Morocco Visa Requirements by Nationality: The Complete Guide
When you begin to plan a journey to Morocco, the visa point is generally the first thing you think about, and it is also one of the easiest things to go wrong if you depend on an old blog post. Since Morocco’s entry requirements have changed more than once recently, we have put this information together using the most up-to-date data, covering travelers from any country, not just a small number of Western ones.
Do You Need a Visa to Visit Morocco?
It all comes down to your nationality; Morocco has a wide visa exemption scheme which includes about 70 nationalities and allows people to enter for tourism purposes without having to apply in advance for a visa. The exemption applies to all the member states of the European Union as well as the wider Schengen area (which includes Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and a number of African and Gulf countries that have historical or reciprocal agreements with Morocco.
As long as your country is included on the list, you will be able to remain in Morocco for up to 90 days for tourism simply on the basis of having a valid passport, without the need to complete any prior paperwork. Nevertheless, the list is periodically reviewed and has changed in the past, so it is still advisable to quickly check your nationality against that of the Moroccan embassy nearest to you or Morocco’s official consular website before making your booking.
What if your country isn’t visa exempt?
If your nationality doesn’t appear on the visa-free list, you usually have two options.
The initial option is the e-visa system of Morocco, which is administered via the official website Accès Maroc and has been in operation since 2022. This visa allows for a single entry lasting up to 30 days and is valid for 180 days from the date of issue, with the processing time ranging from one to three business days. Applicants are divided into two categories. The first category consists of a limited number of nationalities, such as India, Thailand, Vietnam, Jordan, Israel, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, Benin and Guatemala, who can apply simply by providing a valid passport. The second category includes people who already possess a valid multiple-entry visa or residence permit from any of the Schengen area countries, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Japan or the UAE, a route that is frequently used by travellers from South Africa and Nigeria.
If both of those categories do not apply then you should apply through a Moroccan embassy or consulate, usually having to fill in a form, provide passport photographs, give evidence of accommodation, offer a return ticket and, in some cases, produce proof of funds. The time taken to process the application differs from consulate to consulate, so it is advisable to allow a couple of weeks before your trip.
A Small but Important Extra Step for a Few Nationalities
The fact that someone is visa exempt doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to do prior to travelling. Morocco has a different system known as the AEVM, an electronic travel authorisation which is not a visa but rather a compulsory pre-registration for a small number of nationals who would otherwise be visa-exempt, namely the Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Ghana and Guinea. Around the time of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, several other African nationalities were temporarily included and have since been withdrawn, with Mali being the most recent case in April 2026. If the requirement applies to you, you have to register online at acces-maroc.ma and the registration must be approved before you travel since it is verified both at check-in and on arrival.
Which documents should you actually have ready?
Certain documents appear no matter what type of visa you are applying for. These include a passport that is valid for at least six months past your date of entry, preferably one that has a few blank pages. You will also need to provide a return ticket or one to a third country. Generally, proof of your accommodation for the first few nights—such as a hotel or riad booking confirmation—is sufficient. In some cases, people are asked to produce proof of funds, although the extent to which this is enforced varies.
Save a digital version of all of these somewhere in an accessible location without having to use wifi, and also get physical printouts if you are able to do so. Do not rely on airport wifi if an officer asks for a document which you have only as an email attachment.
How long can you really stay?
For the majority of visa-exempt visitors the standard period allowed is up to 90 days per visit, or 30 days in the case of e-visa entries. If you wish to remain for a longer time you usually have two choices. The first is to apply for an extension at the local police station or at the foreigners’ registration office before your permitted period of stay ends, a process which involves filling in forms and waiting, and which may differ from one city to another. The second method, adopted by some long-term travellers, is to leave the country for a short time before coming back. However, we should not regard this as a guaranteed way of extending your stay in the long term, since immigration officers, in principle, could question a pattern of repeated short exits and re-entries.
And what regarding transit through Morocco and what about children?
Generally, you will not have to obtain a visa if you are merely passing through the airports in Morocco on a connecting flight and stay within the international transit area. However, normal entry rules will apply if your connection requires you to leave that secure area or if you stay over night.
Children who are traveling on their own passport are usually governed by the same rules as adult citizens of the same nationality. In the case of a child traveling with only one parent or a non-guardian, it is advisable to verify whether Morocco or your airline requires extra consent documents, as this matter is dealt with in an inconsistent manner.
A Note From Living Here
Before anyone travels by air, no matter what their nationality, they should be informed that it is possible to have to wait at immigration, especially when the Marrakech or Casablanca airports are busy. It is better to have your documents in order so that you can hand them over easily rather than having to scroll through the photos on your phone, and this truly helps to reduce the stress that comes after a long flight.
Quick Answers
Whether or not you need a visa to visit Morocco depends on your nationality; about 70 countries are able to enter without a visa for stays of up to 90 days, and people from all the other countries have to obtain an e-visa or apply at an embassy in advance.
For how long may I remain without a visa? Exempt nationalities have a period of up to 90 days, or 30 days in the case of entries using an e-visa.
So, what is the AEVM? It is a standalone, free electronic pre-registration, which is required for a number of visa-exempt nationalities, specifically the Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Ghana, and Guinea. It is not a visa and has no effect on the length of stay allowed.
Will I be able to stay beyond 90 days? Yes, by going through a local extension procedure before your current period of stay ends, although the requirements will differ according to the place.
If you are still uncertain about which category corresponds to your nationality, the most reliable thing to do at this point is to get in touch directly with the nearest Moroccan embassy or to visit the official Accès Maroc website, since the rules here are subject to change.
