Morocco Business Visa - Definitive Guide

As a business person with investments in different countries, there are times when you would have to travel abroad for certain business errands. If you have a business to look after in Morocco, you will need a business visa to Morocco in order to be able to do business-related activities in the country. With this permit, you will be able to attend business conferences, a business meeting for a branch of your own organization or a sister company, or attend client meetings and other business errands. The validity will depend if the permit is single-entry or multiple-entry. For single-entry, the validity and the stay permitted is 30 days, as in the case of a multiple-entry permit, the stay permitted per visit is 30 days and the validity will differ.

There are certain things that you need to check a few things before applying for a business visa to Morocco. You need to have a valid passport and other documents demanded by the embassy. You must check if your purpose matches the requirements put forth by the Moroccan Consulate. The process for the application of Morocco business visa for Indian is mainly offline. The procedure is given as follows:

1. You can start by downloading the Morocco business visa application form.
2. Fill out the application form thoroughly.
3. Attach your recent photograph.
4. Collect all the required supporting documents.
5. Submit the documents and the application form to the Consulate.
6. Pay the required visa fees as requested by the Consulate.

When you are filling out the application form, you must make sure to provide the correct and accurate information as per the documents that you have attached and the details on your passport. If in case any false or incorrect unverifiable information is provided, there are chances that the visa application may become inadmissible or get rejected. Such a visa rejection will affect your future applications for any visa to Morocco or any other country. Therefore, before applying, you must make sure that you know how to fill the form and what information is appropriate for what section.

To apply for a business visa, you have to match the eligibility criteria for the application. The requirements for the Morocco business visa for Indian passport holders are given as follows:

• You must have proof of business ownership and purpose of visit

• You must have proper proof of your business enterprise to show it to the authorities.
• If you have been invited to a business conference or to attend a business or client meeting, an invitation letter from the company must be provided to the embassy.
• You must meet the health requirements

• You must be healthy enough to travel to Morocco.
• You must perform a medical test before travelling to the country and provide a relevant documentary proof.
• You must be within the age limit to be able to apply for a work permit.
• You must meet the character requirements

• • • You must be of good character and have genuine intentions behind working in Morocco.
    • You need to provide a relevant documentary proof for the same as well (if asked) in the form of a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).
• You must have sufficient funds
  • • You must possess or have access to sufficient funds to be able to cover your stay and other expenses in Morocco.
    • Bank statement or any equivalent document is to be submitted as well as proof of the same.

There are different kinds of documents required as per the purpose of the visit. The general Morocco business visa requirements are listed as follows:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months ahead of the intended date of travel.
• Completely filled visa application form
• Recent photographs as per the specifications
• Covering letter with required details
• Confirmed flight tickets
• Travel insurance
• Business registration proof
• Proof of accommodation - hotel reservation, etc.
• Proof of purpose of visit -  invitation letter from the company in Morocco, Conference/Exhibition details
• Proof of sufficient funds - Income Tax Returns, Bank statement, Salary slip for the last 6 months, etc

• One copy must be provided
• Photo size: 35 mm x 45 mm.
• Coloured copy must be provided.
• The face must cover about 70-80% of the frame.
• Head should well-centred.
• The picture must not be older than 6 months.
• The background must be white
• Neutral expressions.
• Both the ears must be visible.
• Teeth should not be visible.
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Headgears are not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.

The time for processing is dependent on several factors like the workload at the embassy, the number of entries required, whether there is a need for urgent processing and several others. The processing time required for the issuance of a Morocco business visa is about 4 to 5 business days. However, this time span will differ as there are certainly other factors that affect the processing time.

The fee to get a business visa to Morocco must be paid to the Embassy of Morocco directly. It can be paid in cash and should be paid at the time of the submission of the application form and the documents. There are several factors that affect the estimation of the fees. For instance, type of visa, the number of entries permitted, the validity of the visa and other similar factors.

After the submission of the Morocco business visa application form and other documents, there are a few things that you need to note -

• After the documents have been submitted, you can then wait for the processing of your permit.
• When you are applying, make sure that you are applying at least a couple of weeks prior to your intended date of travel.
• If there are any kind of issues with the permit, the consulate must be informed accordingly.
• If there is a change of plans and you need to withdraw your application, this is the time when you do it.

In order to check the status of the permit, it can be done offline by contacting the Consulate offline. Else, if you have applied through an agency, you can check the status through the agency’s website.

After the successful submission of the visa application form and receiving business visa to Morocco, there are certain measures that are to be taken. You must -

• Before you travel

• Make a note of the visa expiry date, as well as the number of entries permitted. You must not stay in the country beyond this period.
• You should travel to Morocco within the validity of your visa.
• Make sure to carry a copy of your passport and other travel documents while you are in the country.
• Issue health insurance and travel insurance from a certified company.
• At the Border

• • • Get your documents checked and your passport verified.
    • Consult the airport authorities for any kind of assistance required.
    • Check your visa copy for other guidelines and rules to be followed.
• When you enter Morocco
  • • Ensure not to get involved in any kind of employment. You can, however, do volunteer work.
    • The business visa does not permit you to employ the residents or reside in the country.
    • It is a permit that allows you to only perform business and business-related operations in the country. You are still permitted tourism.
    • The tourist prohibited areas must be stayed out of.
    • Make sure you don’t overstay and apply for the visa extension in time.