Changes to British Passport Services in Algeria
Her Majesty's Passport Office is making important changes to the way it delivers British passports overseas
UK Passport
Her Mjesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) is making important changes to the way it delivers British passports overseas. The goal is to ensure that all British nationals living overseas receive a consistent, trusted, secure and efficient service whilst keeping the costs as low as possible. In order to do that, responsibility for handling passport applications in Algeria has passed from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (through Embassies and High Commissions) to HMPO and its co agency in the Home Office, UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) and its commercial partners and the Visa Application Centres they operate.
From 25 March 2014, British nationals in Algeria will submit passport applications by visiting a Visa Application Centre operated by UKVI or its commercial partners at Butte Des Deux Bassins, Oued Romane ,El Achour (Résidence Sahraoui) Alger .
All the information needed to complete the passport application process will be available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports.
Please remember that travel should not be booked until a new passport has been issued and received by the customer. HMPO/UKVI or its commercial partners cannot accept responsibility for costs incurred if travel is booked and subsequently cancelled before the passport has been received. The customer will be contacted when the passport and any supporting documents are ready for collection. The passport and any supporting documents can be collected in person or by using a third party providing they bring with them a letter of authorisation. The customer or the third party must bring photo ID with them when collecting your passport and supporting documents, together with the old passport if the application submitted was a renewal.
If customers need to travel urgently but their passport is not available, they should still contact the Consular Section at the British Embassy in Algiers. In certain circumstances Consular staff may be able to issue an Emergency Travel Document but this is not a substitute for a full UK passport. Customers should be advised to apply as early as possible and to make sure that they follow the new guidelines.
HMPO have also announced that there will be a reduction in the cost of all British passports from 7 April 2014. Details of the new passport fees will be published on GOV.UK. The reduction is made possible due to the successful repatriation of passport services to HMPO and the resulting efficiency savings produced, whilst maintaining the highest levels of security and customer service.
Please note that our Consular staff will not be able to take calls about individual passport applications and they cannot countersign passport applications.