Morocco entry. Visa to Morocco: visa-free entry, types of visas, documents, cost. What is needed to obtain an entry permit?

The Kingdom of Morocco attracts Russian tourists with its unusual African flavor, an incredible synthesis of Islamic culture and national customs. More than twelve years ago, agreements were signed between Russia and Morocco establishing the procedure for visa relations.

Do Russians need a visa to Morocco in 2017 and 2018? The answer to the question depends on the purpose of the trip and the expected duration of the trip. The possibility of visa-free entry for Russians exists, but is limited by certain conditions.

Entry to Morocco without a visa

A visa-free corridor for up to three months is open to all Russian citizens who decide to visit the African kingdom for tourism purposes. The established period is quite enough for a full-fledged beach holiday, sightseeing, and getting to know the local culture.

In any case, there is always the possibility of extending the residence permit. A visa-free visit to Morocco imposes some restrictions on foreign guests, compliance with which is the key to a successful holiday:

  1. Guests of the Kingdom of Morocco from Russia must strictly adhere to the time limits of the visa-free corridor allocated for a tourist trip, extend their stay on time (if necessary), and leave the borders of the state on time.
  2. Tourists entering through the visa-free tourist corridor are prohibited from studying at universities, engaging in work, entrepreneurial activities, or making a profit in other ways. To engage in this type of activity, you must obtain a visa of the appropriate category.
  3. Foreigners must strictly adhere to the laws of the Kingdom. Violation of some will entail serious consequences, including forced deportation from the border with a ban on obtaining a visa in the future.

Important! Citizens of neighboring states friendly to Russia (Belarusians, Ukrainians) are required to go through the process of obtaining a visa. The conditions of the visa-free tourist corridor do not apply to representatives of the CIS countries permanently residing in Russia.

The ability to enter the Kingdom of Morocco without a visa does not replace the need to obtain a stamp confirming successful completion of customs and visa control. Kingdom border guards will conduct a short interview, search and require several documents:

  • International passport(the border guard will put a stamp with a unique number and dates of entry and exit);
  • Tourist migration card(the form is issued by airline flight attendants upon departure from Russia);
  • Customs declaration.

Additionally, you may be asked to present return tickets, a hotel room reservation in Morocco or a voucher, or a certificate of financial solvency. Additional requirements are rarely imposed in relation to suspicious persons or in connection with domestic events.

Transit

Russians in 2017 and 2018 do not need a transit visa to cross the border. Only permanent residents of Russia who are citizens of other countries will have to obtain a transit permit.

A transit visit to Morocco allows Russians to move freely not only around the airport, but also to go out into the city, explore local cultural monuments, and make purchases.

Moroccan visa categories: selection and application process

Travelers from Russia who plan to stay in the African Kingdom for more than three months, who decide to start studying, engage in work or entrepreneurial activity, will need a national visa pass of the appropriate category.

The process of obtaining a visa pass is similar for applicants of any category and consists of main and additional stages.

Main stages of visa application:

  1. Receiving an official invitation from the host party (invite). An invitation will be needed to obtain a student, work, guest and business visa (the content of the invite depends on which category is being opened).
  2. Drawing up an application, filling out a questionnaire.
  3. Collection of documentation package according to the established checklist;
  4. Transfer of papers to the Moroccan mission in Russia (the Embassy is located in Moscow);
  5. Receiving an official response to the application and issuing a completed permit.

Applicants for visas who raise doubts or suspicions among the staff of the representative office go through additional stages. Such applicants for an additional category of pass are called to the consulate for a personal interview or asked to submit additional certificates.

Checklist for applying for a visa yourself:

  1. Statement;
  2. Invitation from the host party;
  3. Application form (filled out in black ink in English or Arabic);
  4. 4 photos of the established sample;
  5. Foreign passport, photocopy of the document;
  6. Receipt of payment of state duty;
  7. Confirmation of place of residence;
  8. Medical insurance.

