How the Foreign-Currency Allowance (Dotation) Works in Morocco (2026)

How does the foreign-currency allowance, the dotation, actually work in Morocco? The question comes up constantly, among Moroccan residents and among British and other international expatriates settled in Marrakech, Agadir or Casablanca. The dotation is the legal mechanism that lets you transfer foreign currency abroad from a country where exchange remains regulated. Travel, a child’s studies overseas, medical care, investment, online subscriptions, almost every foreign-currency need passes through this framework supervised by the Office des Changes. The key is to understand its rules, ceilings and supporting documents so you can use it fully and without risk.

This guide, updated for 2026, explains each type of allowance, the amounts that apply and the steps involved. It draws on more than 25 years of expertise, Armonia Solutions has supported expatriates and investors for decades, with a presence in Paris and Marrakech, handling cross-border transfer questions on a daily basis.

Key figures at a glance

All amounts are shown in Moroccan dirham (MAD) with an indicative US dollar equivalent (about 10 MAD per USD).

What the dotation is, and who is eligible

The dotation is, in plain terms, your legal right as a Moroccan resident to buy and transfer a defined amount of foreign currency each year. Any natural person resident in Morocco, Moroccan national or foreign expatriate, may use it within the limits set by the Office des Changes. Residency, not nationality, is the deciding factor: a British, German or Gulf national who lives in Morocco and pays Moroccan tax has the same access as a Moroccan citizen.

The allowance is not a single pot but a set of envelopes, each matched to a purpose. Some, like the base tourist allowance, require no prior justification; others, like medical or study transfers, are released against specific documents. Understanding which envelope fits which need is what separates an expatriate who feels artificially constrained from one who moves money smoothly within the rules.

It also helps to see the dotation in its historical context. Morocco has gradually liberalised its exchange regime over the past two decades, raising ceilings and simplifying procedures, while keeping the underlying principle that outbound currency is monitored. For residents this means the framework is steadily becoming more generous, but also that yesterday’s figures may no longer apply, another reason to confirm the current limits rather than rely on what a neighbour did a few years ago.

The main types of allowance

The tourist allowance is by far the most used, because its base portion needs no prior justification. The tax-linked supplement, meanwhile, rewards taxpayers: the more income tax you have paid, the larger your additional envelope, up to the overall ceiling.

The tourist allowance in detail

The tourist allowance combines two layers. The first is a flat base of 45,000 MAD (≈ $4,500) per calendar year, available to every resident without paperwork. The second is a supplement equal to 25% of the income tax you paid in Morocco the previous year. The two together are capped at an overall ceiling of 100,000 MAD (≈ $10,000) per year.

This structure means two residents can have very different allowances depending on what they contributed in tax. A resident who paid little or no Moroccan income tax keeps the 45,000 MAD base; a higher earner who paid substantial tax can add a meaningful supplement on top. Many expatriates limit themselves to the base out of habit, unaware that the supplement and the purpose-specific envelopes could legitimately raise their transfer capacity. The simulator further down lets you estimate your own figure.

The role of the Office des Changes

The Office des Changes is the public authority that regulates all foreign-exchange operations in Morocco. It issues the General Instruction on Foreign Exchange Operations, updates the ceilings regularly and defines the documents required for each type of transfer. Because the figures and conditions are revised from time to time, you should always confirm the current limits before a transfer. When in doubt, refer to the official source, the Office des Changes. The allowance also dovetails with your banking setup: the smoother your account documentation, the easier each transfer, as we explain in our guide to the convertible dirham versus foreign-currency account.

Illustrative example (simulation)

Illustrative example (simulation), indicative figures, not a real client case.

Consider James, a British expatriate resident in Marrakech, who paid 40,000 MAD (≈ $4,000) of Moroccan income tax last year. His base tourist allowance is 45,000 MAD. To that he adds a supplement equal to 25% of his tax, that is 10,000 MAD (≈ $1,000). His total tourist allowance therefore reaches 55,000 MAD, roughly $5,500, which he can use freely abroad within the year.

