Middle East and North Africa

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• There have now been 131 confirmed cases human cases of A (H1N1) Swine Flu in Algeria (source: Algerian Health Ministry. The Algerian authorities are screening passengers at Algiers International Airport.  These measures will be extended to all international airports, ports (both goods and passengers) and land border stations in the near future.  The Algerian authorities inform us that anyone suspected of having swine flu will be quarantined at one of 109 designated hospitals – see the Health section of this advice for further detail.  A number of schools have also been closed following suspected outbreaks.
  
  
• We advise against all but essential travel to the administrative districts (wilayas) of Boumerdès, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou, east of Algiers, which have been the focus of sustained terrorist activity over the last three years. Travellers should also exercise caution in the wilayas of Bejaia, the the east of Algiers, and Blida, Medéa, Chlef and Ain Defla, south and west of Algiers. Journeys within Algeria should be made by air where possible.
  
  
• The high threat from terrorism in Algeria remains. You should exercise extreme caution at all times as terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate, targeting places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers such as restaurants, hotels and shopping centres. See the Terrorism section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• If visting Algiers you should continue to exercise caution at all times. It is generally safe to move around the centre of the city during the day. You should avoid areas that you do not know, particularly in the suburbs of the city, and especially after dark.  See the 'Travelling in Algiers' section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• There is a high threat of kidnapping in Algeria by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. You should be aware that the long-standing policy of the British Government is not to make substantive concessions to hostage takers. The British Government considers that paying ransoms and releasing prisoners increases the risk of further hostage taking. See the Terrorism section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• If you decide to travel over land outside the major cities, it is advisable to avoid travelling at night and preferable to travel in a convoy of at least 2-3 vehicles. Sustained small-scale attacks, including bombings, illegal roadblocks and kidnapping occur in many rural parts of the country. See the Crime and Local Travel sections of this advice for more details.
  
  
• 14 British nationals required consular assistance in Algeria in the period 1 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (0 cases); hospitalisations (0 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (0 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (10 cases). The main type of incidents for which British nationals required consular assistance in Algeria in 2008 related to family disputes, often involving child abduction/custody issues (1 case) and/or theft of family documents and passports. See the Entry Requirements (Travelling with children) section of this advice and our child abduction page for more details.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and our travel insurance page for more details.