Micro-importation in Algeria 2026: the auto-entrepreneur route

Can an auto-entrepreneur import into Algeria?

Micro-importation: what the law opens and what it demands

• Definition and quota (art. 2): operations carried out individually by natural persons, during their trips abroad, to import for resale as is limited quantities of goods and merchandise worth no more than 1,800,000 DA per trip, at a rate of two (2) trips a month at most. That value does not include the annual tourist currency allowance. Any breach of the quota is prohibited (art. 8).
• Conditions of exercise (art. 5): reaching the legal working age, holding Algerian nationality and residing in Algeria, carrying on no other paid, salaried or commercial activity and no liberal profession, being affiliated to the national social security fund for the self-employed, and holding a foreign currency bank account with the Banque extérieure d'Algérie. Carrying on the activity excludes entitlement to unemployment benefit.
• Documents required (art. 6): a valid auto-entrepreneur card carrying the micro-importation domain or activity, issued by ANAE, and a general authorisation issued by the services of the ministry in charge of foreign trade.
• General authorisation (art. 12): issued within five (5) working days of the application being lodged, valid for one (1) renewable year, personal and non-transferable. Actually carrying on the activity is conditional on obtaining it (art. 11).
• Before every operation (art. 13): the goods must be declared on the digital platform set up at the ministry in charge of start-ups, which is interconnected with the customs services.
• Advantages (art. 4): simplified bookkeeping on a register stamped and initialled by the tax services, exemption from the obligation to register with the trade register, exemption from prior import authorisations, a 5 % customs duty and a specific tax regime.
• Exclusions (art. 9): prohibited goods and sensitive products, the sensitive equipment listed by décret exécutif n° 09-410, pharmaceutical products, goods whose import is subject to special authorisations, and goods that undermine security, public order or morality.
• Tax and customs regime (2026 Finance Act, art. 143): a reduced customs duty of 5 %, exemption from VAT, from customs royalties and from the other duties and taxes payable on import, including the solidarity contribution and the provisional additional safeguard duty. Clearance is on a simplified customs declaration. IFU at 0.5 % in full discharge on each import operation, computed on the customs value increased by the customs duties and by a flat 30 % margin, paid to the customs services on release for consumption.
• Funding (art. 7): the micro-importer funds the activity out of their own foreign currency.
• Product freshness (art. 6): at the date of import, the remaining shelf life of the imported products must be greater than half of their total consumption limit period. The micro-importer also undertakes to respect the rules on consumer protection and national security.
• Traceability of the goods (art. 14): the micro-importer must identify the goods by means of suitable labels and simplified delivery notes. The labels must carry in particular the surname, first name and address of the micro-importer, the designation of the goods, and the country of origin and/or of provenance. Beyond those, the delivery note must carry, as the case may be, the quantity and/or the weight and/or the volume of the goods.
• Activity code (arrêté of 29 June 2025): the arrêté of 3 Moharram 1447 corresponding to 29 June 2025, published in Journal officiel n° 41 of 1 July 2025 page 23, updates the content of the list of individualised auto-entrepreneur activities under article 8 of décret exécutif n° 23-197. Its article 1 refers to the list annexed to the original of the arrêté, which is therefore not published in the Journal officiel: the binding nomenclature is the one ANAE publishes, where micro-importation carries code 080101 in domain 080000.

