Traveling to Morocco

What to do before you leave, checked against official sources.

Country

Passport

No visa needed

With a US passport, you can stay in Morocco for up to 90 days without a visa.

Entry and visa

Visa depends on your nationality, passport required

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check with the passport selector above or with a Moroccan embassy or consulate.
For French travelers: a visa-free tourist stay is limited to 90 days. Extensions are exceptional, cannot exceed three months and must be requested from the Moroccan immigration service.
A passport valid for the whole length of your stay is mandatory, even on a package tour. A national ID card alone is no longer accepted.
On arrival, you may be asked for a return ticket and proof that you have enough money for your stay.
Make sure the police have stamped your passport on arrival. Overstaying is punished with a fine, or even deportation.
Minors: a valid passport is mandatory. Bring proof of parentage (birth certificate or family record book). A minor traveling alone or with someone other than a parent needs parental authorization with certified signatures.
The land border with Algeria is closed.

No required vaccines, no malaria

No vaccine is required for entry. Bring your routine vaccinations up to date.
Hepatitis A is recommended for everyone. Hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid are worth discussing depending on the length and conditions of your stay.
There is no malaria transmission in Morocco, so no preventive treatment is needed.
Drink bottled water with an intact seal, or water that has been made safe to drink. Watch out for stray dogs: rabies is present.
Insurance covering medical costs and repatriation is essential. Your embassy will not pay these costs.

Moroccan dirham (MAD)

The currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). France Diplomatie gives a rate of about 10.7 MAD to 1 euro (April 2026).
Change money at a bank or an authorized exchange office, not on the black market.
Keep your exchange slips or ATM receipts: you will need them to convert your leftover dirhams when you leave.
Above 100,000 dirhams (or the equivalent) in cash, you must declare it to customs, both on entry and on exit.
Writing a bad check is a criminal offense in Morocco, punishable by prison and a fine.

Safe country, avoid the Mauritanian border

According to the French foreign ministry (France Diplomatie), the border with Mauritania is red: all travel along this border is strongly advised against. The only crossing is the coastal road to Nouadhibou.
Increased vigilance (yellow) applies in the south along the Algerian border and in Western Sahara, where leaving the paved coastal road requires prior authorization.
The terrorist risk persists. Bag and phone snatching is common, especially in Casablanca and Marrakech. Beware of fake travel agencies in Marrakech.
The roads are dangerous: avoid driving at night. Many beaches have no lifeguards and drownings are frequent.
Emergencies: police 19 in towns, Royal Gendarmerie 177 outside built-up areas, fire department 15.
Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.
For French travelers: French embassy in Rabat, +212 5 37 68 97 00.

Type C/E plugs at 230 V, dialing code +212

Official languages: Arabic and Tamazight. Darija (Moroccan Arabic), the Berber languages and French are widely spoken.
Type C and E plugs, 230 V and 50 Hz.
Morocco keeps GMT+1 all year round, except during Ramadan, when clocks go back one hour (GMT). In winter it therefore has the same time as Paris and Western Europe, except during Ramadan (about February 7 to March 14, 2027, official dates announced a few days before): when it is noon in Paris, it is then 11 a.m. in Morocco. In summer it is always one hour behind Paris.
Dialing code: +212. A local SIM card (Maroc Telecom, Orange, Inwi) is a good idea.
An international driving permit is strongly recommended. For French travelers, a French license is valid for one year.
Non-Muslims may not enter mosques, except at major tourist sites. Pepper spray and drones without authorization are prohibited.

Spring and fall are the most pleasant

In Marrakech, the best times to visit run from mid-March to late June and from mid-September to mid-November.
Summer is very hot inland: from late June to early September, average highs top 34 °C and reach about 37 °C in July.
Winter is mild by day but cool at night: in January in Marrakech, about 19 °C during the day and 7 °C at night. Rainfall stays low, with November the wettest month.
Ramadan moves every year (lunar calendar). During this period, alcohol is not sold and modest dress is expected.
The national holiday (Throne Day) is on July 30.

Rules can change without notice: before you leave, always check with the embassy of Morocco and your own government's travel advice.