Finally got out of Casablanca on 29 April. Caught a flight to Istanbul, toured next day, and caught a flight to Iceland on 1 May by way of Amsterdam. Almost missed flight out of Istanbul because gate person said we couldn't fly to Amsterdam. After sitting in the no fly area for an hour, showing 7 different requested info, we were finally allowed to board. Having a great time in Iceland. Hope to make it back to Morocco for another visit but not after 13 months of pandemic and Ramadan combined.

TVIPs extended until the end of the year.

https://fr.le360.ma/societe/douanes-...Pq3GeZONWcc71U

We’re booked on to the Marseille-Tanger Med ferry on 10th June bringing a couple of adventure bikes for a tour of Morocco. So far it’s not been cancelled but I’d appreciate any information as to whether the ferries are currently running. Or if not then a best guess as to whether you think they may be by then. I seem to remember 10th of June being an important date.

The Warden, can you give us some good news in your 1,000th post.

I sincerely wish I could.

Currently the SoE ends on the 10th June. The Maroc Gov will meet a decide on next steps the week before. The scientific advisory committee has recommended a gradual relaxation of the rule and the first change was last week with the reduction of the night time curfew. There was also vague rumour about other changes.

However at present there is nothing certain except in the next 2 weeks there will be an update on the situation. The diplomatic issues between Spain and Morocco at the moment wont help things.

My gut feeling is we will see another extension or the SoE until July. We may see some change to border restrictions based on vaccination progress, Europe opening up and the summer return of Moroccans resident in Europe. I wouldn't count on getting in too soon myself but hope to be proved wrong.

As far as Moroccans returning for summer holidays are concerned, a minister with responsibility for Moroccans living abroad reported 13 days ago that fleet arrangements are ready for Operation Maharba (which normally runs early June through to early September) but no decision reached due to concern about the epidemiological situation.

In normal years most of the transit traffic is via Spain however the relationship with Spain has been edgy for the last 15 months and in recent weeks has deteriorated even more. The minister implied there could instead be an exceptional transit operation per last year in which 45,000 Moroccans were allowed access via ferries from France and Italy, rather than the normal three million via Spain. But the infection rates in France are 21 times that of Morocco, so who knows what will happen.

_____________________

On the vaccination front, Morocco plans to vaccinate 30 million people—80% of the Moroccan population, yet despite "only" having given first doses to 8 million people, in the coming days the campaign is about to start vaccinating anyone over 40 years of age. This is an indication of Morocco's population age-profile—unlike northern European countries Morocco has a large percentage of younger citizens. Younger people are less susceptible to serious illness and death arising from the virus and despite the number of daily new cases having almost doubled since the trough after Eid (from 154 to 299), the daily death rate has continued to fall and is now at a low of 3, a figure that hasn't been seen since last July.

Multiple news sources report that another 2 million Sinopharm doses arrived in Morocco on 23 May which coupled with other recent shipments should enable the campaign to remain in high gear for some time.

Thanks for all the updates Tim. Much appreciated.

Worth considering that the NOTAM current for Morocco says no flights before the 10th June.

There has been more discussions this week about the next steps

As we've seen across Europe, the vaccination rate of a population is not so important to opening up travel as the status of the travellers. Morocco has been discussing accepting EU Vaccine Passports things.

My ferry for the 10th of June between Marseille and Tanger Med has just been cancelled.

Morocco's SoE extended until 10th July 2021

https://www.medias24.com/2021/06/03/...7f_p4BW0Me5D60

C-r-a-z-y the outbreak was essentially over before new years.
The actions taken are more hurtful than the virus by many many times.
https://www.worldometers.info/corona...untry/morocco/

Not really, the SoE is not the same as the restrictions, its simply the legal mechanism to allow curfews, travel restrictions etc.

As we've seen over the last few weeks, the restrictions internally have been relaxed.

Obviously the lack of ferries is an issue for vehicle based travellers getting in or out (if your not on one of the 54 countries banned from entry)

The arrival of fresh supplies of vaccine has enabled the rate of vaccinations to be accelerated, with now nearly 9 million first doses administered and over 5.5m second doses. But this is a long way from 'herd immunity'.

There's been a 100% increase in new case numbers in the last couple of weeks, and whilst Morocco is doing fairly well on death rates, there's a dangerous world out there, with some European countries experiencing 17 times the case rate/million as Morocco.

I can't see the government has much choice but to continue to suspend tourism.