Becoming a micro-importer: the 4 steps of décret 25-170

• Step 1, register in the national auto-entrepreneur register (art. 10): anyone meeting the conditions of article 5 and wishing to carry on the micro-importation activity must register in the national auto-entrepreneur register under the procedures of décret exécutif n° 23-197 of 25 May 2023.
• Step 2, obtain the card carrying the micro-importation domain (art. 6): the micro-importer must hold a valid auto-entrepreneur card carrying the micro-importation domain or activity, duly issued by the national auto-entrepreneur agency. The ANAE guide gives the code of that activity, 080101, and adds two requirements the decree does not name: a tax identification number validated by the tax services, and the international bank card taken as the main and sole means of financing within the ceiling.
• Step 3, obtain the general authorisation (arts. 6, 11 and 12): the general authorisation is issued by the services of the ministry in charge of foreign trade within five (5) working days of the application being lodged. It is valid for one (1) renewable year. It is personal and non-transferable, and actually carrying on the activity is conditional on it.
• Step 4, declare the goods before every operation (art. 13): before each import operation, the micro-importer must declare, on a digital platform set up for that purpose, the goods to be imported. That platform is set up at the ministry in charge of start-ups and it is interconnected with the administrations and bodies concerned as well as with the customs services. ANAE states that the declaration is made on its platform before the goods reach the customs territory.
• The bank account (art. 5): holding a foreign currency bank account opened with the Banque extérieure d'Algérie is a condition of exercise, and article 7 adds that the micro-importer funds the activity out of their own foreign currency.

What micro-importation does not let you import

• Prohibited goods and sensitive products (art. 9).
• The sensitive equipment provided for by décret exécutif n° 09-410 of 10 December 2009, as amended and supplemented (art. 9).
• Pharmaceutical products (art. 9).
• Goods whose import is subject to special authorisations (art. 9).
• Goods that undermine security, public order and morality (art. 9).
• ANAE restates those five categories as its first five domains and adds a sixth, headed other goods and materials, itemised domain by domain on its site.

What remains possible as an auto-entrepreneur

• Import-export consulting: strategic support to existing importers.
• Sourcing services on behalf of third parties (without taking ownership of the goods).
• Drafting specifications, market studies, mystery shopping for foreign exporters.
• Commercial agent for foreign brands (commission agent status, no stock).
• Training and coaching in international trade.
• Translation and interpreting for import files.

The 3 structures for classic commercial importing

• All of them must obtain an importer trade register entry that explicitly mentions the import activity.
• A NIF and an Import Article number are required.
• Bank domiciliation for international transfers is mandatory.

Moving from auto-entrepreneur to EURL in order to import

• Keeping the existing NIF (avoids losing the tax history).
• Drafting the notarized articles of association of the EURL (cost around 40 000 DZD).
• Depositing the share capital in a blocked bank account. The amount is freely set by the articles of association since Law 15-20 of 2015; 100 000 DZD remains the standard banks ask for.
• Registration with the CNRC with 'import' mentioned in the corporate purpose.
• Obtaining a NIS (statistical identification number) from the ONS.
• Applying for an Import Article number with Customs.
• Import domiciliation with a public bank (BNA, BEA, CPA).
• Possible termination of the auto-entrepreneur status (or keeping it if the activities are distinct).

Cost of launching an import activity as an EURL, UpGrowth Connect package

Common mistakes to avoid

• Importing outside the micro-importation framework with an auto-entrepreneur card: Customs rejects it (importer NIF check). Within micro-importation, the card must carry the micro-importation domain or activity, and the general authorisation from the ministry in charge of foreign trade is required (décret exécutif n° 25-170, arts. 6 and 11).
• Using a front man (sogha): illegal, criminally sanctioned if checked.
• Ignoring bank domiciliation: international transfers will be blocked.
• Under-declaring the goods at customs: a customs offence, exposing you to reassessment and sanctions. We put no figure on it.
• Mixing auto-entrepreneur and import activities on the same bank account: guaranteed tax problems.
• Importing without mastering the HS (harmonised system) classification: incorrect taxation, risk of the shipment being held.

Ways to test an import market before switching

• Local dropshipping (through Algerian suppliers who already import), compatible with the auto-entrepreneur status.
• Commercial agent paid on commission on the sales of an existing importer.
• Partnership with an established importer: you bring the customers, they import.
• International marketplaces (Amazon, AliExpress) to test a product without stock.
• Limited personal importation (non-commercial use, capped).