “It is a pride to see our young people succeed abroad, but how many of them will return to build our future here? » Yazid wonders.