Fresh measures regarding currency declarations at borders by travelers were officially released in Official Journal number 51. This framework rests on a ministerial order signed by the Finance Minister on May 12, amending and supplementing the former decree dated July 20 that governed currency reporting procedures and its designated form.
Under the terms of this new legal act, written currency declarations are mandatory for all travelers entering or exiting national territory, and must be completed directly with the competent customs office. This process strictly follows the form template provided to the public by customs officials. This official paper must be properly filled out, dated, and signed by the individual, while undergoing rigorous registration and systematic tracking by customs agents.
A central innovation in this text involves procedural modernization, as travelers are now encouraged to complete this declaration electronically prior to their physical arrival at the customs counter.
The scope of this requirement goes beyond conventional banknotes and coins. It encompasses a broad range of financial assets, including bearer payment instruments, commercial bills, as well as negotiable bearer or endorsable securities and debt claims. Furthermore, precious metals and valuable coins carried by travelers fall fully within the bounds of this compulsory filing.
Regarding non-resident travelers seeking to export amounts previously brought into Algerian territory and unused, specific documentation is required. They must present the initial declaration filed upon entry to the customs office, which must bear an official stamp from a Bank of Algeria counter, an authorized intermediary bank, or a registered exchange bureau confirming exchange operations conducted during their stay.
To ensure adherence to these terms, customs officers hold expanded authority allowing them to request any information or supporting documents deemed necessary from travelers, particularly concerning the precise source and final destination of transported funds and assets.
On a technical level, establishing dedicated databases for these declarations represents a security turning point. These computerized registries are required to record all details from the forms, including the traveler’s full identity and addresses both within Algeria and abroad, travel document references, as well as the exact types and figures of declared currencies and assets.
These digital records also centralize essential contextual information, such as the exact location where the declaration was filed, the traveler’s origin and destination, the source and ultimate destination of funds, along with the identity of the actual beneficiary and recipient of the carried sums.
Moreover, these databases do not focus solely on compliant transactions, as they also log all dispute records. Instances of false reporting, omitted values, and violations connected to non-compliance with filing obligations by travelers are systematically cataloged.
The decree concludes by emphasizing the strategic importance of these electronic files, which are actively shared and utilized through national and international cooperation channels.
The text explicitly dictates that all data concerning filed declarations, erroneous statements, and identified infractions be forwarded directly to the body specialized in combating money laundering and terror financing.