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Visas
» » Most visitors to Morocco do not require a visa and are allowed to remain in the country for
90 days on entry.
» » In all cases, your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your date of entry.
» » Nationals of Israel and many sub-Saharan African countries (including South Africa) must
apply in advance for a three-month visa (single/double entry about US$30/50).
» » Applications are normally processed in 48 hours.
» » You need three passport photos.
» » In Morocco’s neighbouring countries, there is a Moroccan embassy in Madrid (Spain) and
consulates-general in locations including Algeciras; an embassy in Nouakchott (Mauritania) and
a consulate-general in Nouâdhibou; and diplomatic missions in Algeria including an embassy in
Algiers.
» » Further information, including a list of Morocco’s diplomatic missions, is available from the
Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (www.maec.gov.ma) .
» » As visa requirements change, it’s a good idea to check with the Moroccan mission in your
country or a reputable travel agency before travelling.
Visa Extensions
» » Most travellers requiring a visa extension find it easiest to head to mainland Spain, or even
one of the Spanish enclaves in Morocco, and re-enter after a few days.
» » Although doing a visa run generally presents few problems other than travel costs, it leaves
you at the mercy of individual immigration officers on re-entry. Travellers have occasionally
come unstuck this way.
» » A harder alternative is to apply for a visa extension, issued by the Directorate General of
National Security.
» » Residence (a Carte de Sejour) is also available, but it is difficult to get and usually requires
proof of employment.
» » Go to the nearest police headquarters (Préfecture de Police) to check what documents
they require.
» » If possible, take a Moroccan friend to help you deal with the bureaucrats.
» » In addition to your passport and three passport photos, the police will likely require a letter
from your embassy requesting a visa extension on your behalf.
» » Applications can take days or weeks, and different police headquarters employ different
red tape to hold up proceedings.
International Health Certificate
If you’re coming to Morocco from certain parts of Africa and South America where yellow fever
is endemic, you’ll need to show you’ve been vaccinated by producing a yellow-fever certificate
or international certificate of vaccination.
In practice this is usually only required if you’ve travelled overland up through Mauritania,
where yellow fever is endemic (although anecdotal evidence disputes how rigorously the order
is enforced at the land border); or arrived from an African country on, say, a Royal Air Maroc
flight.