Travel to Morocco

By | June 21, 2021

Entry and residence

COVID-19 (Corona Virus)

Foreign nationals can currently only enter Morocco in exceptional cases. The Federal Foreign Office provides up-to- date information.

Visa requirements

German citizens need a passport for entry, which must be valid for at least six months. The identity card is not enough. The visa does not have to be applied for before leaving the country, but can be obtained free of charge upon entry, whether by ship, plane or overland. With the stamp in your passport you can stay in Morocco for up to 90 days. After that, you may have to leave and re-enter. An extension of the stay is not possible unless a complete application is submitted to the Aliens Police (DSN, Direction de la Sûreté Nationale) – including proof of financial resources, an employment contract in Morocco and a reason why a longer stay is necessary. Staying longer than 90 days without a valid visa is a criminal offense.

Children need their own children’s passport to enter and leave the country. More about this in the regularly updated travel information on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.

ATTENTION: Non-Germans may have to apply for the visa before entering the country.

A motor vehicle imported upon arrival can only remain duty-free in the country for a limited period of time (6 months) and it must be exported again in any case when leaving the country. Otherwise, the exit will be refused and there is a risk of high customs fines (also for accident vehicles). As a rule, when leaving the country, it is possible to park the vehicle at the airport or seaport and deposit the keys and vehicle papers with the authorities. However, this can be time consuming. In order to avoid problems and nasty surprises, inquire in good time with the relevant contact persons, such as ADAC, etc. about the conditions on site. The Rabat Accueil website under the menu item ” Se déplacer à Rabat ” (click on “en voiture”) also presents very detailed, largely correct information in French on this subject.

According to payhelpcenter, you can use your international driver’s license or that of your home country in Morocco for up to one year. After that, you have to exchange your driving license for a Moroccan driving license (your original driving license will be deposited). Alternatively, you can get a Moroccan driver’s license. The costs should be around 200 euros. Exception: foreign employees with a diplomatic passport.

Dual citizenship?

Anyone who has both German and Moroccan citizenship can enter and leave the country with a German passport, but in most cases must also present a Moroccan identity card (Carte d’Identité Nationale CNI). Entry requirements can change at short notice. In case of doubt, please contact the Moroccan embassy in Berlin (address see below) or the consulate general in Düsseldorf directly. Only there you can obtain legally binding information.

Travel, transportation, traffic

Public transport, shared taxis

The “Al Boraq” high-speed train runs several times a day between Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca on weekdays. The train requires a reservation, the tickets can be booked online. They can be rebooked or canceled at short notice, whereby a surcharge or a fee may apply. A trip from Tangier to Casablanca with the Al Boraq currently takes a good two hours and costs around 15-30 euros, depending on the time of day and comfort class. In addition to the ultra-fast train, the cheaper normal long-distance trains continue to run on the long routes, sometimes in combination with buses. – That means you buy a ticket to Agadir from the train, for example, but change from the train in Marrakech to a Supratours bus provided by the train company.

Regional ONCF express trains run every half hour between Casablanca and Rabat / Kenitra every half hour from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. These connections are comparatively reliable and faster than the car; the journey time is 55 minutes according to the plan. The direct train connections between Casablanca and Marrakech (approx. 3.5 hours travel time) are also quite reliable.

Otherwise, the CTM long-distance buses or other large bus companies are often preferable to the railroad. The CTM tickets should be booked the day before departure at one of the mostly centrally located sales offices or directly at the bus station. Since the ticket prices are relatively low, it is advisable to book the neighboring seat at the same time for long journeys. If you have luggage, you should be there half an hour before departure, as the luggage will be weighed and checked in. Have some change ready for the helpers here.

Many Moroccans use inexpensive shared taxis for shorter overland trips. Try to avoid these. Sometimes, however, they are the only connection. The cars are mostly in poor technical condition and overcrowded, the drivers sometimes show a fast-paced driving style. In order to ride comfortably, you should either sit in front or book two seats in the back.

Morocco Travel

Be careful when traveling with your own car

Exercise caution when driving, especially at night on the two-lane national roads. The Mercedes intercity taxis are often too fast and notorious for risky overtaking maneuvers. The toll highways are safer, but you shouldn’t drive too fast here either, because there aren’t enough opportunities for residents to cross or go under. You must therefore expect pedestrians on the road. Stray dogs and wild animals are also a danger.

Camping in the wild in Morocco is not allowed and not advisable. If you have a motorhome, you should also go to a campsite or a motorway service station if possible.

In the Rif Mountains (northern Morocco), travelers are sometimes harassed by drug dealers (stone throwing, roadblocks). The major connecting roads are not affected, but it can be problematic on smaller back roads, especially in the areas around Chefchaouen and Ketama. The Moroccan state is strictly following the hashish trade and has tried in recent years to reduce its cultivation. Many cannabis growers have therefore withdrawn to remote areas where strangers are not welcome. In northern Morocco, therefore, drive as far as possible on larger country roads and motorways. The Federal Foreign Office also strongly advises against traveling through the Western Sahara. When crossing the border from Mauritania into Western Sahara, there is also a risk from unmarked minefields.