Obtaining a residence card or a residence permit in Morocco: everything you need to know!

The residence permit card represents recognition from the Moroccan administration for a foreigner to remain temporarily in the country. It is an essential document, regardless of its type.

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The duration of a tourist stay is a maximum of 3 months out of 6 consecutive months. When you settle in, you must register with the Moroccan police authorities (at the nearest central police station) to obtain a residence permit, which is valid for 1 year (then 5 or 10 years).

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Indeed, it is only by obtaining a residence permit that a foreigner residing in Morocco can complete several procedures, including:

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- Subscribing to a telephone plan,

- Obtaining a vehicle registration document,

- Opening a bank account.

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Important: Without a residence permit, you can only open an account in convertible dirhams, i.e., one funded by foreign currency. You cannot deposit Dirhams into this account.​

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Residence or registration card : what is it ?

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The registration card is an authorization that allows you to stay in the Kingdom for a maximum of 1 to 10 years, renewable for the same period. It is issued to foreigners staying in Morocco for more than 90 days.

There are three categories of registration cards:

- Visitor card;

- Student card;

- Work card (with details of professional activity).

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First-time residence permit card application : what documents are required ?

 

• Two white and two yellow vehicle registration certificate application forms (available free of charge to foreigners upon presentation of their passport), duly completed in capital letters and signed by the applicant;

• The original photocopies attached to the application must be presented when submitting the vehicle registration certificate application;

• Six passport photos, 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm;

• Certified photocopy of the first six pages of the passport and the pages containing the Moroccan entry stamps;

• Photocopy of the lease agreement;

• Tax stamp;

• Criminal record extract;

• Medical certificate

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1- Case of employees: 
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• Foreign employment contract approved by the Ministry of Employment (3 copies).

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Important: Obtaining a 10-year residence permit does not relieve the holder of the obligation to have his employment contract certified.

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In accordance with the provisions of article 516 of Law no. 65.99 on the Labour Code, any employer wishing to recruit a foreign employee must obtain an authorization from the government authority responsible for labour. This authorization is granted in the form of a visa affixed to the employment contract.

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The granting of a visa for a contract of employment by a foreigner meets a double objective, on the one hand, to protect the domestic workforce against any competition that might be offered to it by the foreign workforce, with equal professional qualification and, on the other hand, to meet the country’s needs for foreign skills necessary for the development of its economy and the promotion of investment projects.

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Good to know: In order to facilitate the procedures and be able to comply with the legislation in force, the use of an accountant is important.

 

An accountant is a liberal professional whose activity is regulated by law (15-89). In order to carry out his activity, an accountant must be registered with the Order of Chartered Accountants. 

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2- Case of managers - partners in a company: 
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• The articles of association;

• Trade register;

• Recent J model dated less than 3 months.

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3- Liberal professions

 

• Autorisation d’exercer du Secrétariat général du Gouvernement

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Procedure for renewing the residence card in Morocco: 

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It is mandatory to renew the residence card every year until the applicant obtains a ten-year residence permit.

 

For renewals, it is required to provide a criminal record extract, specifically a Moroccan extract issued by the Court Registry Office related to the place of birth of the applicant if he was born in Morocco.

 

For those born outside of Morocco, the extract must be issued by the National Criminal Record Service (Directorate of Criminal Affairs and Amnesty) at the Ministry of Justice. It is possible to file the application through a third party, provided that this third party has a duly established official power of attorney, with the legalization of the principal’s signature made at the municipality.

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