What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Rabat

Relocating to Rabat

About the City

Located in the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer region of Morocco, Rabat is a city with a real sense of history and life. In 2013, CNN placed the city second in its list of ‘Top Travel Destinations’, while the center of the city itself is a World Heritage site, one of nine situated in Morocco.

Built around the mouth of the Bou Regreg River where it runs into the Atlantic Ocean, the city offers expatriates moving to Rabat a life abroad that can deliver excitement and new opportunities, whether you have made the journey alone or with family.

With transportation offering residents the chance to traverse the city and with many neighborhoods being built up of people who have moved to the city to join into the busy economy, there is attractive housing on offer in both downtown and suburban Rabat. The most prosperous areas to live in the city are Agdal, Hay Riad and Souissi; the latter is a residential neighborhood located a little outside of Rabat itself.

Climate in Rabat

Rabat enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and moderate, wetter winters. Expats moving to the city can expect average temperatures ranging from around 17°C in the winter to around 26°C in the summer, although the mercury is known to top 30°C in the hotter months of July and August.

Rainfall varies dramatically throughout the year, with almost no precipitation during the summer months and an average of 100mm in the wettest month of December.

Visas for Morocco

Expatriates coming from the United States, or any member state of the European Union for that matter, do not require an entry visa. If you are from a country that requires a visa, such as South Africa or Egypt, then you should apply well in advance of your visit.

Should you want to extend your entry visa beyond the first 90 days, then you must apply for a residence permit, which can be obtained from your local Bureau des Étrangers. If you are moving to Morocco permanently, you should apply for this as soon as you arrive in the country, to make sure it is ready for when the standard entry visa expires. Residence permits must be renewed one year after you move to Morocco.

For more information, please refer to your local Moroccan Consulateor have a look at our article on Moving to Morocco.