Spending more and more time in Marrakech, just bought a riad or planning to retire in Morocco? Beyond 90 days, you need a residence permit. Here are the steps, in order, to get first the residence card (carte d’immatriculation) and then the 10-year resident card (carte de résidence).
Carte d’immatriculation or carte de résidence?
Law 02-03 sets out two permits. The carte d’immatriculation is the basic one: it is issued for one to ten years depending on the purpose of your stay, and in practice for one year on a first application. The carte de résidence is valid for ten years: it is the permit for foreigners settled in Morocco for the long term.
Who can get the 10-year card?
Article 16 of law 02-03 reserves it for foreigners who can show at least four years of uninterrupted residence in Morocco. The authorities also look at your means of living, your work and anything that shows you intend to settle for good.
Article 17 lists cases where it is granted more readily, provided your stay is lawful: the foreign spouse of a Moroccan, certain children and parents of Moroccans, the spouse and minor children of a card holder, or a foreigner who has lived in Morocco for more than fifteen years, or legally for more than ten.
Step 1: enter and stay legally
It all starts with a lawful entry: visa-free for many nationalities, for up to 90 days. File your first application before those 90 days run out. An irregular stay, even a short one, can harm what comes next.
Step 2: gather your documents
- A valid passport and copies of the relevant pages, including the entry stamp.
- Recent ID photos and the application form.
- Proof of address: title deed, registered lease or accommodation certificate.
- Proof of means: recent bank statements, pension certificate, employment contract or company documents.
- A criminal record certificate, a medical certificate and tax stamps. For the 10-year card, add proof of your four years of legal residence: your previous cards.
Have documents in other languages translated into French or Arabic. The list can vary: confirm it at the counter before you file.
Step 3: file the application
You apply at the foreigners’ office of the police (DGSN) where you live; in Marrakech, at the police headquarters (préfecture de police). Your fingerprints are taken and you get a receipt, which serves as a temporary permit while your file is processed. Always carry it with you.
Step 4: processing and collection
Processing usually takes from a few weeks to three months. Your address may be checked. When the card is ready, you are called in to collect it. Check the details on it straight away.
Step 5: renew, then move to ten years
Start the renewal at least two months before expiry and report any change of address. After four years of lawful, continuous residence, apply for the 10-year card with the same documents and proof of your time in Morocco.
If your application is refused
A refusal must be based on unmet conditions or a threat to public order. You have fifteen days to bring the case before the president of the administrative court, and the same deadline applies to leave the country if the refusal stands. Get help from a lawyer.
Property owners: what helps
Buying a property does not in itself give you the right to live in Morocco: there is no golden visa. But a title deed is the best proof of address, and a purchase funded in foreign currency by bank transfer proves your means. It is also what lets you repatriate your money when you sell.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get the 10-year residence card?
You first need at least four years of lawful, continuous residence with the carte d’immatriculation. Processing then takes from a few weeks to three months.
Where do I apply in Marrakech?
At the foreigners’ office of the Marrakech police headquarters (DGSN), with a complete file.
Is owning property enough to get a residence card?
No. Owning a home helps as proof of address and means, but you must meet the conditions of law 02-03.
What if my application is refused?
You can appeal to the president of the administrative court within fifteen days of being notified.
Read also
Sources: law 02-03 on the entry and stay of foreigners in Morocco (articles 6, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 20); DGSN. General information: documents and timelines can vary, check them with the authorities.
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For more details, feel free to contact me directly on WhatsApp (+212 6 61 07 49 33), Instagram (@abdel.laaouina) or LinkedIn (Abdelhadi Laaouina), or book a consultation.
Abdelhadi Laaouina, PhD
Abdelhadi Laaouina, PhD, is a luxury real estate advisor at Morocco Sotheby’s International Realty in Marrakech. He specialises in luxury real estate in Morocco, and in Marrakech in particular, with a focus on riads, heritage properties, villas and hospitality investment, and brings more than 12 years of experience in real estate and hospitality.