I am thinking it will be well into 2020 before any travel to Moroc.
anybody thinking the same ?

If you meant "well into 2022" (I suspect a typo in your post above), yes, I agree with you.

The country has to balance the pain of lost tourism revenue against the pain of possible uncontrolled infection, overwhelming of the health care system, and resulting civil unrest. I'm sure the Moroccan government is not happy about the lost tourism revenue, but I'm equally sure they are grateful they don't have the problems that India has.

The threats posed by this pandemic are rapidly receding in countries that have very high vaccination rates (using highly effective vaccines), but countries who have low vaccination rates and who are using less effective vaccines are still at great risk.

Michael

Travel to Morocco is still possible if your not from one of the 54 banned countries and you fly in

True, an American friend flew Royal Air Maroc from JFK to Casablanca a few days ago.

Other Americans are reporting they are being made very welcome but there's a degree of desperation from shopkeepers and cafe owners—they are the only flowers and there are so many bees.

Look at the curve, there never was any risk of "possible uncontrolled infection".
Even before vaccines
https://www.worldometers.info/corona...untry/morocco/

The pandemic is rapidly receding in EU because the season is over, same as last year. Then even without vaccines.
India's death rate with covid is at 246/million (incidentally same as Morocco's), a fraction of the UK.
India has real problems of much greater magnitude to deal with.
Some of them ascerbated by actions taken against the virus.
When will the madness stop.

I strongly assume Morocco will open after July 10th, when summer holidays are starting in Europe. By then the level of vaccination will be very high and risk eill be low.

Hi Priffe:

Sorry, I didn't word that as well as I could have.

I didn't mean to suggest "uncontrolled infection" in the sense that half the population would catch COVID and we would be in another 15th century Black Plague.

My concern - which I think is what is causing the Moroccan government to be cautious - is that the quantity of people who need hospitalization will exceed the available hospital resources.

This is what happened in Canada, and to a certain extent, what is still happening in Canada. In the best of times, hospitals only run with about a 15% vacancy rate, so it doesn't take much of a surge in sickness of any kind to push them over the edge. Then what happens is that other people who are "less sick" (people with cancer, people who need hip replacements, people who need heart surgery) can't get in-hospital treatment because there is no space for them.

I think that is the primary reason why governments in all the developed countries, and most mid-tier countries, have imposed lockdowns & restrictions. In the third world - the real "bottom end" countries in sub-Saharan Africa - there have been few lockdowns or controls imposed, and no massive rates of infection. But, in those countries, the residents have little or no expectation that health care will be available if they get sick for any reason.

Michael

Some good news for a change.

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/202...J14NCoQkd3YEv4

You mean lockdown season is over.
Last year the number of cases went down because the EU was just coming out of lockdowns.

Do you remember Italy? Was the first lockdown country in the EU. North Italy went into lockdown at 8th of march 2020.

90% of the rest of EU followed starting at middle of April up to June 2020.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52103747

There is no season existing for this virus because the only way it can spread/infect is through contacts beween humans.

The pandemic in the EU is momently redecing as a consequence of month long social distancing, lockdowns, testing and continuing vaccination.

Borders Opening: France’s Traffic System Puts Morocco in ‘Orange’ List
 

The category allows vaccinated travellers to visit…

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/202...in-orange-list

If Morocco continues the same path as others, vaccination of the whole country won’t make any difference. Any virus issues are now in reality over, with UK death rates well below average for any cause, and Covid deaths barely measurable. Many countries and US states have shown that lock downs make no difference so the decision to continue to isolate countries and people from each other with what is essentially a global travel moratorium is entirely political.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Speaking briefly as moderator, this thread addresses Morocco-specific COVID-related travel concerns. Please do not use it to address, debate, or even describe concerns elsewhere--or your beliefs about the pandemic, vaccines, death rates, or whatever else concerns you.

Thanks.

I dont think they read Chris' statement in the first post :rolleyes2:

Well it was a long way back so here it is again:

Post useful Morocco Coronavirus info here which can be of use to other travellers.
Not all who use this forum choose to post, but all are seeking info.

Please take chit-chat or speculation to other threads or websites.

Fyi, my Easyjet for early July has been cancelled a third time - maybe more, I've lost count.
But seeing as I can't easily ferry what the goats have left of my bike (plus all the amber destination palaver), I can wait a bit longer.

Thanks for updates, Mark.

