smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
Algeria
| Algeria overall | This Advice is current for Tuesday, 06 January 2009. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information in the Summary and under Safety and Security: Terrorism (update). The overall level of the advice has not changed.
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Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.
We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Algeria at this time because of the very high threat of terrorist attack.
We receive regular reports indicating that terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets, including places frequented by foreigners and Western interests, as well as premises and symbols associated with the Algerian Government. Increasing calls to abduct foreigners point to a growing threat against targets frequented by foreigners or government officials in the region. Terrorists have in the past mounted attacks on significant dates and anniversaries, but attacks could occur anywhere and at any time.
Recent credible reports suggest that terrorists may be planning attacks against a range of targets, possibly in Algeria, to coincide with Eid al-Adha holiday on or around 8 to 11 December 2008. Separate reporting indicates that terrorists may be planning attacks in Algiers on or around 11 December 2008.
Algerian terrorist groups have been fighting to overthrow the Algerian government since 1992. Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb, which has formally identified foreigners as a legitimate target, has claimed responsibility for a number of small-scale attacks in Algeria and in neighbouring countries throughout 2006 and 2007.
There is a risk of kidnap by terrorists in Algeria and throughout North Africa. On 22 February 2008, terrorists kidnapped two Austrian tourists in neighbouring Tunisia.
You should reconsider your need to travel by road to the districts of Boumerdes, Tizi Ouzou, Bejaia, Blida, Medea and Ain Defla due to security concerns. You should exercise extreme vigilance in the Kabylie region.
There has been an escalation in terrorist attacks in the provinces of Boumerdes, Tizi Ouzou and Bouira (to the near east of the capital, Algiers) during August 2008 in which at least 62 people have been killed, and over 100 injured. An attack on 20 August on a bus parked near the Sophie Hotel in the town of Bouira killed 11 people and injured 31. On 19 August there was an attack outside a police training facility in Issers which killed 43 people and injured 45. On 9 August 2008 eight people were killed and 19 injured in an attack outside a police station in Zemmouri
Other incidents in these provinces, as well as other areas of Algeria include:
Ask yourself whether, given your own personal circumstances, you are comfortable travelling to Algeria knowing that you could be caught up in a terrorist attack or banditry. Ask yourself whether travel could be deferred or an alternative destination chosen. If, having considered these issues, you do decide to travel to Algeria you should exercise extreme caution.
In planning your activities, consider the kind of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security provided. Possible targets include Algerian government offices, clubs, restaurants, embassies and high commissions, international schools, international hotels, expatriate housing compounds, churches and other places of worship, shopping centres, outdoor recreation events, tourist areas and shipping and transport infrastructure, ports, airports and aircraft, security installations and police stations, petroleum and electrical infrastructure and installations or identifiably Western interests including businesses.
Australians in Algeria should ensure they have appropriate personal security protection measures in place.
Travellers should avoid all protests and demonstrations as they may turn violent. Civil unrest in the city of Oran in May 2008 resulted in deaths, injuries and property damage. A state of emergency decree remains in force throughout Algeria. This may have implications for public meetings and gatherings. You should also read our travel bulletin entitled Re-publication of cartoons.
Petty crime such as pickpocketing, bag snatching and theft from motor vehicles has increased in recent years, especially in large cities such as Algiers and Oran. Crime levels are higher after dark. Deserted beach areas should be avoided, even during daylight hours, because of the threat of banditry and carjacking.
We strongly recommend you stay at international hotels which provide a high level of security.
You should reconsider your need to travel by road east of Algiers to the districts of Boumerdes, Tizi Ouzou and Bejaia, and south-west of Algiers to the districts of Blida, Medea and Ain Defla due to security concerns.
Travel by road between major cities should not be undertaken at night due to the risk of attack and robbery. Bandits may use illegal checkpoints and blockades on roads to stop vehicles, including buses.
The land border between Algeria and Morocco is currently closed. There are reports of unexploded landmines in the area of Algeria bordering Western Sahara. Mines have been known to shift in sandstorms.
The border areas with Western Sahara, Mauritania and Mali are known to be frequented by bandits and armed smugglers. Credible reports indicate that terrorists may be planning to kidnap foreigners travelling between Algeria and Mali.
