Foreign entrepreneurs
FrançaisMorocco residence permit: set up your company and move in
You are moving to Morocco to launch your business. We set up your company and handle every step of your residence permit application. One point of contact, from our first conversation to the follow-up of your file.
- Your company and your residence permit, handled as one file
- Every step taken care of, from filing to renewal
- Each rule we quote refers to Law No. 02-03
What we do
Your company and your residence permit, handled together
A residence permit is applied for on the basis of the business you carry out in Morocco. That is why we handle both procedures as a single file.
Setting up your company
Legal form, articles of association, registration: your company is set up before your residence application is filed, as the application relies on it.
Your residence permit file
We list the documents that apply to you, check them and prepare the file before it is filed.
Filing and follow-up
We file your application and follow it up until the authorities reach a decision. You know where your file stands at all times.
Renewal
The registration card is valid for a limited period. We prepare its renewal ahead of the expiry date, so that your stay remains lawful.
The legal framework
Morocco residence permit: what the law says
The stay of foreign nationals in Morocco is governed by Law No. 02-03. The essentials come down to six points, each referring to its article.
Two residence permits
Registration or residence card
Morocco’s residence permits are the registration card (carte d’immatriculation) and the residence card (carte de résidence). What is commonly called a “residence permit” is the registration card.
Source: Law No. 02-03, article 5 (2003)
When a permit becomes mandatory
Beyond 90 days
A foreign national over 18 staying in Morocco must hold a residence permit. A stay of 90 days or less, with a valid travel document, is exempt.
Source: Law No. 02-03, articles 6 and 9 (2003)
Validity of the registration card
1 to 10 years
The duration depends on the reasons for the stay put forward to the authorities. The card is renewable for the same period.
Source: Law No. 02-03, article 10 (2003)
Staying to run a business
Activity stated on the card
The card issued to a foreign national who carries out a professional activity subject to authorisation, and who proves they have obtained it, states that activity.
Source: Law No. 02-03, article 13 (2003)
While the application is processed
The receipt
The receipt of the application for issue or renewal temporarily stands in for the registration card until a decision is made.
Source: Law No. 02-03, article 8 (2003)
Residence card
After 4 years
A foreign national who proves at least 4 years of lawful and uninterrupted residence in Morocco may obtain a residence card.
Source: Law No. 02-03, article 16 (2003)
Legal texts checked on October 26, 2026.
How it works
How your move to Morocco unfolds
Four steps, one point of contact.
A first conversation
You tell us about your project and your situation. We tell you which legal form to choose and which documents to gather.
Setting up your company
We set up and register your company. Your residence application relies on it.
Your residence permit application
We put your file together and file it. The application receipt then stands in for the card while the application is processed.
Ongoing follow-up
We follow your file until a decision is made, then prepare the renewal of your card when it falls due.
Who it is for
Who this service is for
Foreign nationals moving to Morocco to run their business, wherever they settle in the country. Our firm is based in Tangier and supports clients remotely, by phone, WhatsApp and email. Is your situation different?
You are setting up a company without moving to Morocco
A non-resident can set up a company remotely, without a residence permit.
Set up a company in Morocco from abroad (in French)
Your business exports and you are looking at Tangier
The Tangier Free Zone has its own approval regime.
Tangier Free Zone (in French)
You need a registered office address
Business domiciliation provides the registered office address of your company.
Business domiciliation in Morocco (in French)
You want to know everything about company formation
Legal forms, steps and documents required to set up a company in Morocco.
Setting up a company in Morocco (in French)
Frequently asked questions
Morocco residence permit: your questions
Does a foreign national need a residence permit to live in Morocco?
Yes, beyond 90 days. Law No. 02-03 requires foreign nationals over 18 staying in Morocco to hold a registration card or a residence card (article 6). A stay of 90 days or less, with a valid travel document, is exempt (article 9).
What is the difference between a registration card and a residence card?
They are the two residence permits provided for by Law No. 02-03 (article 5). The registration card, commonly called the residence permit, is the first permit: it is valid for 1 to 10 years. The residence card may be obtained after at least 4 years of lawful and uninterrupted residence in Morocco (article 16).
How long is a Morocco residence permit valid?
The registration card authorises a stay of 1 to 10 years, set according to the reasons for the stay put forward to the authorities. It is renewable for the same period (Law No. 02-03, article 10).
Do I need to set up my company before applying for a residence permit?
For a stay based on a professional activity subject to authorisation, the card states that activity, and the applicant must prove they are authorised to carry it out (Law No. 02-03, articles 13 and 19). That is why we handle both procedures together: the company first, then the residence application that relies on it.
Can I stay in Morocco while my application is being processed?
Yes. The receipt of the application for issue or renewal temporarily stands in for the registration card until a decision is made (Law No. 02-03, article 8).
What exactly does Pôle Nord Consulting do?
We handle every step: setting up your company, putting together your residence permit file, filing it, following it up until the authorities reach a decision, then the renewal. You have one point of contact for everything.
I am not settling in Tangier: can you still help?
Yes. Our firm is based in Tangier and supports clients throughout Morocco. We work by phone, WhatsApp and email, and we organise the procedures wherever your file needs to be processed.
How much does your support cost?
We provide a quote after a first conversation, based on your project. Residence permits are also subject to stamp duties set by law (Law No. 02-03, article 7). You know the total cost before you commit.
Contact
Let’s talk about your move to Morocco
Leave your details: we will call you back to discuss your project, with no commitment.
Prefer to call?