Applicants for a residence permit will need additional documents:

  1. Additional 2 photos;
  2. Marriage certificate;
  3. Certificate of ownership of Moroccan real estate, or a long-term lease agreement);
  4. Certificates confirming financial solvency;
  5. Medical insurance (preferably permanent, unlimited, replenishable).

Most popular categories:

  • Student. Allows you to receive higher, special, additional education;
  • Working. Permission for official employment;
  • Business. Gives the right to engage in trade, production, and other types of entrepreneurial activities;
  • Long term category. Provides for a standard period (three months), allows you to take part in international conferences, listen to lectures, and hold meetings.

Cost and processing time

When taking advantage of the visa-free corridor, the entry stamp is affixed completely free of charge. A migration card, a customs declaration form, and a leaflet with the laws and regulations of the Muslim state are issued free of charge.

Applicants will have to spend about 2,100 rubles (this is how much the state fee costs) to obtain a national visa category through a representative office.

Important! The price of the state duty depends on the exchange rate and may fluctuate. The cost of working and business categories should be confirmed personally with representatives of the Embassy.

The legislation establishes a maximum period for consideration of applications - thirty banking days (one month). Practice shows that approval (in rare cases, refusal) arrives within two weeks. The wait increases when the applicant is called for a personal interview.

A visa-free stamp is placed on a foreign passport within a few hours (depending on the queue, the number of applicants, and the workload of border control officers).

Any category of Moroccan visa is issued for a period of three months. The exception is a residence permit, which is issued for the first time for one year. The authorities of the African Kingdom provide Russians with the opportunity to obtain an extension of their stay by contacting the local migration service.

Extension of temporary stay

An additional extension of stay on the territory of a foreign state can be obtained by tourists who took advantage of the free corridor, and foreign guests from Russia who entered on the basis of a national visa.

Pass extensions are handled by specialists from the Migration Department. A simplified option is allowed to contact the local police department. For the first time, it is permissible to extend the period of stay for three months, six months, a year (the decision is made by an authorized employee of government agencies). Subsequently, you can submit an application for a residence permit.

Important! Many compatriots use another method of extension - “visaran”. The method is to travel outside of Morocco for a couple of days (they go to Tunisia, Mauritania. Schengen visa holders practice “visaran” to the European Union countries). Upon returning to the Kingdom, the counter for the three-month visa-free corridor is reset to zero.

Features of customs control

Compliance with customs rules is one of the conditions for allowing foreigners to cross the border. The Moroccan authorities have established additional laws regulating currency circulation in the Kingdom. It is allowed to import any currency in unlimited quantities. However, it is prohibited to use money from foreign countries within the country. It is simply necessary to exchange currency for local dirhams. It is also prohibited to export national currency abroad (a return exchange will be required).

The following are not subject to duty:

  • 1 factory bottle of strong alcohol;
  • 1 bottle of wine drink;
  • 200 cigarettes (about 10 packs, 250 g of tobacco).

Exceeding the norm is subject to mandatory additional declaration.

The import ban applies to:

  • Any products, goods, images that contradict the norms of Islam;
  • Weapons;
  • Narcotic, potent medications;
  • Flammable liquids (fuel is allowed to be carried in the gas tank of your own car).

Any digital, photo and video equipment is subject to declaration. Similar conditions apply to sports equipment and jewelry.

Refusal

A negative decision on the issue of granting a visa or a visa-free entry stamp to visit the Kingdom may be due to one of the following reasons:

  • Errors in filling out documents;
  • Lack of necessary papers;
  • Violations of customs control conditions, visa-free travel rules;
  • There is a ban on visiting the Kingdom of Morocco and traveling outside Russia.

Morocco did not take the path of attracting tourists to the country so quickly, and now the country’s policy is aimed at developing the tourism business. For citizens of many countries, the visa regime has been greatly simplified. Including for Russians, a visa is not required.

Document requirements when crossing the border

The validity of your passport should simply cover the duration of your stay in Morocco. There are no reserves of 3 or 6 months, as in other countries, here. You just need to have one blank page in your passport for stamping. This is where the requirements end.