Currently minimal hoops to get onto Morocco, but for Brits 10-day quarantine and tests coming back.

But today govt announced:
Quarantine-free travel from amber list countries for [UK] people who are fully vaccinated "later in the summer".

So ,looking good for the autumn.

On the flip side, quarantine for Brits entering France and Italy which eliminates Genoa, Sete or Marseille as ferry options :(

Hopefully the Portimao option starts up

Spain has announced the borders at Ceuta and Mellilia wil remain closed until at least the end of July.

Another months extension to the SoE announced today, not a surprise, we will keep seeing this every month until............

Morocco's getting set to manufacture the Sinopharm vaccine which should help them with their vaccination programme eventually (currently 25% through their programme). But despite the posistive new coverage on this, the manufacturing facility needs to be constructed first, so its some way off.

More worrying is the recent chatter about the Delta variant, concerns from the gov and several mentions of being prepared to lock down again

After the positive news from the UK this week, removing the quarantine requirements and downgrading the travel advisory, Morocco is clamping down again internally.

In light of increasing cases Morocco is clamping down on requirements internally. Road blocks are again in place checking people have exceptional travel authorisations to move between certain cities. They are also clamping down on mask wearing.

Exceptional travel permits are not required if you are fully vaccinated.

Is that for Moroccan’s only? I had heard the last time this was in place tourists were still allowed to travel.


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The rules for Travel Authorisations and facemasks apply to everyone.

During lockdown last year we were on the edge of one region and nearest large town was just over the border, our travel permits didnt allow travel to that town.

After the lockdown finished there was a general relaxation of enforcement of the rules for everyone. Often tourists weren't bothered by the authorities as much as the locals. Early reports of this development is that may still be the case although I wouldn't count on it. If you have to travel into a restricted area for a flight for example showing your ticket will probably get you through the checkpoint

Thanks, we were thinking of a fly-ride but sounds like there are still too many barriers. Maybe we’ll leave till next year when hopefully the ferries from Spain will run again


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I cant recall where the travel permits are required, but theres a good chnace its Marrakech, Casablanca, Agadir, Fes and Tangie, so its always possible to avoid them.

Spain has replaced their Foreign Minister today so the new guy may make some progress on the Ferry side

France, Spain and Portugal added to Morocco's List B Countries.

Vaccinated people travelling from a List B country are required to have a negative PCR test timed within 48 hours.

Unvaccinated people require the same negative test and 10 days quarantine in an approved hotel.

This will affect all ferry travel except from Italy.

I'm surprised the UK hasn't been added, the Moroccans were very quick to ban UK passport holders when the Kent variant emerged in December. I guess its down to our vaccination rate

Well this T7 pilot is riding around Morocco having used the Sete-Nador ferry!

He managed to charm his way on the ferry even though he didn't meet the vaccination criteria! https://www.instagram.com/p/CQoOCNxrkwT/

I would be jealous if it wasn't for the heat doh

They said Guelmin could get 46C only 40 elsewhere.

lot of record high temps broken this week. Oudja, Marrakech Fes Larache Meknes and few others were over 46.

Morocco has reopened the border with Mauritania for passenger traffic during Eid Al Adha.

EDIT - Apparently only open for Mauritanian and Senegalese nationals. 2 contacts trying to travel north across the border have been denied passage.

Morocco reinstates restrictions to control the increasing COVID-19 cases.

No reported change to borders, ferries or flights.

https://www.medias24.com/2021/07/19/...8bV6N1yUsVREik

SoE extended until the 10th September, as new cases continue to rise :(

Morocco announces a daily curfew.

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa...et-2021-08-02/

And restricts internal travel.

Next SoE review on Monday 23rd and will probably be an extension, but will the escalating cases and deaths result in more restrictions????

France will move Morocco into their Red List from the 21st August. No real change if you are vaccinated but 10 days quarantine on arrival if not.

A bit of a blow to Morocco with another few weeks left for Operation Marhaba 2021, but could it increase pressure to reopen the Spanish routes or progress the Portugal ferry?

Anything positive would be nice!!

SoE extended until 31st October, no news on anything else at the moment

New Travel Warnings Issued From US CDC
 

This bit of news doesn't change much, but here it is »

New Travel Warnings Issued From US CDC

6 countries are now at Level 4, the CDC's highest level » including Morocco

US CDC recommend fully vaccinated travellers only go to countries with a warning level of 3 or less.

