Capago, the outsourced visa-application centre handling short- and long-stay French visas in Algeria, issued an alert late on 12 November saying its telephone lines were experiencing technical problems. The disruption affects applicants in Algiers, Oran and Annaba who need appointment information or file-status updates.
To maintain service continuity, Capago published two WhatsApp numbers and dedicated e-mail addresses—one for clients with appointments and another for walk-in categories such as medical emergencies. The company said teams were “fully mobilised” and urged clients to use digital channels until landlines are restored.
![Capago Algeria warns French-visa applicants of phone-line outage, offers WhatsApp alternatives]()
The incident comes just two weeks after Capago’s Oran branch switched to mandatory online appointments, reflecting France’s broader push to digitise visa intake. Any prolonged outage risks appointment backlogs that could ripple into December travel plans, especially for business travellers who rely on the 48-hour fast-track option.
HR departments in France with Algerian assignees are advised to double-check that employees receive confirmation QR codes and to build in extra lead-time for document drop-off. Travel-management firms note that Capago’s WhatsApp channel can still issue payment links, preserving the ability to submit files within statutory windows.
To maintain service continuity, Capago published two WhatsApp numbers and dedicated e-mail addresses—one for clients with appointments and another for walk-in categories such as medical emergencies. The company said teams were “fully mobilised” and urged clients to use digital channels until landlines are restored.
The incident comes just two weeks after Capago’s Oran branch switched to mandatory online appointments, reflecting France’s broader push to digitise visa intake. Any prolonged outage risks appointment backlogs that could ripple into December travel plans, especially for business travellers who rely on the 48-hour fast-track option.
HR departments in France with Algerian assignees are advised to double-check that employees receive confirmation QR codes and to build in extra lead-time for document drop-off. Travel-management firms note that Capago’s WhatsApp channel can still issue payment links, preserving the ability to submit files within statutory windows.
