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Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How to book an appointment on TLScontact website?

You can find more detail information on how to take an appointment on TLScontact website here.

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Do I need a Schengen visa?

Algerian passport holders

All Algerian nationals must have a valid visa to enter the Schengen Area, regardless of the duration of their stay and no matter what kind of travel document they have, except if they have a valid residence permit which enables them to stay in the Schengen Area.

Please note that starting March 13rd 2008, holders of Algerian diplomatic, special and service passports will not need a visa for short stays in Portugal.

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Where can I apply for a visa?

Visa applications for Portugal are now received by TLScontact, except for some categories that are still received by the Embassy of Portugal in Algeria directly.

  • If you intend to visit only one Schengen country, you must apply at the Embassy or Consulate of this country;
  • If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your longest stay or the one who is, in relation to others, the main destination due to purpose of your trip (professional reasons, in a Schengen country, outweigh its jurisdiction in relation to tourist motives, family or private visit, in another state);
  • If you intend to visit several Schengen countries but do not have a main destination (i.e. the duration of your stay is very similar in all the different countries), you should apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country that is your first point of entry.

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How do I apply for a visa?

To apply for a visa, you should first register on this website, and then follow the instructions. For more details about the procedure, please click here.

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When should I apply for a visa?

You may only submit your visa application within 90 days before your date of departure. We recommend that you apply at least 15 working days before the date you intend to travel.

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What kind of visa do I need to apply for?

Less than 90 days, for more information, visit Documents and Visa Types.

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Where can I get a visa application form?

You can find the Schengen Visa Application form on our Links & Downloads page.

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What are the required documents for a visa?

In order to prepare all the documents required for your application, you should visit the TLScontact website and register to obtain an individualized list of required documents, according to the purpose of your stay in Portugal. All documents must be provided in French or Portuguese and if the original document is in any other language it must be provided with certified translations into French or Portuguese. To get your individualized document list, please register on this website.

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Could the Visa Section request me to provide additional documents or informations?

Yes, the Embassy’s Visa Sector may request you to provide additional documents or informations, according to your personal situation, even after you have submitted your application at TLScontact. You may also be asked to an interview at the Portuguese Embassy Please note that any additional document, which is not required in the basic list according to your type of visa, must also be accompanied with a certified translation into either French or Portuguese if it is in any other language.

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What are the requirements for insurance?

The travel insurance should be:

  • Valid for Schengen area if you apply for short stay visa

Your travel insurance must be valid with a minimum cover of EUR 30,000.00 in order to face any expenses that may arise in connection with your repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention or emergency hospital treatment. The travel insurance should fully cover the period of your stay in the Schengen Area.

See list of approved insurance companies.

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In which case do I need to provide the Term of Responsibility Letter?

You have to provide the Term of Responsibility Letter if you apply for a short stay visa and a friend or a relative will host you in their apartment or house.
You may download this application form.

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How can I collect my passport?

Passports can be collected from Sunday to Thursday, 08:00 to 16:00 at TLScontact. When your passport is ready to be collected, you will be notified online on your personal account page and by SMS, informing you to come to the TLScontact centre with your visa application checklist and the original and a copy of your identity card. If you chose to have your passport returned to you by EMS service, it will be sent directly to the address you have specified.

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Can TLScontact send me my passport by express mail?

TLScontact offers an Express registered Mail Service (EMS) , allowing you to receive your passport directly at your home or your office. Please inform us if you wish to use this service when you submit your application at the TLScontact centre.

If you choose to cancel this service after your application has been submitted, the courier fee cannot be refunded. Recipient address and information for the courier service must be filled in by the applicant or representative during application submission appointment.

Once the application has been submitted, no changes can be made to the recipient address and information. We therefore kindly ask you to confirm recipient address and information before the application submission.

The price is 1,200.00 DZD per passport.

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Can someone else pick up my passport for me?

Yes, a representative may retrieve your passport on your behalf provided and they should bring with them:

  • Your application checklist;
  • A copy of your ID card;
  • The original and a copy of your representative’s ID card;
  • An authorization letter signed by you.

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Can someone else apply for a visa on my behalf?

Applicants must come in person to the TLScontact centre, except:

  • Children under twelve years old.

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What is the difference between a Schengen visa and a national visa?

A Schengen visa (type C) is a visa issued by one of the member countries of the Schengen Area and is valid for a short stay, limited to 90 days within any 180 days period, only for Schengen countries. European competence, to receive and issue a schengen visa is made by the consulate of the country of destination. In case of a trip in multiple Schengen countries, the main destination is determined by the purpose of the trip or duration of the stay. Professional reasons for a stay in a Schengen country outweigh its jurisdiction on the grounds against tourism, family or private visit in another state.

A national long stay visa (type D) is only valid for an establishment or a stay of more than 90 days in Portugal. The national visa allows, however, transit through other Schengen countries and for some it also allows traveling freely throughout the Schengen area.

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Closing dates of TLScontact Centres

To check the closing dates of the year 2020 of TLScontact Algiers Centre, please visit our Address & Opening hours page.

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The visa application procedure for minors

For the submission of visa applications for minors, it is necessary to present in addition to the visa file the following documents:

  • Visa application form must be signed by both parents
  • Legalized parental authorization (compulsory even if the parents submit their visa applications at the same time as the minor child)
  • Proof of relationship (family file, family book)
  • Photocopy of parents' identification documents

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Passport Validity

Before applying for a visa you must make sure that your passport is valid.