Just like everyone else, I would have hoped the situation would be getting better by now. Ouf… what to do?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/geoffwh...sued-from-cdc/

I did hear talk of Morocco possibly going back into UK red - an announcement update this week?
That would be a setback for tourism but looking at the stats here:
https://www.worldometers.info/corona...ountry/morocco
the most recent spike seems to have peaked.

Next UK travel announcement should be today. I saw the articles predicting a change to red but non of the travel experts have been correct yet on the pre announcement predictions.

For most Brits its the lack of the spanish ferry routes that is stopping their visits, but things are moving in the right direction with Spain, just a question of how fast.

Looks like Mk dodged the UK red list today.

Canada has just banned inbound flights from Morocco to Canada. Here's a link to the news story: Canada suspending direct passenger flights from Morocco.

This is a remarkable development - so far, the only other country that Canada has banned inbound flights from is India.

It appears to me that the Canadian government is concerned about the prevalence of COVID infections in Morocco. Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that Morocco is currently experiencing record highs in relation to the virus, with approximately 245,000 new cases and 2,600 deaths over the past month.

Michael

Seen some articles today that imply that the ban by Canada was more due to fake COVID test certificates being a problem with travellers from Morocco.

Apparently a fake test cert will cost you 75euros, but a PCR test is only 60doh

best euro transit airport leaving maroc?
 

Anyone know the smoothest airports to transit though in eurozone for people who are fully vaccinated? home country does not make me test on return but seems like many euro airports will require test for transit.

In both instances it's because Canada detected fake PCR tests and the only way to put an immediate halt is to force travellers to go via a third country and get a fresh PCR test in that country.

Belgium and the UK are amongst countries experiencing high levels of infection in people returning from Morocco despite carrying negative PCR tests.

The issue is WAY bigger than previously thought, with 36 people arrested at Nador airport last Friday for trying to exit the country with fake tests. Several people involved in the production of fake test results were arrested in nearby Oujda including two doctors and a convict. It is believed that the going rate for a fake test using proper certificates is around 750dh. A sum of more than 850,000 dh has been seized by investigators which implies that the Nador operation by itself has provided well over 1,000 fake certificates. Oujda and Nador are way off the normal tourist route so the 'clients' involved in this were possibly Moroccans living in Europe who were travelling home. Another eight travellers were arrested the following day at Nador airport.

Five English tourists, members of the same family, were arrested last Saturday at Agadir airport when presenting fake documents to board their airplane home. They are now in the custody of the judicial police brigade at Inezgane.

The upshot of this is that countries other than Canada may decide not to trust PCR test results carried out in Morocco and this may impact tourists with genuine PCR tests who are unable to return to their home country.

Spain has announced the border with Morocco at Ceuta will remain closed until the end of September "as part of the fight against the pandemic". It was Morocco, however, that closed the border in March 2020 so I don't think the decision is Spain's to make. ;)

In two moves to counter fake PCR tests, the results of tests performed on travellers leaving Morocco will have to go via the government's E-Labs server and then downloaded for printing via www.liqahcorona.ma portal. Presumably they will have QR codes on the printout enabling border officers to quickly check that each document is valid and who it has been issued for.

The other move is that all vaccinated incoming visitors must now present the negative result (carried out within 48 hours of arrival) on a document with a QR code. Unvaccinated visitors must also present a PCR test with QR code but must now undergo quarantine for ten days in a designated hotel and undergo another PCR test on the ninth day.

I've not seen any thing from the official sources about a change to entry requirements? do you have a link?

The liquahcorona requirement is only for Moroccan Nationals and residents from what I've seen, if you look on the first page it requires a national id or carte sejour number

Fyi: liqahcorona link didn't work; needs.../fr or .../ar suffix: https://www.liqahcorona.ma/fr

That's what I understood until I read the FCO page closely today which says:

You will need to provide proof that you have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with the second dose administered at least two weeks prior to travel, or a negative PCR test result before boarding your flight or ferry to Morocco.

The 'or' is critical - it means less running around 2 days before leaving for a PCR test and hoping the results turn up in time.
FCO page said it was still current as of today's date, but no reason why it could not be quite up to date.
FCO page is not that clear, but I too get the impression that liqahcorona is for Moroccan residents; I have asked a local.

FYI, here is the link to the Moroccan Public Health Passenger form which must be presented on arrival.
You can print it out and fill out most of it in advance and the rest on the day.

https://www.onda.ma/form.php

The UK was advising vaccinated passengers get a PCR as well as proof of vaccination for a while as the use of the NHS Vax Certificate hadn't been agreed but that was resolved some time ago.

