From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Morocco Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 20:13:50 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1809 Path: world!bzs Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Message-ID: <199807061617_MC2-524F-C4A@compuserve.com> Content-Disposition: inline Precedence: bulk Sender: "U.S. Department of State" <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Mime-Version: 1.0 Distribution: wstd Approved: usenet@world.std.com X-List-Info: LN=travel-advisories WHOM=76702.1202@compuserve.com Lines: 171 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Morocco ============================================================ Morocco - Consular Information Sheet July 6, 1998 Country Description: Morocco's constitution provides for a monarchy with a parliament and an independent judiciary. Ultimate authority rests with the king. Morocco has a mixed economy based largely on agriculture, fishing, light industry, phosphate mining, tourism, and remittances from citizens working abroad. Modern tourist facilities and means of transportation are widely available, but may vary in quality depending on price and location. The workweek in Morocco is Monday through Friday. The capital city is Rabat. Entry Requirements: Travelers to Morocco must bear a valid passport. Visas are not required for American tourists traveling in Morocco for less than 90 days. For visits of more than 90 days, Americans are required to obtain a residence permit and return visa, should they wish to return to Morocco for extended periods. A residence permit and return visa may be requested and obtained from Immigration (Service d'Etranger) at the central police station of the district of residence. For additional information concerning entry requirements for Morocco, travelers may contact the Embassy of Morocco at 1601 21st St., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009, telephone (202) 462-7979 to 82. The Moroccan Consulate General is located at 10 E. 40th St., New York, NY 10016, telephone (212) 758-2625. Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Morocco's Civil Aviation Authority as Category 1 -- in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Morocco's air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA's Internet website at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at (703) 697-7288. Areas of Instability: The sparsely-settled Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) was long the site of armed conflict between government forces and the Polisario Front which has demanded independence. A cease-fire has been in effect since 1991 in the UN administered area. There are thousands of unexploded mines in the Western Sahara and in areas of Mauritania adjacent to the Western Sahara border. Exploding mines are occasionally reported, and have caused death and injury. Transit to the Western Sahara remains restricted; persons planning to travel in the region may obtain information on clearance requirements from the Moroccan Embassy. Medical Facilities: Adequate medical care in Morocco is available, although not all facilities meet high quality standards, and specialized care or treatment may not be available. Medical facilities are adequate for non-emergency matters, particularly in the urban areas, but the medical staff will most likely not be able to communicate in English. Travelers planning to drive in the mountains and other remote areas may wish to carry a medical kit and a Moroccan phone card for emergencies. In the event of car accidents involving injuries, immediate ambulance service is not guaranteed or provided. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health care services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including a provision for medical evacuation, has proven useful. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide payment for medical services outside the U.S. The beaches as well as the ocean in the immediate vicinity of Casablanca are polluted and considered unsafe for swimming, although other coastal areas are safe. For further information, travelers can contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline at 1-888-232-3228, or their autofax service at 1-888-232-3299, or their Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov. Crime Information: Morocco has a moderately high crime rate in urban areas. Criminals have targeted tourists for assaults, muggings, thefts, pickpocketing, and scams of all types. Commonly reported crimes include falsifying credit-card vouchers, and shipping inferior rugs as a substitute for the rugs purchased by the traveler. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate have also received reports of thefts occurring in the vicinity of ATM machines. Some travelers have been befriended by persons of various nationalities who have offered them food, drink, or cigarettes which are drugged. Harassment of tourists by unemployed Moroccans posing as "guides" is a common problem. Prudent travelers hire only official tour guides through hotels and travel agencies. Traveling alone in the Rif Mountain area is risky, as tourists have fallen victim to schemes involving the purchase and/or trafficking of hashish. Unescorted women in any area of Morocco may experience verbal abuse. Thieves sometimes bump cars from behind and rob their victims when they get out of the car to inspect the damage. Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: Traffic accidents are a significant hazard in Morocco. Driving practices are poor and have resulted in serious injuries and fatalities. This is particularly true at dusk during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, when adherence to traffic regulations is lax, and from July to September, when Moroccans resident abroad return from Europe by car. Often, Moroccan police officers pull over drivers for inspection within the city and on highways. In the event of a traffic accident, including accidents involving injuries, the parties are required to remain at the scene and not move their vehicles until the police have arrived and documented all necessary information. This procedure may take several hours. Road conditions in Morocco can be hazardous, particularly during the rainy season (November - February) when flash flooding is frequent and sometimes severe. Driving on the highway is dangerous, and pedestrians run across the road. The roads in rural and mountainous areas are poorly lit and maintained. While public buses and taxis are inexpensive, drivers typically exhibit poor driving habits and the buses are frequently overcrowded. Child Custody/Dual Nationality: The government of Morocco considers all children born to Moroccan fathers to be Moroccan citizens. Even if the children bear American passports, Immigration officials may require proof that the father approves their departure before the children will be allowed to leave Morocco. Although women are normally granted custody of their children in divorces, regardless of nationality, the children's departure from Morocco must be approved by their father. Women must obtain permission to move the children more than 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) from their last residence before the divorce. American women married to Moroccans do not need their spouse's permission to leave Morocco. Regardless of which passport is used to enter Morocco, persons with dual nationality are normally treated as Moroccan citizens. U.S. consular protection to dual nationals cannot be assured. Currency Regulations: Travelers checks and credit cards are accepted at some establishments in Morocco, mainly in urban areas. Travelers checks may be cashed at most banks, although some require the bearer to present both the check and the receipt. ATM machines are available in Casablanca and Rabat, and some American bank cards may be used to withdraw local currency on an account in the United States. Current Moroccan customs procedures do not provide for the accurate or reliable registration of large quantities of American dollars brought into the country by tourists or other visitors. As a result, travelers encounter difficulties when they attempt to depart with the money. In particular, American citizens with dual Moroccan nationality have been asked to provide proof of the source of the funds and have incurred heavy fines. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are severe, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Registration/U.S. Embassy and Consulate Locations: U.S. citizens are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General. Updated information on travel and security within Morocco (or elsewhere) may be obtained at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The U.S. Embassy is located at 2 Avenue de Marrakech in the capital city of Rabat, telephone (212)(7) 76-22-65. The American Consulate General in Casablanca is located at 8 Boulevard Moulay Youssef, telephone (212)(2) 26-45-50. No. 98-88 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for Morocco issued April 15, 1997, to add information on traffic safety, aviation safety oversight and currency regulations. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. 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