  1. Check the expiration date on your passport:
    For a short stay visa (less than 90 days), the expiration date must be no earlier than 3 months after the date of your return from the Schengen Area.
  2. Make sure your passport has two or more completely blank and unmarked visa pages.
  3. Make sure your passport has not been altered:
    Check if the original laminated film (the transparent safety film that covers the passport photo) has been tampered with. If this is the case, you must ask a passport-issuing authority to re-tamper proof your passport;
    Make sure no pages or surfaces have been laminated (as this will invalidate your passport);
    Check for scratching or alteration.
  4. If your passport was issued over 10 years ago, even if it is still valid at the time you submit your visa application, you must apply for a new passport from the Algerian authorities or the Embassy or Consulate of your country of origin, before being able to apply for a visa.

It is advised that you do not apply for a visa on a passport issued for multiple persons (e.g. parent and children together).

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Schengen visa

A Schengen visa is required when staying in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days.

A Schengen visa is granted in the form of a sticker affixed to the passport, travel document or other valid document that entitles the holder to cross the border between Schengen countries. Possession of a Schengen visa does not confer automatic right of entry. Entry will only be granted if the other conditions laid down by the Schengen Convention are met, i.e. the justification of the purpose and conditions of the trip, minimum amount of funds travelers must have at their disposal and the possession of valid travel insurance.

With a Schengen visa, you may enter one country and travel freely throughout the Schengen Area. It is issued to citizens of countries who are required to obtain a visa before entering the Schengen Area.

A Schengen visa allows the holder to travel freely within the Schengen Area for a maximum stay of up to 90 days in any 180 days period. If you wish to stay longer than 90 days you will need a national long stay visa or a residence permit.

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Short stay visa

Short stay visa allows the traveler, assuming all other conditions are met, to enter the territories of any Schengen country to pay a single continuous visit or multiple visits, the duration of which does not exceed 90 days in any 180 days period. A short stay visa can be issued for either single entry or multiple entries into the Schengen zone.

  • Single entry visas allow the visa holder to enter and stay in the Schengen area continuously for the length of the visa duration, to a maximum of 90 days (e.g.: from July 1st to September 28th);
  • Multiple entry visas allow several entries and stays in the Schengen Area, of which the total duration cannot exceed 90 days in any 180 days period. The stay can be continuous or divided into several periods within the length of your visa’s validity. A Schengen circulation visa is a special type of multi-entry visa that is generally valid from 1 to 5 years, decided by the Embassy or Consulate General.

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Schengen area

The Schengen Area is composed of 29 countries.

At present, 25 European Union Member States enforce the Schengen Convention (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Bulgaria and Romania.)

Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland integrally enforce the Schengen Convention, but are not members of the European Union.

The other European Union Member States still outside the Schengen Area are Ireland and Cyprus.

The EU Member State, Cyprus, is not yet a fully-fledged member of the Schengen Area. Border controls between Cyprus and the current members of the Schengen Area are to be maintained until the EU Council decides that the conditions for abolishing internal border controls have been met. However, Cyprus considers the Schengen visa, as well as residence permits from other EU Member States, as equivalent to its national visa for the purpose of a transit that does not exceed 5 days.

The Principalities of Monaco, Andorra, San Marino and Holy See (Vatican City State) allow entry to their territories without any formality to Schengen visa holders.

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European Union

The following is the list of countries that are currently members of the European Union:

  • Austria;
  • Belgium;
  • Bulgaria;
  • Croatia;
  • Cyprus;
  • Czech Republic;
  • Denmark;
  • Estonia;
  • Finland;
  • France;
  • Germany;
  • Greece;
  • Hungary;
  • Ireland;
  • Italy;
  • Latvia;
  • Lithuania;
  • Luxembourg;
  • Malta;
  • Netherlands;
  • Poland;
  • Portugal;
  • Romania;
  • Slovakia;
  • Slovenia;
  • Spain;
  • Sweden.

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Photo requirements

Please kindly note that pictures submitted must be complying with the ICAO standards.

An ICAO compliant photo-booth is at your disposal within the TLScontact Centre.

The one photograph required for any visa application must be:

  • Color photo on a white background;
  • Format 3.5 cm x 4 cm;
  • Taken from the front; without obstruction;
  • Recent (less than 6 months old);
  • Ears and eyebrows must appear on the picture.

Note: Wearing contact lenses altering the appearance of your eye is strictly prohibited during the biometric data capture (color contact lenses, magnifying contact lenses).

The photo requirement chart shows examples of non-compliant photos “✗,” and the correct equivalent “✓”, according to Schengen requirements.

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TLScontact Jurisdiction

By agreement with the Embassy of Portugal in Algeria, Applicants for a Short Stay visa types should apply at TLScontact.

The TLScontact procedure is not compulsory, applicants can also go directly to the Embassy’s Visa Sector to submit their application in person. Applicants must set Embassy appointments through our Call Centre: (+213) 982 218 190.

The Embassy of Portugal and TLScontact are only able to accept visa applications from Algerian residents. Visa applications from non-residents, including Algerian nationals, who are settled in another country can only be processed if applicants can prove that they have an urgent and unforeseen need to travel to Portugal whilst visiting Algeria and thus are unable to apply in their country of residence.

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