I've had a look and all the official information and cant find anything suggesting there has been any changes to the admission requirements recently.

(BTW France is List B so if your on a ferry from there you will need a PCR as well as vaccination proof)

I am told liqahcorona is uniquely for Moroccan residents.

Also, fyi, the PCR test needed in Morocco to fly or ferry back to the UK is done in walk-in labs for around 500 dhs.
You have the result the next day.
They don't test at the airport.

(And a Day 2 test after you're in the UK goes from 20 quid).

Here's the article about the need to go via liqahcorona:
https://www.lesiteinfo.com/maroc/mar...s-a-letranger/

I'm happy if you are certain that non-Moroccans are not affected, but the article makes no mention of this. Whilst most of the cases of fake exit PCR tests have involved Moroccans or MREs, non Moroccans have also been involved.

Here is the news article about the need for incoming PCR tests to have QR codes: https://www.bladi.net/maroc-conditio...ire,86015.html

It couldn't be clearer: "access to Moroccan territory will be subject to the mandatory presentation of a document containing a printed QR code proving the completion of a PCR test"

It also states that for non-vaccinated travellers, "Morocco now imposes a controlled quarantine of 10 days."

Note there is no reference to A or B list. However there is a link to another article dated 11 June that related there's no need for PCR tests for vaccinated passengers.

There's two ways to read the 31 August new item. The optimistic way is that the article is primarily about the need for QR codes on PCR tests IF they are required and that otherwise everything is as it was before. But it doesn't read like that, and the phrase "Morocco now imposes" implies this is a change from before.

Journalism in Morocco tends to be sloppy with writers not bothering to question dubious facts or carry out any basic research, so I am quite prepared for the story to be a pile of old bull. But it might not be.

Thanks for the clarification.

So as a result of the fake test scam, incoming travellers might need evidence of a recent PCR test with a printed QR code, not just full vax proof with QR.

Were Moroccan PCRs up to now, including fakes, lacking a QR?

It's merely the same as the UK currently requires on returning from amber Morocco.
Another hoop, but not insurmountable.

As for non-vaxed arrivals doing 10 days quarantine.
I thought that has been the rule for a while and makes sense.

Hopefully, in a couple of days things will become clearer: regs as they were, or entry PCR QR now also needed.

While Moroccan journalism can be questionable, significant changes like this are always announced through official state media or government channels.

ONDA's info was last updated on the 29th
Summary - List A proof of vaccination or negative PCR within 48hrs

List B - proof of vaccination and negative PCR within 48hrs. Unvaccinated negative PCR and 10 days isolation

https://www.onda.ma/en/I-am-passenge...er-information

It seems the need for a QR code, implemented to combat fake tests and certificates. has been misunderstood.

List A you'll need either proof of vaccine (with QR codes) OR a negative PCR (with QR codes), not both



(Lesiteinfo is so full of computer viruses its crazy)

I don't notice any viruses on Lesiteinfo or elsewhere as I have a Mac, however the report from Lesiteinfo has been confirmed by a press release from the Moroccan Ministry of Health...

The implication is that this will affect ALL travellers who wish to get a PCR test within Morocco; the document will no longer be directly provided by the lab but will be passed by the lab to the E-Lab platform from where the client will be able to download the certificate from the Liqahcorona.ma server.

If all your ducks are in a row and no manual intervention is required, this process could well be seamless and the lab will just give the client a link to where they can download their certificate to their mobile phone or to print out. Presumably a QR code will be used so that border officials can instantly bring up the details of the certificate from the E-Labs server to check the personal record. Fingers crossed this works as planned.

More information on PCR testing within Morocco for people exiting the country and the use of the E-Labs platform and the liqahcorona.ma portal: https://www.sante.gov.ma/Pages/commu...mmuniqueID=392

To avoid any further confusion on travel requirements, theres a very handy guide here

https://www.sante.gov.ma/pages/actua...spx?idactu=434

No requirement for a PCR if you travel from List A country and are Vaccinated, just proof of vaccination and a locator form.

EDIT - Just heard from a contact sat in the departure lounge waiting for a flight, no PCR if vaccinated flying from the UK

Two different PCRs requirements are being discussed here.

One: from any walk-in lab just before leaving Mk to get back to the UK. Certificate forwarded in a day I'm told, and now tightened up following fake-test scam.

