FAQ

Do you need a visa for Morocco?

Citizens of around 70 countries can enter Morocco visa-free for up to 90 days. Here is the list of the visa-free countries.

To enter Morocco, you MUST have a passport valid for six months following the date of entry. If your passport validity is coming to an end, make a new one. After entering Morocco, you will get a stamp with the arrival date; the same after leaving Morocco.

More information in my article Do you need a visa for Morocco?

Best time to visit Morocco?

The best time of year to visit Morocco is during spring (March to June) or autumn (September to November). Then, the weather is warm, around +30/+35 C in the day time. Summers in Morocco are very hot; often the temperature reaches +48 C, and August the hottest month in the whole country. Winter season is also pleasant in the day time, around +20 C; however, nights are cold (about +9 C).

In the wintertime, it's cold inside homes, as they don't have heating systems. Small windows and thick walls protect well from the summer heats but as well does not allow to warm up houses in the wintertime.

• In Agadir, the pleasant climate stays similar all year round. This city is the best to stay during the wintertime.
• Essaouira is famous for the wind and even in the summertime take some warmer clothes for the evening.
• Because of the heat, Marrakech is the worst place to be in July/August. If you are planning to spend some time there, make sure you arrange some days/few days tours outside the city.

Language in Morocco

The two official languages in Morocco are Standard Arabic and Tamazight (often better known as Berbers). However, Standart Arabic is not spoken in the country and more used for the administration. Morocco’s Arabic dialect — known as “darija” — is the non-official language of Morocco.

French is the second unofficial language in Morocco, and the majority of Moroccans speak French. In the Nord, many people speak Spanish (Tangier, Tetouan).

English is becoming popular language in Morocco, especially among people working in the tourism sector. So if you are coming to Morocco without any French knowledge, English will help you in most of the cases.

In general, Moroccans are very good at learning languages. Most of them, especially if they graduates universities, speaks (understands) Classic Arabic, French, English. Tamazight/Berber language is not widely used, and a tiny percentage can speak/understand Tamazight.

More about French language and my experience you can read in the article How much French do you need to survive in Morocco?

 

Can I extend my stay in Morocco?

After entering Morocco, you can stay here for not more than 90 days. After then, it's enough to leave the country even for 1 day to renew your new 90 days stay. Never overstay the 90 days limit as you will need to go to the police station, court, pay fine etc.

Can you extend your stay in Morocco for more than 3 months? Then you are required to apply to the Bureau des Etrangers for a residence permit or so-called carte Sejour (the staying card). It's not easy to get this card,  you need either to be employed in Morocco, or to open your own company, or to be married to Moroccan.

Snow in Morocco

Wintertime in Morocco is perfect for more relaxing holidays exploring cities, touring around the country. In the winter, it's too cold for swimming, but ideal for water sports like surfing, windsurfing etc.

If you want to explore the High Atlas Mountains and some hiking, be aware that there might be snowing. Climbing Toubkal gets more complicated because you need to rent winter gears.

In Morocco, there are two ski resorts located in the Atlas Mountains. One is near Marrakech – Oukaïmeden, and the other is near Fez – Ifrane. Both of them experience regular snowfall each January and February. More about snow in Morocco read in my post Yes, there is snow in Morocco.