Moroccan Residence Permit

Introduction

If you plan to stay in Morocco for more than 90 days, you will need to register with the police and apply for a residence permit, known locally as a Certificat d’Immatriculation. In cities, applications should be submitted to the Bureau des Etrangers of the Préfecture de Police or Commissariat Central, while those applying to reside in rural areas or villages should apply to the Gendarmerie.

There are eight categories of Moroccan residence permit. Applicants for a resident permit are required to select the appropriate category for their situation and submit two notarized copies of all required documents. Documents should be notarized at the city hall office (Muqata’a) closest to your residence.

Application Process

At the Bureau des Etrangers you will have to complete an application form and pay a fee. You will be told whether your application has been accepted or whether you need to submit more documents. If everything with your application is OK, you will be told to return to pick up your provisional residency card, called a Récépissé, which is for use while your official Certificat d’Immatriculation is processed and printed.

Required Documents

• Criminal Record Check: All first-time residency applicants are now required to provide proof from their country of origin they have no criminal record or convictions. For information on obtaining an FBI record, please refer to: http://www.fbi.gov. Please note the Consulate in Casablanca and the Embassy in Rabat are unable to take fingerprints and submit them to the FBI.

• Medical Certificate: You are required to provide a medical certificate from a local doctor confirming that you have no contagious diseases.

• Bank Statements: The authorities require evidence of your local checking account balance in the form of a statement from your Moroccan bank, frequently known as an attestation bancaire.

Renewing Your Residence Permit

Those renewing their residency card can apply for a Casier Judiciaire which can be obtained from the Ministry of Justice in Rabat. You will need a copy of your birth certificate which lists details of both parents’ names and a copy of your passport. You may be required to return to Rabat to pick up your approved card since applications are not typically processed the same day.

Minors Resident in Morocco

Those seeking to live with their minor children in Morocco must apply for a minor’s relocation document, known as a Document de Circulacion, on their behalf. If a minor has been residing in Morocco without a relocation document, they will be prohibited from leaving Morocco until their parents file for and receive a Document de Circulacion.

To be eligible for a Document de Circulacion, a minor must be residing in Morocco have one of the following apply:

• At least one parent has a residence card;
• They were born abroad to a Moroccan mother and do not have Moroccan citizenship;
• They are a refugee; or
• They entered Morocco on a visa of more than three months.

If one of the situations above applies to you, submit your application as soon as possible to the relevant authorities listed above.

The required documents to obtain a relocation document are:

• 2 copies of the passport;
• 2 copies of the parent’s residence certificate or document establishing their status in Morocco;
• 2 copies of the birth certificate;
• 1 sponsorship certificate signed by one of the parents;
• 2 copies of the bank statements (3 months history) of the sponsor (the mother or the father);
• 1 medical certificate;
• 1 school registration certificate (if the child is of school age);
• 8 passport size photographs;
• 2 copies of the sponsor’s residence card.