The other: recent suggestions a similar PCR with QR is now needed to enter Morocco, even with full vax QR proof which has been sufficient up to now.

I guess we'll know for sure about the latter when the departures person mentioned in the previous post passes through Mk immigration shortly.

Did we ever hear back from the guy entering about whether they demanded PCR on top of double vax?

I'm told he and others have recently entered Mk with just double vax evidence (on phone + printed is good).
No PCR asked for.
So, as it has been for a couple of months.

Still no reports of people from List A countries having to have a PCR as well a proof of vaccination. Of course List B you need both. But that's been the case for months now.

You vaccination or PCR does need a QR code but otherwise no changes were implemented at the end of August as claimed previously

Remember that if your getting the ferry from France that's List B so you will need vax proof and PCR.

I’m booked on the Marseille to Tan-Med ferry this week and they’re asking for a PCR test within 72hrs or antigen test within 48hrs. France is a group B county so this makes sense.

I'm on the same ferry in a few weeks.

Given that the journey spans three days, are you planning to get your PCR in Marseille?

The time limit is up to time of boarding the ferry not arrival in Morocco.

We are travelling through France from monday and are leaving from Sète to Nador next thursday.
How does testing work in France? Do you need an appointment?

Thanks

Simon

The closure of airspace by Algeria has nothing to do with the COVID situation for travels in Morocco. [post deleted]

Re PCR tests in France. I had one done by Labdolab.fr 2 days ago (not in Marseille), officially you need to make an appointment but they were quite and did mine when I arrived to make enquiries.

Cost was €44 and result are received after 18:00 on the day of testing. You get a text message link that takes you to the lab report after logging in. You'll then get another message from sante.fr with the EU Covid Test cert complete with the QR code. Again after logging in you get a pdf to download and a link to add the record to the French Anti covid App.

Make sure the lab record you details correctly, my test results had the wrong DOB causing some panic as you can't travel if this doesn't match your passport. I emailed them after receiving the results and they reissued the certs by 8:30am.

If in France it's well worth using the French anticovid app. The NHS vax cert can be uploaded to your wallet on the app along with test results. Very easy to use and you will need to show vax status entering restaurants etc although many places didn't askl.

If you have the EU Vaccine passport, soon it will accepted in Marocco (and some other countries outside of the EU)

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/new...ma-for-travel/

EDIT:

Seems like it's already accepted.

In case anyone missed the memo.

From October 4th, fully vaxed travellers returning to England won't need to book a test in Morocco to get on a plane.
At this point amber and green gets dropped, and Morocco did not go red.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-ambe...land#new-rules

But we will still need to fill out a UK gov Passenger Locator Form online just before leaving Morocco.
https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-c...fore-travel-uk
And then book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test – to be taken after arrival in England. You may want to practice doing this beforehand; many of the listed sites are misleading on prices or will try and trick you into taking additional tests. And it's not at all easy to find a walk-in site near you. I ended up paying £75 to post back a PCR.

From the end of October, need only book and pay for an inexpensive LF Test before leaving and once back, take it within 2 days.
https://www.find-travel-test-provide...test-providers

FWIW: according to worldmeters, the recent spike in Mk is well and truly over:
https://www.worldometers.info/corona...ountry/morocco

And this is the link for the Moroccan Passenger Health Covid Form you need for immigration
https://www.onda.ma/form.php
Fill out online and print before you arrive.

Spain has announced it will extend the closure of the border with Morocco until the 31st October 2021

Morocco is lifting some restrictions from tomorrow, mainly the night time curfew and shop closing times.

No change on borders or ferries but a positive step

Just returned from a 3 weeks trip to Morocco, not by motobike though but a rental-car trip through the entire country.


- the nighttime curfew is now countrywide from 11 o´clock instead of 9 o´clock before. I didn´t have issues walking in the city after the curfew was in place, though streets were litterally empty and all shops closed also in the Medinas. My impression is if you are a foreigner the police are very unlikely to create problems for you.



- we didn´t have any issue travelling overland, 95% of roadblocks by gendarmerie royal just waved us through. Covid documents were just checked once in a Supratour bus from Marrakech to Essaouira


- Nobody checked my vaccination documents at the Marrakech airport ( flight arriving from an A-Country )



- saw a few overlanders on motobikes, one group of Germans took the ferry and had EU plates on their bikes. I don´t exactly remember which route they took but they crossed 2 weeks ago from Spain or Italy




Cheers
Chris

Hello everyone,

It's been a long time coming...
Just bought a return ticket for the second half of November. I won't be riding this time around, just planning a few hikes and some leisure time somewhere on the coast.
Hopefully the PCR test required when flying out of France will be lifted by then.
Will keep you all posted,

L.

