Morocco May Soon Impose Visa Requirements on EU Citizens
Until now, EU citizens have been exempt from obtaining a visa to enter Morocco, while Moroccans have had to comply with strict conditions to enter the Schengen Area. Two parliamentarians have submitted a proposal to the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to introduce visa requirements for European nationals wishing to travel to Morocco, reports Schengen News.
This initiative is part of a reciprocity approach in response to the restrictions imposed by the European Commission on Moroccan travelers. According to the Moroccan Coalition of Human Rights Organizations, European consulates still apply opaque criteria for visa issuance, with no possibility of appeal or refund of fees in case of refusal.
This situation has particularly affected students, patients requiring medical care, and families traveling for personal reasons.
Furthermore, the delegation of visa management to private companies has led to an increase in costs and made access to appointments more complex.
According to recent data from Schengen News, 136,367 visa applications submitted by Moroccan citizens were rejected last year, resulting in a total cost of 118 million dirhams (approximately 11 million euros).
More than half of these applications were processed by Spanish and French consulates, where the economic impact of refusals has been significant, particularly after the increase in the Schengen visa fee from 80 to 90 euros last June.
