Morocco, a country celebrated for its rich culture and stunning landscapes, attracts numerous foreigners who aspire to make it their permanent residence. Acquiring Moroccan citizenship as a foreigner is indeed possible, following the legal pathways laid out by Moroccan nationality laws.
Moroccan citizenship can be acquired in different ways, subject to the conditions set by the Code of the Moroccan Nationality. Nationality may be primarily attributed through parental or paternal filiation. The law also allows for the acquisition of Moroccan nationality by birth and residence: when a child is born in Morocco of unknown parents and when a child is born in Morocco of foreign parents on condition of having a regular residency in Morocco and declaring the intention to acquire Moroccan nationality within two years of his/her majority.
In addition, Moroccan citizenship can be granted through the naturalization procedure. Articles 11 and 12 of the Code set out all the conditions. The acquisition of Moroccan nationality has no effect on the nationality of origin of the person concerned. Article 8 of the Moroccan Nationality Code provides that the attribution or the withdrawal of the Moroccan nationality from birth does not affect the validity of other acts or rights.
The legal means to acquire nationality, formal legal membership in a nation, differ from the domestic relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as citizenship. Nationality describes the relationship of an individual to the state under international law, whereas citizenship is the domestic relationship of an individual within the nation.
Moroccan nationality is typically obtained under the jus sanguinis, i.e. Naturalization can be granted to persons who have resided in the territory for a sufficient period of time to confirm they speak Arabic or Tamazight and understand the customs and traditions of Morocco. General provisions are that applicants have good character and conduct; are in good physical and mental health; are able to economically support themselves; and have no criminal record.
Read also: The Allure of Blue and White Tile
In Morocco, citizenship is governed by the Moroccan Nationality Code, which specifies the conditions under which a foreigner may become a Moroccan citizen. Foreigners who have lived in Morocco for at least five years can apply for naturalization. The application must be made to the Ministry of Justice, and the process can take up to several months. Moroccan citizenship can be acquired by descent if one or both of your parents are Moroccan. In this case, you can apply for citizenship at a Moroccan consulate or embassy.
If you are adopted by Moroccan parents, you may be eligible for citizenship. There are several advantages to being granted citizenship in Morocco. Morocco allows for dual citizenship, which means that you do not need to renounce your existing citizenship to become a Moroccan citizen.
To date, Moroccan citizenship law only allows foreign women married to a Moroccan citizen, with regular and continuous residence in Morocco for at least 5 years, to obtain citizenship. According to the country’s citizenship law, foreigners applying for the Moroccan citizenship must have regular and continuous residence in Morocco during the 5 years preceding the application. Citizenship is usually given by the Ministerial council. However, for exceptional cases it is given by a royal decree for people who are considered as having performed an exceptional service for Morocco or whose naturalization is considered exceptionally beneficial for the country.
Moroccan citizenship is governed by the code of Moroccan Nationality, dated September 6, 1958, two years after the end of the French protectorate over Morocco. Moroccan nationality law is regulated by the Constitution of Morocco, as amended; the Moroccan Nationality Code, and its revisions; the Mudawana (Family Code; the Civil Liberties Code; and various international agreements to which the country is a signatory. These laws determine who is, or isn’t eligible to be, a national of Morocco.
After independence, foreigners could naturalize after a five-year residency, or a two-year residency in the case of a woman who married a Moroccan husband.
Read also: Morocco's Blue Pearl
Foreigner to Marry a Moroccan. Step by step instructions
Acquiring Citizenship Through Marriage
If you are married to a Moroccan citizen, you may be eligible for citizenship after three years of marriage.
Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi presented recently a draft law enabling foreigners married to Moroccan women to acquire Moroccan citizenship. Morocco’s current laws allow Moroccans of both sexes to pass on their nationality to their children, and for the female foreigners married to Moroccan men to obtain the Moroccan nationality, there is no similar option for foreigners married to Moroccan women. By granting naturalization rights to foreign husbands, Morocco aims to recognize the valuable contributions they make to the country’s social network, and to strengthen their integration into Moroccan society. This would not only provide them with a sense of belonging but would also provide them with access to the many legal, social, and economic benefits enjoyed by Moroccan nationals.
The bill’s route from proposal to enactment will require thorough consideration and debate and is not guaranteed. The government must strike a careful balance between the desire for inclusivity and the integrity of its naturalization process. All security, identification, and cultural preservation considerations must be addressed to ensure that the law achieves the proper balance. If this bill is adopted, Morocco will join Tunisia and Algeria in guaranteeing equal rights in terms of transmission of nationality to husbands.
Law n°62-06, which was modified by two decrees (Dahir n°1-58-250 and Dahir n°01-07) came in to force on 3 March 2007. The major change to the law was to allow children to acquire the nationality of their Moroccan mothers, if her husband was a foreigner. While the 2007 amendment allowed foundlings of unknown parentage to acquire nationality, it made no provisions for children born in Morocco to stateless parents. It also provides no path for a Moroccan woman to facilitate a nationality change for her husband in the same manner as a Moroccan man can transmit his nationality to his wife.
As the 2007 decree did not retroactively grant nationality by descent from a mother, thus persons who might be eligible to acquire Moroccan nationality through double jus soli can only acquire nationality maternally if they were born after 2007.
Read also: Men's Moroccan Fashion
| Method of Acquisition | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Naturalization | Five years of residency in Morocco, proficiency in Arabic or Tamazight, good conduct, good health, economic self-sufficiency, no criminal record. |
| Marriage | Three years of marriage to a Moroccan citizen (subject to potential changes in the law). |
| Descent | One or both parents are Moroccan citizens. |
| Adoption | Adopted by Moroccan parents. |
Applicants must submit their citizenship request to the Ministry of Justice. Explore the possibilities of acquiring Moroccan citizenship as a foreigner.
Popular articles:
tags: #Moroccan
