Selling an Inherited Home in Morocco Doesn’t Guarantee Heirs Can Transfer the Money to Europe
Selling a home inherited in Morocco and transferring the money to an account in France, Belgium or the Netherlands can bring an unwelcome surprise for MREs. Foreign-exchange regulations distinguish between two situations, with significant consequences for heirs.
A family home in Casablanca, an apartment in Tangier or a plot of land in Marrakech: when real estate is passed on to heirs living abroad, its sale can be worth several hundred thousand dirhams. But once the money has been received in Morocco, transferring it to Europe depends in particular on how the property was financed.
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The Foreign Exchange Office provides a guarantee of transfer for foreign investments made in Morocco and financed in foreign currency. This guarantee covers income, proceeds from the sale and sums inherited from these investments. Moroccans residing abroad are among the investors covered.
The situation is different when an heir inherits a home bought in dirhams by their parents, who were living in Morocco at the time. This family property, acquired without eligible foreign-currency financing, does not benefit from the same right to transfer. Even if the heirs have lived in Europe for decades, the proceeds from the sale remain subject to applicable foreign-exchange restrictions.
Documents required to transfer an inheritance
Article 177 of the General Instruction on Foreign Exchange Transactions 2026 specifies the documents banks require for inheritances covered by the scheme. Non-resident heirs must notably provide a notarized deed establishing the succession, proof that the property in question was financed in foreign currency, and proof of their residence abroad.
When real estate has been sold, the bank must also have the documents relating to the transaction and the required tax records. Old bank documents tracing the origin of the funds can therefore become crucial, sometimes years after the original purchase.
Another rule directly concerns MREs. The Foreign Exchange Office reserves term convertible accounts for non-resident foreign nationals holding certain non-convertible funds in Morocco. These accounts allow transfers to be made in installments over several years. Moroccans residing abroad are excluded from this scheme. Funds of theirs that are not transferable must be kept in ordinary dirham accounts.
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For a family dividing an inheritance among several children living in different European countries, the property’s status can therefore affect how the sale proceeds may be used. Heirs of an eligible investment have a route to transfer the funds through their bank, while those inheriting family property acquired in dirhams must check what options are permitted under the regulations.
Before selling a home inherited in Morocco, heirs would therefore be well advised to locate the original purchase deed, proof of any foreign-currency transfers and the inheritance documents. These records will enable their bank to determine which rules apply to the proceeds from the sale.
