Algerian Invites
 

Having faxed the two companies mentioned on Sahara-overland.com, I've (as yet, 2 days later) received no answer. Anyone know whether they do respond, or whether I need to keep bugging them?

Hello - I just got this mail from an algerian tourist agency. Maybe you like to find out if it works with Lakhdar?

Adresse mail: ksabgag@yahoo.fr

salut ,
je suis gerent d'une agence de tourisme locale de tamanrasset sud algerie je peux vous faire une invitation pour que tu peux avoire le visa et si tu veux je vais m'occuper de ton sejour en algerie.
tu n'as qu'a me passer une telecopie/fax ou je peu te faxer l'invitation

Lakhdar

Ollie,

I'm guessing that Tarahist is one of them. Claudia will get back to you as soon as she can - the whole of Tamanrasset is flooded out at the moment - with appropriate effect on communications!!

She's very efficient, so don't worry.

Sam.

For the record, just found out formerly-free Abdou (Essendilene) now charges 75 eu per person into his W. Union a/c (comes off a plateau trek if you do one - he's off to Djanet in 4 days)
So this makes him the about the same as Tarahist. We're going with Tarahist as I've done before, they are a bit more reliable/contactable and the B&B incl will be handy for us.

Dont know about Lakhdar..

Chris S

I've been trying the advertised contacts plus a few others for some time. A chap in the UK - Jeremy Keenan - can arrange invites for £50: he said the whole procedure has suddenly become a lot more formal both in Algeria and in London. I'm still holding out for a genuine invite from the girls we met at Assekrem.
Richard

Jeremy Keenan runs all his tours through Tarahist - so almost certainly the invites as well.

Sam.

Unless I have put 2+2 and made 5!

No, I reckon you are right Sam and 50 quid sems pretty good,
Richard, I would not put your hope in the Askm women (unless they are trav agents) as it needs to come from an official agency like tarahist.

CS

Are invitations for Algeria a UK specific requirement? I have been advised by my visa agent that he got my Algeria visas (here in the Netherlands) without me having supplied an invitation or a booking confirmation. (I haven't actually seen my passport yet because it's been passed on to the Sudanese embassy by the agent)

In lieu of the invitation or booking confirm I did include a copy of the Carnet de Passage with the application (which not everyone going just to Algeria may have).

rgds
camiel

Thanks for the insight that Jeremy and Tarahist work together ... saves me spending time chasing both. I'm keen to do a couple of days tour from Djanet so I like the idea of using it as a "voucher" against that cost.
The Algerian Embassy in London said they'd accept a personal invitation as long as the letter stated names, UK addresses and dates in-country. This is how letters of invitation to the UK used to work so we'll see if it works for Algerian visa.
Richard

[This message has been edited by RichLees (edited 17 October 2002).]

I know somebody( algerian ) in Tamanrasset .
Is his inviation OK to have a visa ?
Even if I don't go to Tam ?

Thanks for your answers

RR

the algerian consulate in london tell me that they will accept the letter that I just received from a friend in algeria ... we have to be good boys as she has taken "full responsibility" for our behaviour. eek!

[This message has been edited by RichLees (edited 25 October 2002).]

Hi Sahara Fans!

You get easy invitations to Algeria by www.desertrunner.at



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I know its not good form to whinge on BBs so I'll keep this to the salutory brief warning for UK applicants: get your invites from a travel agent and not from a citizen. we applied with a letter of invitation from someone I met last year and were due to leave Thursday, but our visas for Algeria were held up for weeks and so we'll be setting off next week.

[This message has been edited by RichLees (edited 13 December 2002).]