MOROCCO: useful information
Passport / DNI:
To enter Morocco you need a valid passport for a minimum of 3 months.
Situation: Morocco, is located at the extreme northwest of Africa, only 14 kms. from Spain, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. It borders Algeria to the east, Mauritania to the south,
the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the north.
Language: The official language is Arabic, but a significant minority of the population speaks Berber. Because of its colonial past, French and Spanish are spoken.
Religion: Mostly Muslim, with Jewish and Christian minorities.
Climate: The climate in Morocco differs according to the height and the region: Mediterranean to the north, temperate to the west and desert to the south. The climate, from May to October,
is mild on the coast of Morocco, with pleasant temperatures and sunny days. The winters are soft and sunny. The temperature of the sea remains cool all year round on the Atlantic
coast. Morocco is sometimes swept by the Sirocco and the Cherguí: dry and scorching wind from the Sahara that considerably increases temperatures, mainly in the interior of the
country. The winter is cold and irrigated in the mountainous regions of Morocco with snowfall in the Atlas. In the vicinity of the Sahara, dry winds can increase the temperature to 45 °
C (in the month of August).
Clothing: It is advisable to bring light clothes for the day and something warm for the nights, especially in the interior, in the south and if you travel between September and March.
Currency and exchange:
The Dirham (Dh) is the Moroccan currency.
There are bills of 10, 50, l00 and 200 Dirhams; coins of 1, 5, 10 and 20 Dirhams
And coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.
1 Euro = 11.3 Moroccan Dirham approx
You can change money in Dirhams at airports, ports. Many hotels in big cities also have exchange service.
The import of currencies is free. Amounts equivalent to 50,000 dhs or more must be declared upon arrival in Morocco.
Credit cards are generally accepted at supermarkets, boutiques and restaurants, and sometimes even in the souks.
You can withdraw money at the Banks with a credit card or with checks, or directly at some ATMs.
Electricity:
220 V in new buildings, and sometimes 110 V in old buildings and plugs are European type
Time reference: the time in Morocco corresponds to that of Greenwich GMT (2 hours less than in Spain) for much of the year. In summer the time is GMT + 1 Time.
Holidays: the Gregorian calendar (festive Sunday) is used for civil use.
National holidays:
01/01 New Year.
11/01 Manifesto of Independence.
01/05 Labor Party.
30/07 Throne Festival.
14/08 Festival of Oued Eddahab.
20/08 Revolution of the King and the People.
21/08 Feast of Youth
06/11 Green March Party
18/11 Feast of Independence.
The religious holidays: they are governed by the Muslim lunar calendar, for which they change the date every year.
Aid the Adha (feast of the Lamb)
Fatih Moharam, the first of the Hijra (Muslim year)
Aid Al Fitr (the end of the month of Ramadan)
The Mulud (Anniversary of the Birth of the Prophet Muhammad)
Opening times:
Weekdays for administrations, companies, and banks are from Monday to Friday.
Administrations: Winter: 08h30 - 12h00 and 14h30 - 16h30.
Summer: 8h00 - 15h00
Banks: Winter: 08:30 - 12:30 and 14:15 - 16:30.
Summer: 8:30 - 11:30 and from 2:15 - 4:30.
The supermarkets open from Monday to Sunday: 10h00 - 22h00.
The most popular shops (medina, souk, and street markets) are open, every day, until sunset. We must bear in mind that the flexibility of the hours of the shops, is one of the
characteristics of Morocco since the shops adapt to the demand.
During the month of Ramadan, a continuous schedule of 9-15 hours is applied.
Taxis:
The "Petit Taxi", (maximum 3 people), are very economical, they are recognized by bright colors that are different in each city.They only circulate inside the city and, for example, will not take
you to the airports far from the center like in Casablanca. They can also carry other passengers, who carry the same road. Discuss the price before leaving if the vehicle does not have
an accountant.
The "taxis", large, (maximum 6 people), can be collective or individual, ensure commuter communications and around large cities and interurban trips. It is advisable to set the price in
advance.
Telephone numbers of interest:
Prefix of Morocco: 00212. To call from Spain to Morocco.
Prefix of Spain: 0034. To call from Morocco to Spain.
Telephone numbers of interest:
Police in national cities: 19.
Rural Gendarmerie: 177.
