Belgium and Algeria have signed a new readmission agreement aimed at accelerating the return of Algerian nationals who do not have the right to stay in Belgium. The deal was
finalized on Tuesday by Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prévot and Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt, alongside Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Attaf.
The agreement comes amid growing pressure on Belgium’s immigration and prison systems. In 2025, Belgian authorities issued 2,251 orders to leave the territory to people claiming Algerian nationality. Of these, only 85 were repatriated, either voluntarily or forcibly. Currently, Belgian prisons hold 780 Algerian detainees, 700 of whom lack legal residence.
According to the ministers, the new deal will significantly speed up the repatriation process. The identification period for Algerian nationals will be cut from several months to approximately 15 days. Additionally, the validity of the “laisser-passer”, the travel document used for returns, will be extended from one day to 30 days. These measures aim to facilitate the removal of individuals who resist repatriation and allow authorities more flexibility in managing the process.
Minister Van Bossuyt emphasized the broader impact of the agreement: “With this readmission agreement, we are strengthening the fight against illegal immigration, reducing the pressure on our prisons, and making our society safer. A credible and comprehensive migration policy stands or falls on the effective return of people who have no right to remain in Belgium.”
The deal also allows for multiple returnees to travel on a single flight, and Belgium may call upon Algerian escorts in cases of forced return.
Visa waiver agreement linked to returns
In a related development, both countries agreed to a visa waiver for Algerian holders of diplomatic and service passports. Van Bossuyt explained that the two agreements are interconnected: the efficiency of returns is tied to reciprocal diplomatic privileges. “If one of the two partners fails to fulfill its commitment, this will have consequences for the other agreement,” she said.
Both agreements still require parliamentary approval before coming into effect.
Context: Belgium–Algeria relations
Belgium and Algeria share a complex historical and diplomatic relationship. Algeria was a French colony until 1962, and Belgium has maintained close ties with Algeria, particularly through trade, energy cooperation, and migration issues. The two countries have previously signed agreements on labor migration and student exchanges, but the management of undocumented migration has increasingly become a key focus for Brussels. The new readmission deal reflects both countries’ interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation on migration while ensuring legal frameworks for the movement of people. Photo by Eintracht4ever, Wikimedia commons.