Health Alert:  Special Operation Flights Continue

As a reminder, the Government of Morocco has extended the country’s “Health State of Emergency” until August 10 as part of its emergency measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.  Foreign citizens in the country without a visa who were unable to depart Morocco within the normal 90-day limit will be permitted to exit without a fine until at least August 10.  The government has not announced whether foreign citizens will be able to continue to depart without a fine after August 10.

All regularly scheduled commercial flights to/from Morocco remain suspended.  Special operation flights to/from Morocco are taking place on Royal Air Maroc (RAM) and Air Arabia.  RAM is operating a direct flight from Casablanca to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).  Additionally, Air France will be operating flights from August 3-10 between select Moroccan cities (Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Oujda, Agadir, Fes, and Nador) and Paris, Nantes, and Lyon.  U.S. passport holders are not allowed to enter the European Union (including France) unless they qualify for an exception under European rules – no matter how long they have been in Morocco.  Americans traveling back to the United States will likely be permitted to transit a French airport, however as long as the European travel restrictions remain in place, U.S. citizens will not likely be permitted to leave the airport.  Travelers with additional questions about European entry rules should contact the embassies or the border control authorities of the European country they wish to visit and/or review information on U.S. embassy webpages in the transit countries.

 

U.S. Embassy Paris: https://fr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

U.S. Embassy Madrid: https://es.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

U.S. Embassy London: https://uk.usembassy.gov/covid-19-coronavirus-information/

U.S. Embassy Rome: https://it.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/   
U.S. Embassy Lisbon:
https://pt.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

 

On July 27, the Government of Morocco announced that domestic travel is prohibited until further notice to/from the following cities:  Berrechid, Casablanca, Fes, Marrakech, Meknes, Settat, Tangier, and Tetouan.  Those needing to travel to an airport for a special operation flight, or to/from one of these cities for medical or work reasons, must receive a travel authorization letter from the local authorities.  In addition to domestic travel for health, work, or board a special operation flight, Moroccan authorities have indicated that a hotel reservation in another city is sufficient reason to obtain a travel authorization.