SATIM Certification Accelerates Card Issuance to 48 Hours
International Visa and Mastercard for the €750 tourist allowance will soon be issued within 48 hours in Algeria. This significant improvement follows the official certification of the Société d’Automatisation des Transactions Interbancaires (SATIM) by both international payment networks. This development marks an acceleration from previous issuance times, which could extend to several weeks.
Since July 19, a new regulation from the Bank of Algeria made international bank cards mandatory for accessing the €750 tourist allowance. SATIM, the public service managing Algeria's electronic payment infrastructure, has been instrumental in streamlining this process. Toufik Chikaoui, SATIM’s project director for international networks, announced on national radio that the institution has achieved official approval from Visa and Mastercard.
As part of this initiative, SATIM has commenced the issuance project with sponsorship from Algerian banks, specifically Crédit Populaire d’Algérie (CPA) for Visa cards and Banque du Développement Local (BDL) for Mastercard. This progress aligns with international standards, and SATIM's bank card personalization center is now officially recognized by Visa and Mastercard to perform personalization within Algeria. This localized process eliminates reliance on external, foreign providers, which historically contributed to prolonged issuance delays.
Beyond the expedited service, which will reduce card issuance from several weeks to just 48 hours, SATIM has also secured certification to process issued card data domestically. This move supports Algeria's financial sovereignty and enhances efficiency in managing electronic payments for its citizens.
