Area: 446,550 km²
(with Western Sahara) 712,550 km²
Population: 33,986,655 (without Western Sahara)
34,589,908 (with Western Sahara) (July 2017)
Population density: 76 E / km² (without Western Sahara)
48.5 E / km² (with Western Sahara)
Form of Government: Hereditary monarchy
System of Government: constitutional monarchy
Neighboring countries: Algeria, (Western Sahara)
Capital: Rabat
National Languages: Moroccan Arabic, French and Tamazight
Religions: The state religion is Islam
98.7% Muslims,
1.1% Christians,
0.2% Jews
Currency: Dirham (MAD)
1 MAD = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
1 EUR = 10.75 MAD
100 MAD = 9.17 EUR
1 CHF = 9.76 MAD
100 MAD = 10.10 CHF
(rate from 02.25.2021)
Telephone area code: + 212
Time Zone: UTC ± 0
UTC + 1 (March to October)
In 2020, 238 Germans officially emigrated to the Kingdom of Morocco and 424 came back to their homeland. Within the 10 years from 2010 to 2019, 4,222 Germans officially emigrated to Morocco and 4,237 moved back to Germany.
According to Best-medical-schools, the most densely populated are the northwest or west, where two thirds of the approximately 34 million residents of Morocco live. Around 44% of Moroccans are of Arab origin, around 30% are Berbers and around 10% are Moors. There are also Arabized Berbers and 1% others, who come primarily from France, Spain, Italy, Tunisia and Algeria. In recent years there have also been many migrants from West Africa.
About 90% of Moroccans speak Moroccan Arabic, called Darija. A good half of Moroccans also speak a Berber language (e.g. the official language Mazirian). French is spoken across the country as a commercial, educational and informal working language. English is becoming increasingly important. In some parts, Spanish is also spoken.
Travel and Visa
Changed travel regulations during and after the corona pandemic
The airspace to Morocco is still fundamentally closed and ferry traffic is discontinued. The border crossings in Ceuta and Melilla and the land border with Algeria and Mauritania are closed.
Travel connections to and from Morocco are possible to a limited extent with special flights and ferries, whereby ferry connections are only offered between Morocco and France or Italy. Ferry traffic for travelers between Morocco and Spain is suspended.
There are entry and exit options, regardless of nationality, for travelers with habitual residence in a country on List A drawn up by the Moroccan authorities, including currently Germany. The list is to be updated every two weeks by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For travelers from a country on List A, a PCR test is required for entry, whereby the sample must not be taken more than 72 hours before entry. The test result must be presented in French, or alternatively in English. A PCR test is also required for those who have recovered. People who are vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the Moroccan government (this includes all vaccines used in Germany) should be allowed to enter the country with official proof of vaccination without a PCR test.
Source: Federal Foreign Office on July 24th, 2021
General provisions for travel and residence (until the corona pandemic)
Citizens from Germany, Austria and Switzerland do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days. Entry can only take place with a passport, not an identity card. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months after entry.
The extension of the stay over 90 days as we requested the local police or at the immigration office in the big cities. The application must be accompanied by proof of sufficient financial resources, property, an employment contract, rental agreement (e.g. confirmation from a campsite owner) or a reason why a longer stay is necessary.
Entry by vehicle
If you enter the country by vehicle, for example with a mobile home or your own car, you must have a “Green Insurance Card” valid for Morocco with you. If you do not have one, you must take out border insurance at the border. You will also give the customs officer a declaration of temporary admission at the border crossing.
However, the imported vehicle (camper) must not exceed the 6-month stay and can only be imported again in the next calendar year. Otherwise it must be cleared through customs and must not be older than 5 years when it is imported.
Driver’s license
If you stay in Morocco for a maximum of 1 year, the national German driving license is sufficient. If you are staying in Morocco for more than 1 year, you need a Moroccan driver’s license.
Immigration opportunities
There are several options for permanent establishment. A permanent residence of a maximum of 10 years can currently only be obtained.
The following options are available to retirees and those who can regularly obtain foreign currency from abroad:
1) Opening a foreign exchange account at a bank in Morocco (you need either a rental agreement or proof of ownership – purchase agreement for land or apartment).
2) The account must have received at least 600 to 700 euros from the home country for 3 consecutive months. For families with two children, it must be around 1,000 to 1,200 euros (the values fluctuate somewhat within the country).
3) Applying for a residence permit at the respective place of residence in Morocco, in rural areas at the gendarme and in the cities at the responsible immigration authorities.
The following things have to be submitted:
- Evidence from the Moroccan Bank of the money received
- Criminal record certificate
- Health certificate from a doctor in a government hospital in Morocco (this only concerns mental health)
- Multiple legalized (certified) copies of the leases or property
- Passport photos
- Copies of the passport, notarized in Morocco.
- Per year of desired permanent residence, 100 dirhams are to be paid in advance (for a maximum of 10 years)
Immigrants who are unable to import foreign currency regularly have the opportunity to open a business. By doing this, you run a commercial activity and pay taxes to the state. With the above documents you apply for a patent number with which you then register the business with the court.
