Morocco

Morocco visa and residence guide

  • 16 visa types
  • checked 29 October 2026

How visas for Morocco work

Morocco runs two separate layers of rules. Entry is decided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: nationals on its exemption list (which includes the EU states, the UK, the US and the Gulf states) arrive with a passport only, a few nationalities must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (AEVM) first, and everyone else needs either the single-entry e-Visa or a sticker visa from a Moroccan embassy or consulate. All three online procedures start on Accès Maroc, the ministry's own portal.

Stay is decided by the national police (Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale, DGSN) under Law No. 02-03 of 2003. A foreigner may remain up to 90 days without a residence document; anyone who intends to stay longer must obtain a carte d'immatriculation from the police department for foreigners in their city, valid from 1 to 10 years and marked with the reason for the stay: visitor, student, work or another authorised activity. After at least four years of lawful, uninterrupted residence a foreigner can ask for the carte de résidence.

Consular visas are issued in four forms: short validity (stays of 1 to 90 days), long validity (multiple entries, up to one year), transit (up to 72 hours per transit) and, exceptionally, visas issued at the border. A visa cannot be changed into another type once you are inside Morocco, so a person who will study, work or settle should arrive with the right paperwork or, if visa-exempt, plan the residence card application before the 90 days run out.

Paid employment adds a third authority: the Ministry of Employment must approve ("visa") the foreign employee's contract through its TAECHIR platform, normally after the national employment agency ANAPEC certifies that no suitable Moroccan candidate is available. Morocco has no national asylum law yet; UNHCR registers claims and decides refugee status, and the government's Bureau of Refugees and Stateless Persons then issues a national refugee card.

Which visa do I need?

Holiday, family visit or short business trip of up to 90 days: EU, UK, US and other exempt citizens just travel with a valid passport; others check Accès Maroc for the AEVM, the e-Visa or a consular visa.

Studies, a job, retirement or any stay beyond 90 days: arrive lawfully (visa-free or with the matching consular visa), then apply to the police for a carte d'immatriculation marked student, work or visitor.

Marriage to a Moroccan citizen: the foreign spouse can obtain the carte de résidence directly, without the four-year waiting period, if entry and stay are lawful.

Fleeing persecution: contact UNHCR in Rabat or its partner OMDH in Oujda, Tangier, Nador or Casablanca to register an asylum claim.

Visa types for Morocco

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Visa-free entry and short-stay visitor visa (tourism, family visit)

    Citizens of the countries on Morocco's exemption list, such as the EU states, the United Kingdom and the United States, visit Morocco for tourism or family reasons with only a valid passport and may stay up to 90 days.

    Maximum stay: Up to 90 days per stay for visa-exempt visitors; a consular short-validity visa allows stays of 1 to 90 days as decided by the consulate.
  • Transit visa Transit visa (up to 72 hours per transit)

    Morocco's transit visa lets a visa-required traveller cross Moroccan territory on the way to a third country, for one or two transits of no more than 72 hours each.

    Maximum stay: 72 hours per transit
  • Culture, sports and events visa eVisa for Events and visa for cultural or sporting events

    Accès Maroc runs a dedicated "eVisa for Event" for participants registered at specific events held in Morocco: you choose the event, enter its registration ID and receive a single-entry e-Visa.

    Maximum stay: The eVisa for Event is single entry; the portal states a maximum of 30 days for the e-Visa granted
  • Medical treatment visa Medical stay visa

    Patients whose nationality needs a visa for Morocco apply to the Moroccan consulate covering their residence for a medical stay visa, with a medical certificate, a Moroccan hospital's admission agreement and proof that treatment and repatriation costs are covered.

    Maximum stay: Up to 90 days; treatment beyond 90 days requires a carte d'immatriculation from the police

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Business visa (business trips, trade fairs, conferences)

    Visa-required business travellers apply at a Moroccan consulate with a written invitation from a Moroccan company, a recommendation from a professional chamber or ministry, or the organiser's invitation to a fair or conference.

    Maximum stay: Up to 90 days per stay
  • Investor visa Investor visa and residence card for business activity

    Morocco does not run a residence-by-investment scheme with a published minimum amount.

