1

Hi Barry,
You will indeed receive a 3 months tourist visa on arrival.

1. Do I need to apply for a residence permit within 15 days of my arrival? Or can I wait, say after 1 month?
If you intend to stay for a year, a Carte de Sejour should be applied for as soon after arrival as possible, one for each of you. This is done at the police station or commisariate. The office is the Bureau des Etrangers. You will be very lucky if you find anyone speaking English, as French is the language of business.

2. Can I obtain a residence permit without a work contract (for example, as a retired person)?
A retired person can apply to live in Morocco without need of a work contract, but the police will be anxious to know your reasons for wanting to live in Morocco.

3. Can an American married couple obtain a residence permit, without one of the partners being Moroccan?
As I am no longer married, I have no experience in this regard, but I would assume that you would be applying as two individuals, since you have 2 separate passports.

4. What documents do I need to bring with me?
When you make your application there is a list of documents you will need to provide, 2 copies of each, certified at the local government office (Muqata). Copies of the first page of your passport showing your name and passport number, as well as copies of the page in your passport containing your most recent entry stamp and number. Copies of a statement of your Moroccan bank account showing a balance of 20,000 dirhams. Copies of a rental contract for your place of accommodation. Six photos of your face. A special tax stamp in the amount of 100 dirhams. After what the authorities require has been provided to their satisfaction, a letter will be issued to you as a receipt. You are required to return the next month and each succeeding month on the same date with that letter to get it stamped and signed, until your Carte de Sejour arrives into their office from Rabat. My experience has been 3 or 4 months. It's really not as difficult as it may appear.

5. Can I avoid the residence permit process entirely by leaving and re-entering the country every 3 months?
Yes you can, but it's a pain in the ass. Many people go to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (pronounced in Morocco as "sebta") in the north, but this has been abused by foreigners in the past who would go out for a day and come back into Morocco the next day with a fresh 3-month stamp. Moroccan authorities will no longer allow that, insisting that you stay out of the country for at least a week. Note that my experience with this was when I was very new in the country in July 2009. Something may have changed since that time. Ceuta, by the way, is very expensive compared to Morocco. The one and only time I went there to renew my visa I detested the place and the Spanish people and couldn't wait to get back home to Morocco.

2

Good advice from david. Also check the Kingdom of Morocco website.

3

5- be careful with the "Ceuta" trick. I had to talk my way back into Morocco for hours, as they wouldn't let me in, they indeed insisted that i stay a month out of Morocco before re-entering.... it was Saturday Morning, i had to be at work the following Monday in Rabat. A crappy day that was.... :)

4

Ahem, you should have offered the Policiers " le pot de vin ".....( know what this is ? ) it could have accelerated your return journey !

Miguel.

5

Miguel, speaking only for myself, I'd be very reluctant to try that. It could have the opposite effect.

6

Thank you, David, for your detailed advice on the steps I need for my residence permit.

Barry

7

Barry, please understand that it will be two residence permits.

You have not revealed to us your reasons for wanting to stay a year in Casablanca. Not many tourists go there, as it is a large, congested, polluted, commercial city, with the Hassan II Mosque being one of the few beauties. Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, would make a much more pleasant choice.

8

David,

Yes, I understand that my wife and I will both need residence permits. I also recognize that Casa is not a tourist city. Although I will inevitably do some 'tourist' visits around the country, our main purpose is to immerse ourselves in everyday life of the city, hopefully doing some EFL tutoring as one outlet to meet Moroccans and other ex-pats. I am a teacher of international culture in Boston, and this first-hand experience is invaluable to help me understand the country and its people.

Thanks again.

Barry

9

Barry, I understand what your plans are and I know it will be a wonderful year for you and your wife. But why can't you choose some other city that may be more pleasant?
I know I'm repeating myself, but you may find Rabat quieter more beautiful and interesting, keeping in mind that there is Mohammed V University in that city, and a potential for tutoring.

http://www.um5a.ac.ma/en/universite/mot_du_president.php

10

I fully agree with david's recommendation about Rabat.

11

I've come back to this thread because of my present situation. What I said in comment 1 is in need of revision.

As my Carte de Sejour is due to expire next week on Feb.15th, I went yesterday morning to the Bureau des Etrangers at the Commissariat in Taroudant as usual.

In hand I had everything that they had found acceptable last year. I was surprised to find 3 changes.

1. They no longer want a 100dh tax stamp, but 100dh in cash instead. So, I had to go and get a refund for the stamp I had recently purchased. Just a little embarrassing.

2. I was asked to provide a Statement of Health. I lucked out at the hospital early this morning, it was not busy, and found a Dr. who spoke just enough English. I hope his little handwritten-in-French note, duly stamped and signed, will be accepted as a Statement of Health, but you never know.

3. * Now for the punchline.*
They want me to get a Criminal Records Check done in Canada. This turns out to be quite an interesting procedure and I suspect it could take several weeks before the results are received back here. Starting with fingerprinting done here (!), and it must be correctly done fingerprinting, and if it's not the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will throw the whole damn thing in the garbage.

Yes, I know, somebody else mentioned that this is a requirement, but it has never been a requirement for me before, not until now.

***

I'm going back to the Commissariat on Monday, after I've gotten my new so-called "Health Statement" certified, with everything I have at present. Along with that I will take a very good letter of excuse for not having the criminal record check done, in my very best French, thanks to Google Translate. Wish me luck.

***
This I assume to be new policy handed down from headquarters in Rabat. Your input and commisseration will be gratefully accepted.

12

I just reread my comment @9. There is a university there! There are very likely English speakers there, students I mean, not old farts like me. What the heck am I doing living in Taroudant? Right now I can't quite remember.

If they let me stay, I might just make some long overdue changes.