See also our bulletin on Overseas Road Safety.
Passengers on international flights to and from Australia are only allowed to carry a small amount of liquids (including aerosols and gels) in their carry-on baggage. You can find out more information at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website. Similar restrictions apply to flights in an increasing number of countries. Contact your airline for further information.
If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, we recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has published fact sheets on security for air travellers. When staff at Australia's overseas missions are advised not to use particular airlines due to safety concerns, this will be included in the travel advisory.
The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country's ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO.
Algeria is subject to earthquakes. Information on natural disasters can be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service. If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.
Australians are advised to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia.
Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.
When you are in Algeria, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can’t get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.
Penalties for possession of illegal drugs, including soft drugs, include imprisonment.
Homosexual acts are illegal in Algeria and penalties include imprisonment.
Photography of military or sensitive sites, including military or security personnel, may lead to arrest and detention.
Serious crime, such as murder or treason, may attract the death penalty.
In Algeria it is against the law to attempt to convert Muslims to another faith or to distribute material that may be seen by local authorities as an attempt to convert Muslims to another faith.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia.
There are conservative standards of dress and behaviour in Algeria, particularly for women, and you should take care not to offend. If in doubt, seek local advice.
Physical contact between men and women in public should be avoided. Public displays of affection can cause offence, particularly in rural and traditional areas and near mosques, religious shrines and religious educational institutes.
The normal work week in Algeria is Saturday to Wednesday.
Algeria does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular assistance to Australian/Algerian dual nationals who are arrested or detained. We recommend you travel on your Australian passport at all times.
Australian/Algerian dual national males may be subject to compulsory military service and other obligations when in Algeria and should seek advice from the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Algeria, well in advance of travel.
Children born of an Algerian father automatically acquire Algerian citizenship at birth. Child custody decisions are based on local religious laws. Australians involved in custody and other family disputes should consult a lawyer before they leave Australia for advice on the impact of religious law on their family circumstances, including their departure from Algeria.
Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals.
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Algeria for the most up to date information.
Algerian minors, including dual nationals, require the written consent of their father before they are permitted to leave Algerian territory.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.
The standard of medical facilities in Algeria varies. Public medical services and facilities in the capital, Algiers, vary from adequate to limited. Private medical facilities, especially in the capital, Algiers, are generally better equipped than public facilities and can meet normal international accreditation standards. Medical facilities in remote areas, including mountainous and desert regions, can be very limited or non-existent. Travellers may wish to consider carrying limited medical supplies for personal use. Foreigners will be required to pay an up-front deposit for medical services.
In the event of a serious illness or accident, medical evacuation to a destination with appropriate facilities such as Marseille or Paris in France would be necessary. Costs for a medical evacuation could cost between $A7,000 to $A50, 000.
Insect-borne diseases (such as leishmaniasis and West Nile fever) are prevalent in Algeria. Malaria is a risk in a small area in Illizi Province. We encourage you to take measures to avoid insect bites including using insect repellent at all times.
Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic and other infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, cholera, typhoid, polio, plague, hepatitis, meningitis, tuberculosis and rabies) are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We recommend you consider having vaccinations before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water and avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food. Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to parasitic diseases such as schistosomiasis (bilharzia). Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in Algeria. By agreement between the Canadian and Australian governments, the local Canadian Embassy provides consular assistance to Australians in Algeria. This service does not include the issue of Australian passports. Contact details are:
Canadian Embassy
18, rue Mustapha Khalef
Ben Aknoun
Algiers, 16000, Algeria
Telephone (+213) (0) 770 08 30 00
Facsimile (+213) (0) 770 08 30 70/ 770 08 30 40
E-mail alger@international.gc.ca
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday 09:00-11:00hrs
You can also obtain consular assistance from the Australian Embassy in France:
Australian Embassy
4 rue Jean Rey
75724 Cedex 15
Paris, France
Telephone (+33 1) 4059 3300
Facsimile (+33 1) 4059 3315
If you are travelling to Algeria, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we strongly encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency; whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency if you are unable to contact the Embassy you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