COVID Vaccination passes will be introduced in Morocco from Thursday the 21st, for residents and citizens.

Ceuta's government have also said today that the border will remain closed at present and when it reopens "conditions of passage will be strengthened" (whatever that means). They also announced a complete renovation of the border before it will reopen. They declined any comment on when it may reopen

Hello,

I know it´s the view in the crystal ball, but:

Does anyone see a glimpse of a chance, that ferry connections between Spain and Morocco will return to business as usual by the end of this year? Any news on the horizon, that this may change for the better soon?

I´m in the process of preparing my 50yr old Series Land Rover for a trip around southern Spain, mostly at the Atlantic side, chasing surfable wind roughly from December until Feb/March.

If chances are good to cross the strait towards Morocco by ferry, I would prepare the car for a proper desert trip, other than preparing it for a stay only in Spain, where wide tyres, sand ladders, shovels, extra fuel & days of off-grid capacity and extended tool´n´spare case isn´t of much need.

Due to lack of horse power but excess of surf gear I have to manage space and weight wisely. Carrying unnecessary desert gear around town and 5000km asphalt is ridiculous. Having to buy it again, because I left it at home feels plain stupid.

Any thoughts on how slim or fat the chances are to fetch a ferry in Tarifa around christmas?

Greets
TT

No news at all on when things might change. I would just do your spain trip and if the ferries start up hop over.

A lot of Morocco you wont need extra fuel or capabilities for long stays of grid

Morocco has just announced the suspension of travel from the UK, Germany and the Netherlands from 23:59 today until further notice.

:censored::censored:

according to Simon Calder
https://twitter.com/SimonCalder/stat...01027024838657

Added: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58981507

FCO updated its advice about an hour ago, I guess they were caught off guard again.

generally I take any info from an airline or ferry company very cautiously, better to rely on the official updates from the relevant authorities. (eg GNV are still selling ferry tickets for routes they cant run, and have been for 18months, they owe lots of people refunds for those tickets)

I am advised not to assume that I might be able to slip in via Spain, for example.

'... because the last time (when the borders were closed) Morocco prohibited people who had the nationality (passport) of a closed country to return to Morocco, even if they were returning through another country.'

So that loophole may be unreliable.

Yes a few people got around the last travel ban that way but they soon closed the loophole. I'm assuming that this time it will be down to your passport origin rather than travel route.

They are advising UK national who may get stuck in Morocco with the flights stopping to travel back via a 3rd country at the moment.

Todo:

It's a political issue (the ferry shutdown), not a logistical issue or a COVID-related issue. For that reason it is impossible to make any educated or credible guess about when things will get back to normal.

Morocco's economy is heavily dependent on tourism, but the "parties to the conflict" (Spain & Morocco) have dug in far enough that they have been willing to sacrifice tourism over this political/diplomatic tiff.

Best I can suggest is that you leave all the desert junk at home, and if things suddenly do return to normal, you can hop on a ferry and enjoy the 98% of Morocco that does not require sand ladders, shovels, and wide tires.

Michael

There's an interesting story on the Simple Flying website about Royal Air Maroc flight cancellations to Germany, Netherlands, and the UK.

FCO website also says vax passports required from Oct 21 for access to pretty much everything including internal travel, but also hotels restaurants etc. Does anyone know if this is for tourists as well as locals?

I thought something similar was announced for locals recently, but seeing as foreigners effectively need a Covid passport (evidence of double vax - have they become the same thing?) to enter the country (were that possible), showing that same 30-day duration document ought not be a problem.

Morocco's vax certs brought in from today are for Citizens and Residents, its not possible for a tourist to use it unless you had your vaccination in Morocco.

FCO's latest advice says the NHS Vax cert will work ok. Personally I'd be tempted to use the French Tous Anticovid app with the NHS cert loaded in. Its much easier to use that the NHS app and being in French might have some advantage in Morocco.

One the travel ban, one of the Consulate Wardens in Morocco posted last night that they understood the ban is on nationality so transit through a 3rd country wouldn't work. (However he was waiting for confirmation from the Embassy and is often not the most upto date on info). The FCO simply says speak to your travel agent.