In case of fire: 15.
Embassy of Spain in Rabat:
Chancellery: Rue Aïn Khalouiya. Rte. Des Zaërs, Km. 5,300 Suissi.
Telephone: 63 39 00. Emergency telephone: 2126 0915 647
Fax: 63 06 00 and 63 05 99.
Web: www.mae.es/embajadas/rabat/es/home
E-mail: emb.rabat@maec.es
Consulate General of Spain in Casblanca:
Chancellery: 29, rue d'Alger.- 20,000 Casablanca.
Telephone: 22 07 52, 22 59 06 and 22 18 95. Emergency telephone numbers 2126 0488 848.
Fax: 20 50 49.Web: www.mae.es/consulados/casablanca/es/home
E-mail: cog.casablanca@maec.es
Consulate General of Spain in Agadir:
Chancellery: 49, rue Ibn Batouta, secteur mixte. 3179.- Agadir.
Telephone: 00 212 528 84 57 10/84 56 81.
Consular Emergency Mobile: 00 212 661 080 470.
Fax: 84 58 43
Web: www.mae.es/consulados/agadir/es/home
E-mail: cog.agadir@maec.es
Consulate General of Spain in Nador:
Chancellery: Av. Hassan II, 47 BP 7. - Nador.
Telephones: 60 61 36, 60 65 24 and 32 06 90.
Consular emergency number: 2126 1764 005
Fax: 60 61 52.
Web: www.mae.es/consulados/nador/es/home
E-mail: cog.nador@maec.es
Consulate General of Spain in Rabat
Chancery: 1, Av. Ennasar.- Rabat.
Phone: 68 74 70.
Consular emergency telephone number: 060 91 56 47.
Fax: 68 18 56
Web: www.mae.es/consulados/rabat/es/home
E-mail: cog.rabat@maec.es
Consulate General of Spain in Tangier
Chancellery: 85, Av. Président Habib Bourghiba.- Tangier.
Telephones: 93 70 00, 93 41 90, 93 56 25 and 93 51 40.
Consular emergency number: 2126 1202 135
Fax: 93 23 81 and 93 27 70.
Web: www.mae.es/consulados/tanger/es/home
E-mail: cog.tanger@maec.es
Consulate General of Spain in Tetuán:
Chancellery: Av. Mohamed V, 34. BP 702. - Tetuán.
Telephones: 70 39 84, 70 39 86 and 70 39 87.
Consular emergency number: 21261705 430
Fax: 70 44 85
Web: www.mae.es/consulados/tetuan/es/home.
E-mail: cog.tetuan@maec.es
Customs regulations:
You can import in franchise without prior declaration or formalities:
Personal clothing
Tobacco: 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarettes or 25 cigarettes or 250 g of tobacco per person.
Alcohol: a bottle of wine (1 liter) a bottle of alcohol (1 liter).
Perfumes and cologne water: perfume (150ml), cologne water (250ml).
Souvenirs and gifts: For a value limited to 2000 dhs.
Objects for personal or professional use: Cameras, CD reader.
Therefore you have to re-export these objects at the end of your stay.
Medications: For personal use in small quantities.
It can be imported temporarily after a declaration:
Objects for personal or professional use such as: tape recorder, radio, portable TV, laptop that you have to re-export at the end of your stay.
Goods subject to particular formalities:
Domestic Animals: To bring a pet, a certificate of good health extended with a date before 10 days and a certificate of rabies vaccination of less than 6 months is required.
Plant products: Phytosanitary certificate.
Wildlife and Flora: For wild species in danger of extinction and products of these species (Washington Convention), CITES Certificate delivered by the Directorate of Water and Forests is
required.
Hunting weapons and their ammunition: Authorization of National Security services
Medications that are not for personal use: Authorization of the Department of Health.
Prohibited goods on import:
Weapons and munitions of war, stupefied, written, printed, videotapes recorded and all objects that may damage public order.
It can be exported without formalities:
Products of Moroccan origin: Crafts and other locally purchased without value limitation with presentation of proof of payment: Exchange slips, credit card or travel check ...
Travel souvenirs, rocks for decoration, fossils or semi precious stones (a dozen)
It can be exported with formalities:
Objects of Art, antiques (Authorization of the department of cultural affairs).
