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Rabat – The number of Moroccan citizens refused entry at the European Union’s external borders increased slightly in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to new data by Eurostat.
According to the annual dataset on third-country nationals refused entry at EU borders, 1,825 Moroccan citizens were denied entry into the EU in 2025. This marks an increase from 1,665 cases recorded in 2024.
The figures indicate that refusals involving Moroccan citizens rose by around 9.6% in one year. However, the number remains far below earlier peaks seen in previous years.
The EU recorded 1,910 refusals involving Moroccan nationals in 2023, while the figure stood at 1,890 in 2022. The numbers were significantly lower during the COVID-19 pandemic years, with 730 cases in 2021 and 1,165 in 2020, when travel restrictions heavily affected international movement.
Earlier data also showed much higher numbers before the pandemic. Refusals involving Moroccan citizens reached 486,085 in 2019, while 228,560 cases were recorded in 2018. Eurostat’s dataset notes that some earlier figures may include different reporting methods or broader counting practices.
The data was published as part of a wider Eurostat report on immigration enforcement across the European Union in 2025.
Overall, the EU reported 132,600 third-country nationals refused entry at its external borders in 2025, marking a 7.1% increase compared to 123,835 in 2024.
Read also: Refusal Rate at 20% as Moroccans Received 606,000 Schengen Visas in 2024
At the same time, the number of people found to be illegally present in EU countries fell sharply. Eurostat recorded 719,395 cases in 2025, down 21.7% from 918,525 in 2024.
The report also showed that 491,950 third-country nationals received orders to leave EU countries in 2025, an increase of 5.8% compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, the number of people returned to non-EU countries after receiving departure orders rose significantly. In 2025, EU countries returned 135,460 third-country nationals, up 20.9% from 112,040 in 2024.
Germany recorded the highest number of returns, followed by France and Sweden. Most of the returned individuals were citizens of Turkiye, Georgia, Syria, and Albania.
