Morocco Ranks Second in North Africa on Henley Passport Freedom Index

Rabat – Henley & Partners, a global residency and citizenship consultancy firm, has released its quarter 3 update of the Henley passport index. The index ranks passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without pre-departure government approval. 

According to the report released earlier this week, Morocco ranks 83 in the world, on par with Benin. Morocco ranks second in the North Africa region, behind Tunisia.

The ranking is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The highest ranked passports on the list are Japan and Singapore, followed by Finland, Germany and South Korea. United States passports rank 6th.

Read also: US Embassy Grants Visas to Moroccan Applicants, Then Cancels Them

The report finds that Moroccan passport holders can travel to 61 countries around the world without a visa, or by obtaining a visa-on-arrival. Moroccans can travel regionally without government pre-approval. According to the report, no prior approval is needed for travel to Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, and Senegal. Visas are needed however for travel to Libya and Egypt. 

Some of the countries Moroccans can travel to around the world without prior approval include Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Ivory Coast, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Brazil, Jordan, and Turkey.

Moroccans need prior government approval for travel to any countries within the European Union, China, Australia, and the United States.

Visa procedures can be lengthy for Moroccans wishing to travel to these countries. In mid-May of this year, Moroccans applying for a Schengen visa through the Spanish consular services were facing up to six months of wait times for their visa appointments.