Rabat – The complicated procedure Moroccans face to obtain the visa Schengen has led to the signing of an international petition, reported Arabic speaking newspaper Al Massae on October 29.
Signatories Sent the petition to the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs. Nacer Bourita, France’s ambassador to Morocco Helene Le Gal, and the Spanish ambassador to Morocco, Ricardo Diez Rodriguez, demanding an immediate intervention to end the frustrating situation.
According to the petition, Moroccans applying for Schengen zone visas are often forced to wait over three months to retrieve their passports. The petition also complains about centers repeatedly postponing appointments and the amount of paperwork involved in the applications.
All applicants, from, university professors, executives, or journalists, to professional sportsmen, or officials experience the same issues while trying to obtain a visa.
Through the petition, the signatories are asking Bourita and the two ambassadors to intervene in order to speed up the visa issuance procedure and put an end to the delays and cancellations.
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Signatories are also unhappy with waiting in long queues in front of consulates and service providers without being able to file the applications.
The malfunctioning system is particularly problematic for Moroccans traveling for health, education, or business purposes.
Former Moroccan secretary of state Mounia Boucetta has already responded to questions about the problem in parliament.
Boucetta blamed Moroccan applicants for the issues, saying that that the high flow of people submitting applications and their lack of respect for security measures is the root of the problem.
