Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita warned against “visa brokers,” saying that “the injunctive laws in this field are clear, as responsible authorities seek to implement them against anyone proven to be involved in the extortion of a Moroccan rentier in exchange for a visa.”
Bourita responded to a written question this week, asking about citizens’ reported suffering with visa procedures to European countries, and the emergence of “illegal” so called brokers, who extort large sums of money from desperate nationals in exchange for alleged mediation with consulates.
In his answer, Bourita talked about the existence of intermediaries who disturb the normal process of requesting a visa between Moroccan citizens, embassies and consulates, or between Moroccans and delegated management companies.
Bourita said that his ministry is constantly communicating with foreign missions accredited to Morocco in order to urge them to pay full attention to visa applicants, to provide suitable spaces for reception and treatment that preserves their dignity, as well as to mitigate the complexities of procedures, especially those related to taking appointments.
The minister stated that the issue of visas is “a sovereign issue that is managed by the embassy or consulate accredited in the Kingdom,” noting that the process is carried out either directly with Moroccan beneficiaries, as is the case with many foreign embassies and consulates, or through a subcontractor or a delegated measure to handle and process visa applications.
According to this process, some accredited consulates and embassies in our country assign some companies the task of studying and preparing applications, and booking visa appointments, before sending the applications to embassies and consulates in order to obtain the travel document.
A number of citizens have previously confirmed that consular services are increasingly tightening processes, especially the Spanish consulate in Casablanca, where visa brokers are very widespread despite authorities and consulates’ control.
Moroccans are calling on Moroccan diplomatic authorities to intervene urgently to end this crisis, which will worsen in the coming weeks, given the increasing demand for Schengen visas with the approach of summer.
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