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Rabat – Famous Moroccan singer Manal Benchlikha took to social media to express frustration over not being allowed a visa to France for alleged “lack of financial resources.”
“I am shocked. I am laughing from shock, because we submitted our visa to France last week,” Benchlikha said on an Instagram story. “And we had received the SMS that our passports were ready so we went to get them.”
The artist went on to detail how the process of obtaining visas was a habitual one for her, and that all her documents were in order, meaning there was no reason to be rejected from French territory.
“The reason is that ‘you did not provide proof that you have sufficient means of subsistence during the planned duration of stay or the means to return to your country of origin or residence’,” the artist added, detailing the reasons the French authorities gave behind the rejection.
“I just want to understand what is happening please, it has no relations with reality,” she said, demanding to know why France “always refuses visas.”
France imposed visa restrictions on Morocco and other North African countries in 2021, triggering a diplomatic crisis between the European country and their Moroccan allies.
The restrictions were met with claims that Morocco refused to repatriate Moroccan migrants who were illegally residing in France, though the North African country denied the allegations.
In December 2022, a visit to Rabat by French Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna saw her announce the restoration of “normal consular” relations with Morocco, although judging by Benchlikha’s situation, the resolving of relations has not been reflected in the visa crisis.
Manal Benchlikha is a famous Moroccan singer, who recently notably performed in the closing ceremony of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, just before the final match between France and Argentina.