EDIT - UK Embassy in Morocco has commented on FB that transit through a 3rd country is permitted. I would take this with some caution as that loophole was closed when the UK was banned in December 2020

Slipping in via Spain or Portugal
 

Interesting answer from the Brit embassy in Rabat wrt flights via/from another country.
You'd think it makes a mockery of the whole idea of restricting certain nationals, rather than the direct flights they use.

https://twitter.com/r3b3ccak3nyon/st...17755398160387

The updated FCO page appears to suggest the same, but seems ambivalent about the difference between going there following the new rule, as opposed to being stuck there now and trying to get home – which will have to be via another country.

Travellers affected by flight cancellations should contact their airline or tour operator for advice on alternative routes via third countries (eg France, Spain) where flights are operating as normal.

Simon Calder also writes
... so travel to and from Morocco via France or Spain is still possible for British travellers - but links are likely to be more expensive and more complicated

So maybe worth a gamble.
You'd hope they'd check and possibly stop you at an EU airport (for example) like they do with a visa, and not once at Moroccan immigration.

I do expect British passport holders to eventually be refused entry to Morocco but in the meantime, whether deliberate or not, the Moroccan authorities have done travellers a favour by suspending flights rather than banning nationalities.

If British passport holders were unable to enter, the airlines could have continued the flights with a practically empty plane and refused refunds on the basis it wasn't their problem that the travellers didn't meet Morocco's requirements. Several airlines played this trick in 2020.

As it is, those planes are probably flying into Morocco empty anyway to repatriate customers who are on holiday, but the airline is paying the costs of the empty flight to Morocco without passengers.

In 2020, some airlines cancelled the return flights for holidaymakers who were already in Morocco, and then offered repatriation flights at a much increased cost which took into account that the airline was flying to Morocco without revenue. RAM was one of those involved.

TUI reckons it has 2,000 customers in Morocco, so that's maybe 15 plane loads. Morocco was quite tardy last time giving permission to airlines to operate repatriation flights so this might take a while.

UK, Germany, Netherlands moved to 'B' list from 20 Oct 2021

If you are fully vaccinated the only change is the requirement to show a negative PCR test performed less than 48 hours before boarding plane (or in case of a ferry, a PCR test carried out on board). Some travellers reported being turned back yesterday before this news was properly distributed.

If you are not fully vaccinated, don't bother as it means quarantine in a government hotel.

For more details see https://www.onda.ma/en/I-am-passenge...er-information

No logical sense in it.

The only direct travel between the UK and Morocco is by air (unless you have your own boat or charter one)

Flights are Banned

We're now list B which means you can travel - but you cant because the direct travel options are banned.

The 3rd country loophole was closed quickly after the ban last December. I was in contact with UK nationals who had been out of the UK for 6 months, with evidence, who weren't allowed entry when the loophole closed

With last years lockdown in Morocco, repat flights were authorised quickly, we were looking at the options for the repat flights on the 16th March (lockdown started on the 20th but most ferries and flights had been suspended by then)

It was also very obvious last year that our embassy was deeply out of their depth in dealing with the situation and aiding uk nationals. The worst side was the inaccurate and often conflicting information the embassy and its staff provided.

They have got better, but have still been slow or inaccurate with info at times, I'll still take much of what they say cautiously after my experience with them last year.

The List B change makes no difference to UK nationals catching ferries, as its the country the ferry originates from that's important (France List B, Italy List A).

Apropos of "vaccination certificates", whilst touring Europe last month I discovered that the Government of France will happily issue a EC-specification vaccination certificate to any citizen of any non-EC country who fills in a form on the French government website and provides proof of vaccination(s) with vaccines that are approved for use in the EC.

This was of great value to me (a Canadian citizen) while riding through CH, A, PL, and D last month - the EC certificate works everywhere. An EC certificate might be more readily accepted in Morocco than a UK certificate, if only because the Moroccan immigration staff will be more familiar with the EC certificate.

Here is a link to where to apply, including instructions: Applying for a COVID certificate if you were vaccinated abroad (procedure for non-European nationals entering France and non-European students).

Be aware that it took the French a couple of weeks to process my request and email the certificate to me. That might have been because I supplied proof of vaccination from Canada, and perhaps they were not familiar with the Canadian documents. But in the end, they emailed me, in PDF form, a EC specification certificate that worked just fine in all the above-mentioned countries.

Michael