Hi guys, I have been invited to go over and visit my girlfriend in Cheraga, Algeria in the next 4 months and she is confident that it will be ok and safe for me (as a British National, but am actually half Spanish and half Italien) to go.
I will be traveling solo, and don't know weather to get a tourist visa or working visa, or if I even can get a working visa, as I know little French beyond what I learnt at school and through my friends in France.
My job is in advertising and I have recently got a TEFL qualification, so maybe I could use that as a means of finding some form of employment whilst i'm over there. My girlfriend has also told me that getting an apartment isn't like renting one over a few months, but instead you must rent over a period of a year or so, and is expensive. She wants to start a life with us both over there but I would just like some more information on the area and town.
Her friends have never met or spoken to me and neither have her parents. But she is pretty sure after I talk to her father I will be welcome when I arrive, or at least we are hopeful. We talk for a couple of hours every day for the past 3 months now and are positive that we want to be together but the only way for this is for me to go to Algeria as I said.
Can someone please give me some advice regarding taking the trip over there, the town itself and safety issues. As I said, I probably will end up going but want some more information. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks.
Moving to Cheraga, Algeria - Can You Help With Advice?
Hello DeMarco83 and welcome to Expat.com!
Your discussion has been moved to Algeria forum for better visibility.
I hope that other members will soon help you by giving some ideas and advice to you.
Perhaps that this article will help you > Lifestyle in Algeria.
Good luck,
Harmonie.
Hi, Thank you for your contribution
Harmonie
Hi Demarco, well, i don't think you will have a problem with the country as you said you speak a bit of french will help you a lot, cheraga is probabely one of the best part of algiers and for a visa you should just get a holiday visa as it is much less complicated,then if you fund a job you can get sponsored for a working one but the big issue is.... meeting the parents ! as it is not in our customs to bring a boy home let alone meeting the parents unless the are really westernised.wish you alot of luck
Hi algiers,
Thank you for your advice.
This has helped me a lot. I will go and see her but now I will not be so concerned
Apart from meeting her parents..
I called the Algerian Consulate though and was told I would need to send with my Visa Application a copy of my Passport with 2 Passport photos(of course), Proof I am a U.K resident like a Bill but I thought of giving a Bank Statement as it has my address on??, Proof I Work so a letter written by my Employer, (and something I did not understand) an Invitation letter from my girlfriend..?? I asked her and she told me she cannot give me an Invitation letter due to her job would not like it if they knew she was 'sponsering' a Westerner (as it is something to do with the Military) and if we did get engaged etc, she would have to leave her job, BUT she told me If I booked at a Hotel then they would send me a letter of Invitation through e-mail... is this true?? It has left me a little confused. And then the Visa (once they have all my Documents and Visa Application) will take 2 Weeks to validate (or not) it with an 85% chance. Could you perhaps give me any advice regarding this?
If not I still greatly appreciate the advice you gave me and will have to figure something out 
hi Brad pitt !
What you sould do organise a hotel booking in algiers take the printout with the rest of your document to the consulate and for letter of empolyement simply get a letter for your work and bank statement should be fine .things will be much easier if you go the consulte yourself ,try to go to algiers early september as it's Ramadan at the moment (muslim fasting month }apart from that take care and enjoy algiers.
hello mate,
I lived in cheraga for a long time as the previous men said, its a good idea to go to the hotel then you can arrage to meet your girl friend somewhere public, meeting her parents that will be your biggist challange, if your are willing to convert to islam for real then I can assure you that you will be loved by every one, and you can get a job easy.
and I wish you a good luck, algerian women are faithfull the majority.
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