EU-Morocco Visa Breakthrough: France Leads as 606,000 Moroccans Granted Entry

The European Union issued more than 606,000 visas to Moroccan citizens over the past year, while the refusal rate did not exceed 20% of the applications filed, a rate considered average compared to other countries, said Nasser Bourita in response to a written question from the parliamentary advisor Khalid Setti on "reciprocity in visa policies". He specified that France alone issued around 284,000 visas in 2024, an increase of 17% compared to the previous year. "This makes the Kingdom of Morocco the country that has benefited the most from French visas in the region, a fact that reflects a shared political will between the two parties to overcome the tensions and difficulties that have marked their relations in this area in the past," emphasized the head of diplomacy.

The Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs also made known that his department "on the occasion of bilateral meetings with representatives of diplomatic missions and consular centers accredited in Morocco - which call on management companies delegated for the processing of visa applications - constantly raises the issue of the system in place, its dysfunctions and calls for them to be corrected in order to avoid any exploitation by certain illegal intermediaries or brokers." According to him, his ministry firmly calls on foreign embassies and consulates in Morocco to interact with visa applications within a reasonable time frame, and this, in a spirit of constant respect for the Moroccan citizen and his dignity, particularly in the case of urgent humanitarian requests, such as those related to medical care or studies, often subject to strict deadlines.

Regarding the issue of reciprocity in visa policies, Bourita explained that it is a sovereign right of each State, which decides and organizes it according to its own vision as well as its internal and external priorities. "Morocco’s choice to impose or exempt entry visas on its territory remains a sovereign decision, which does not respond to either moods or conjunctural reactions. It is based on three objective considerations: reciprocity, political and economic imperatives, as well as the context of bilateral relations with each country," he added. And to continue: "the Moroccan practice in this matter is based on a global strategy taking into account the balance of interests, distinguishing the countries according to the nature of the cooperation, the common history and the signed agreements. The adoption of modern electronic visa systems also illustrates this approach aimed at strengthening the Kingdom’s openness through the digitization of its services, without however renouncing its national sovereignty."