    Maximum stay: Visa: up to 90 days per stay; longer stays through a residence card

Study and training

  • Student visa Student visa and residence card marked "étudiant"

    Foreign students in Morocco need two things: lawful entry (a student visa from the consulate if their nationality requires one, visa-free entry for exempt citizens) and, for any stay beyond 90 days, a carte d'immatriculation marked "étudiant" from the police.

    Maximum stay: For the length of studies, through renewable residence cards

Work

  • Work visa Work contract visa (TAECHIR) and residence card for employment

    To work for an employer in Morocco, a foreigner needs an employment contract approved ("visé") by the Ministry of Employment.

    Maximum stay: As long as the approved contract and residence card remain valid

Family

  • Family reunification visa Family reunification visa and family residence card

    Relatives joining a family member in Morocco need lawful entry and then their own residence document.

    Maximum stay: Visa for entry; long-term stay through the relative's own residence card
  • Spouse and partner visa Carte de résidence for the foreign spouse of a Moroccan citizen

    Article 17 of Law No.

    Maximum stay: Long-term, through the carte de résidence

Residence

  • Retirement visa Long-stay visitor visa and residence card marked "visiteur" (retirees, people of independent means)

    Morocco has no separate retirement visa, but its law provides a residence card marked "visiteur" for foreigners who can live on their own resources and undertake not to carry out any professional activity requiring authorisation.

    Maximum stay: Long-term, through renewable residence cards
  • Residence permit Carte d'immatriculation (temporary residence card)

    The carte d'immatriculation is Morocco's standard residence card for foreigners over 18 who stay longer than 90 days.

    Maximum stay: For the card's validity
  • Permanent residence Carte de résidence (long-term residence card)

    The carte de résidence is Morocco's long-term residence card.

    Maximum stay: Long-term

Online travel permits

  • e-Visa Morocco e-Visa (single entry, 30 days)

    The Morocco e-Visa is a single-entry electronic visa for a stay of up to 30 days, valid for 180 days from issue and obtained entirely online on Accès Maroc.

    Maximum stay: 30 days, single entry
  • Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) Electronic Travel Authorization to Morocco (AEVM)

    The AEVM (Autorisation Électronique de Voyage au Maroc) is a pre-travel authorization that Morocco requires from a small group of otherwise visa-exempt nationalities: the ministry's list marks Mali, Congo (Brazzaville) and Guinea (Conakry).

    Processing time: Not published; the consular post may contact you after receiving the documents

Asylum and international protection

  • Asylum and international protection Asylum and refugee status (UNHCR registration and BRA refugee card)

    Morocco has not yet established a national asylum system.

    Validity: BRA refugee card: one year. Residence card for refugees: one year, renewable

Frequently asked questions

Who needs a visa for Morocco?

Nationals who are not on the Moroccan Foreign Ministry's exemption list. Exempt citizens, including those of the EU states, the UK, the US, Canada and the Gulf states, can stay up to 90 days with a passport; Mali, Congo (Brazzaville) and Guinea (Conakry) need an AEVM first. Border officers may still ask about the purpose of the trip, means of support and a return ticket.

What happens if I want to stay in Morocco longer than 90 days?

Law No. 02-03 only waives the residence document for stays of up to 90 days. To stay longer you must apply to the police (DGSN) for a carte d'immatriculation, which requires a reason for the stay such as work, studies or living on your own resources. Applying is your responsibility; the receipt of the application serves as a temporary permit.

Which website is the official one for the Morocco e-Visa?

Accès Maroc (acces-maroc.ma), run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is the only official channel for the e-Visa, the AEVM and the consular visa form. Its support address is e-visa@maec.gov.ma. Sites that charge extra "service fees" are not government portals.

Can I work in Morocco after entering visa-free?

Not without authorisation. A foreign employee needs an employment contract approved by the Ministry of Employment through TAECHIR, then a residence card for work from the police. Visa-exempt workers can enter without a visa, but the contract approval must be in place before the job starts.

Does Morocco offer a golden visa or residence by investment?

No dedicated residence-by-investment programme with a published minimum amount appears in official sources. Investors use the consular investor visa (if their nationality needs a visa) and then a residence card for their professional activity, like other foreign residents.

Embassies and consulates

Last checked 29 October 2026. Each visa page lists the official sources it is based on.