Currency regulations

All foreign currency in the form of cash and traveller's cheques carried into Algeria must be declared on arrival in the country. A Currency Declaration Form must be completed and submitted to customs authorities at the port of entry. Customs officials frequently require visitors to produce all their money.

The Currency Declaration Form must be carried throughout your visit and all exchange transactions must be recorded on it. On departure from Algeria customs officials carefully tally the amounts of money exchanged and spent as against the amounts declared. Any discrepancy will result in a fine. Undeclared money discovered on a visitors person will be confiscated. Loss of the Currency Declaration Form can have very serious consequences and involve a visitor in a bureaucratic nightmare.

The only legal money exchangers are banks and hotels. Each transaction is noted down on the Currency Declaration Form. The Black Market is obviously booming in this restrictive environment and street money changers offer rates as much as three times better than the official rate. But these transactions are illegal and one risks confiscation of one's money if caught.

Visitors are also required to exchange 1,000.00 DA worth of foreign currency at the official rate on entry.