Rabat – Due to the prevalence of COVID-19 worldwide, Morocco’s Ministry of Health announced that France, Spain, and Portugal will be classified as List B countries starting July 13 at 11:59 p.m.
Each country has noted a slight increase in daily COVID-19 cases with a median of 7,079 new cases in the past week. Morocco recorded an average of 1,130 new cases in the same time frame.
The decision comes as a shock to many as a large majority of Moroccans Residing Abroad (MREs) and European travelers to Morocco often depart from these countries. The three states join List B along with other “high-risk” countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, and 76 other countries.
In contrast with List A, travelers from countries in List B must present a negative PCR test within 48 hours of arrival regardless of vaccination status. However, the ministry has mandated that unvaccinated passengers must quarantine in an approved hotel for 10-days upon arrival. A fully vaccinated person will be exempted from hotel quarantine measures.
The Ministry of Health identifies fully-vaccinated passengers as someone that has completed both doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine (J&J) at least two weeks prior to arriving in Morocco.
The only authorized vaccines in Morocco are: AstraZeneca, Covishield, Pfizer/BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinopharm, Sinovac, and Sputnik.
If a person from a List B country is in transit for 10 days in a List A country, they do not need to quarantine and will follow List A measures.
List A regulations are more flexible as travelers must submit proof of vaccination or have a negative PCR test from within 72 hours before arrival.
According to the ministry, “List A contains member states of the United Nations that are not included in List B.”