Even if you have a stamp about visiting the state of Israel, in Morocco they don’t specifically look at this, and if they notice, they don’t pay attention. This may be due to the fact that Moroccan territory is located far from the sites of Israel's conflicts with the Arab world. And tourism income is growing rapidly with the abolition of visas.

For citizens of other countries

Unfortunately, Moroccans are not so loyal to citizens of Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The visa-free regime does not apply to these countries and you will have to obtain a full visa.

Additional documents that may be required

When entering Morocco, the border guards may still have some questions for you. You may be asked to present your return ticket and travel voucher as proof of your travel intentions in good faith.

If you come to Morocco on your own, then a printout of your hotel reservation will do. If you don’t have any of this, we recommend that you stock up on evidence that you have the financial means to live in the country and the ability to buy a return ticket. This could be a bank statement or cash. 2-3 thousand US dollars will be quite satisfactory, but it is better to have a figure of about 5 thousand in this document.

The African state of Morocco today is popular among tourists due to its excellent beaches and interesting natural and man-made attractions.

This country combines the exoticism of Africa and the Arab states in an original and aesthetically pleasing way. But every traveler, first of all, is concerned with the question: do you need a visa to Morocco, what are the rules for entering the territory of this Muslim country?

The answer to this question is clear: a visa is really needed. But not for everyone and not under all conditions. Let's consider the procedure for preparing documents for residents of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Visa to Morocco for Russian citizens

The Russians are the luckiest of all. Since 2005, residents of the Russian Federation have the right to visa-free crossing of the Moroccan border. A tourist can stay there without additional permits for 3 months (90 days). To enter, you only need a valid passport and migration card. It is best to have a return ticket with you. In some cases, border guards may request confirmation of the financial solvency of the arriving tourist.

  • Do not miss:

If you plan to stay in the country for a longer time, then obtaining a special residence permit will be a prerequisite. A foreign tourist can obtain it at any police station. But this must be done a maximum of 15 days before the end of the 90-day right to a visa-free visit to Morocco.

Visa to Morocco for Ukrainians and Belarusians

There is no visa-free regime for citizens of Ukraine and Belarus yet. So you should take care of obtaining a permit in advance.

Belarusians can apply for a single-entry (21 day) or long-term (3 months) visa only at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Moscow. His address in the capital is st. Koroviy Val, 7. However, if you don’t have the time or opportunity to come to Moscow, you can contact travel companies in Minsk. The conditions for assistance in obtaining a visa will vary. The consular fee at the embassy will cost $80. And when registering through an intermediary, you will have to pay additionally for the services of the company and the courier service.

What documents are required for citizens of Belarus?

  • Valid passport;
  • A copy of all its pages with marks and personal information;
  • Certificate from the applicant’s place of work, indicating his salary for the last six months and his position (in French or English);
  • Two completed forms;
  • Two photographs (light background, the applicant’s face is clearly visible, size 3.5x4.5 cm);
  • Confirmation of airfare and hotel reservations.

The period for receiving the document is approximately 2 weeks; this figure will depend more on the chosen method of obtaining a visa.

Ukrainians can apply for a visa through a travel agency or officially at the consular service of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Kyiv. Typically, the refusal rate for visas to this country is very low. Registration through the consulate takes from 5 to 10 days. The document is valid for 90 days. The cost of an entry permit for Ukrainian citizens is only $15.

For a tourist visa you need to provide the consular service with the following list of documents:

  • Completed visa application form;
  • A foreign passport, the validity of which is at least 6 months longer than the period of stay in Morocco;
  • A copy of the internal passport of Ukraine;
  • Two photographs 3.5x4.5 cm;
  • Document on assignment of identification code;
  • Certificate from the applicant’s place of study or work (the latest indicating salary and position);
  • Confirmation of air tickets and hotel reservations.

In order to obtain a work or business visa to Morocco, you additionally need an invitation from the receiving party (company or organization). A visitor visa requires an invitation from a citizen of the country. Pensioners must provide a pension certificate. To travel with children, you need their birth certificate and certified permission from the parents to leave the country of residence (if only one of the parents is traveling with the child or it is a trip with a group or other relatives).