Salam aleikoum and welcome to another practical guide from Bewildered in Morocco! Today I'm sharing everything you need to know about making the big move to this beautiful North African country. Moving to Morocco is an exciting adventure, but it requires careful planning. Let's dive into all the essential steps to ensure your relocation goes as smoothly as possible!
Planning Your Move to Morocco: The Timeline Approach
Moving to a new country isn't something you do on a whim. The summer months are particularly popular for families relocating to Morocco - school's out, parents have more time, and everything aligns to make the transition easier. Whether you're planning to move this summer or later in the year, here's a practical timeline to follow.
Several Months Before
The key to successfully moving to Morocco is advance planning. You'll need to coordinate when you leave your current home with your arrival in Morocco, which means having your Moroccan housing sorted well in advance.
Finding Your Moroccan Home
I strongly recommend visiting Morocco to secure your housing before making the final move. Here are some insider tips I've learned:
- Visit multiple properties before making your decision
- Negotiate everything - Moroccan culture expects negotiation, and as a European profile, landlords and agencies value your business
- Haggle on price - The higher the rent, the more room you have to negotiate
- Request improvements - Ask the landlord to repaint, add storage furniture, or make other improvements
- Negotiate payment timing - Explain your situation and try to delay the start of your payments until closer to your move-in date
- Expect to pay two months' security deposit
Once you've secured your housing, immediately tackle your children's school enrollment. Getting this sorted early removes one major worry from your plate.
After returning to your home country, you can then focus on:
- Preparing your moving boxes
- Opening an online bank account (N26 or Revolut are popular options for expats)
- Receiving your new bank card before departure
One Month Before Moving to Morocco
At this stage, your Moroccan home should be ready and you know your departure date from your current residence. Now it's time to handle administrative matters in your home country:
- Change your tax address - Use your country's official form (links available on government websites)
- Notify retirement funds if applicable - Not mandatory, as you can still receive your pension in your home country and transfer funds monthly
- Cancel ongoing contracts - Gas, electricity, internet, phone, insurance (including car insurance)
- Set up mail forwarding - Either internationally to Morocco (which can be unreliable) or to a trusted contact in your home country
Simultaneously, make decisions about your belongings:
- What to take to Morocco
- What to sell or give away
This is where budget considerations come in. While it might seem easier to sell everything and buy new furnishings in Morocco, this can be quite expensive. I recommend:
- Selling older or outdated furniture and appliances
- Keeping and shipping newer, quality items that are still in good condition
The Customs Exemption: Your Secret Weapon
Here's a crucial tip many people don't know about: When moving to Morocco, you qualify for a customs exemption on all your personal belongings! This means you can ship your furniture, appliances (new or used), clothing, and household items without paying any customs fees.
Make sure to complete the proper forms and follow all required procedures to take advantage of this exemption. This can save you significant money during your relocation.
One Week Before Moving
As your departure approaches, things will get hectic. By now, you should:
- Have your Moroccan home ready (even if not yet furnished)
- Have packed your current home into boxes
- Have sold or be in the process of selling items you're not taking
If you haven't sold everything yet, consider lowering prices to move items quickly. Storing items "to sell later" often costs more in storage fees than what you'd lose by selling at a discount now.
Additional Pre-Departure Tasks
- Consider applying for an international driver's license
- While not immediately necessary (French licenses are generally tolerated), Moroccan law technically requires residents to switch to a Moroccan license
- Settle any outstanding debts or loans
- Notify government agencies if you receive any allowances or benefits, and stop these payments before departure
- Attempting to continue receiving benefits while living in Morocco is considered fraud and can result in demands for repayment of all funds received since your departure
Moving Day Has Arrived!
You've returned your keys, and your belongings are either:
- Already on their way to Morocco
- Packed and ready to be shipped by someone you trust
Before leaving, double-check that you have all important documents:
- Passports
- ID cards
- Diplomas
- Important contracts
- Family record books (both your home country's and Moroccan, if you have dual nationality)
First Steps After Arriving in Morocco
Once you arrive at your new Moroccan home:
- Check all utilities - Especially gas! If you smell gas, shut it off immediately and call a professional
- Register with your country's consulate in your Moroccan city
- Open a Moroccan bank account if you haven't already
- Build your social network - Join Facebook groups, Telegram channels, and other community platforms for expats in your city
Creating Your New Moroccan Life
Everyone's moving experience will differ slightly. Some prefer:
- Starting with a furnished apartment for the first few months
- Taking an empty apartment immediately (as I did)
- Maintaining their home country residence for several months while paying double rent
The right approach depends on your personal situation, but remember: the more ties you maintain to your home country, the less complete your transition to Morocco will feel.
Questions for Our Community
Have you already made the move to Morocco? I'd love to hear about your experience:
- Did you ship all your furniture?
- Did you sell everything and start fresh?
- What worked well in your moving process?
- What would you do differently?
Share your story in the comments below!
Moving to Morocco is a significant life change, but with proper planning and this guide in hand, you'll be well-prepared for your transition. Remember that the key to a successful move is starting early, being organized, and embracing the adventure ahead.
If this guide helps even one person with their move to Morocco, I'll consider it a success!
Want more insights on life in Morocco? Check out our guide to finding housing in Moroccan cities or navigating Moroccan bureaucracy.
Wishing you a wonderful week and see you soon! À bientôt!