By combining the envelopes he is entitled to, for example adding a study allowance when his daughter enrols at a university abroad, James can extend his transfer capacity well beyond the base, without ever stepping outside the legal framework. The case shows why knowing your precise rights matters: lack of information, more than the regulation itself, is usually the real constraint.

Estimate your tourist allowance

Use the estimator below to approximate the annual tourist allowance you may claim in 2026. The calculation combines the base allowance and the tax-linked supplement, capped at the overall ceiling. Amounts are shown in dirham with an indicative US dollar equivalent.

The other allowances explained

Beyond tourism, several purpose-specific envelopes widen your options. The study allowance covers a child’s education abroad and is released against enrolment and tuition invoices, often substantially increasing what a family can transfer. The medical allowance funds treatment or hospitalisation outside Morocco, against quotes and medical certificates. The e-commerce envelope, around 15,000 MAD (≈ $1,500) a year on a dedicated capped card, handles online purchases and subscriptions. Finally, the investment file lets a resident place or acquire assets abroad, subject to a dossier submitted to the Office des Changes. Used together and within their limits, these envelopes cover the great majority of a household’s real cross-border needs.

Common mistakes and best practices

• ✔️ Don’t assume you are limited to the 45,000 MAD base, claim the tax supplement you are entitled to.
• ✔️ Keep every supporting document for study, medical and investment transfers.
• ✔️ Use the dedicated card for e-commerce rather than improvising with another account.
• ✔️ Never confuse repatriated income with the dotation, they follow different rules.
• ✔️ Check the current ceilings before any large transfer, as they are revised periodically.

Allowance and expatriation: watch-points

For an international resident in Morocco, the dotation sits inside a wider context of dual banking and dual tax residence. It is common to keep accounts at home while holding accounts in Morocco, and the movement of funds between the two countries must respect both Moroccan exchange rules and the reporting obligations of your home country. Declaring foreign-held accounts, justifying the origin of funds and keeping a complete trail of transfers are essential reflexes to avoid any later dispute with either administration.

A second watch-point is the confusion between repatriated income and the dotation. Foreign-source income received by a resident, or funds brought in from abroad, do not consume your allowance, the dotation specifically governs currency leaving Morocco, not money arriving. Keeping the two flows mentally and documentarily separate prevents both wasted allowance and compliance headaches.

Step by step: requesting your allowance at the bank

In practice the allowance is operated through your Moroccan bank, which acts as the approved intermediary. The process is straightforward once you know the sequence, and most of the friction comes from missing paperwork rather than from refusals.

For recurring needs, a child studying abroad, regular online subscriptions, many banks now offer dedicated cards and standing arrangements that draw on the right envelope automatically, sparing you a fresh request each time.

Allowance or convertible account: avoiding the confusion

A frequent question is how the dotation relates to a convertible dirham account. The two answer opposite directions of travel. The convertible account is mainly about money coming in cleanly so that it can later be repatriated; the dotation is about money going out, within an annual quota, for personal and family needs. A non-resident owner who collects rent in Morocco repatriates that net income under the rules of investment-income transfer, not by spending their dotation. A resident expatriate who wants to pay for a holiday, a subscription or a child’s tuition abroad uses the dotation. Many people hold both tools and use each for its proper purpose, which keeps their records clean and their transfers fast.

Planning your allowance across the year

Because the entitlement renews annually and unused amounts do not generally carry over, timing matters. Residents with predictable foreign-currency needs, recurring travel, tuition instalments, subscriptions, benefit from mapping them against the calendar at the start of the year. Front-loading a large transfer in January when the new allowance opens, or sequencing tuition payments to match enrolment deadlines, ensures you never hit the ceiling at the wrong moment. Keeping a simple running tally of what each envelope has consumed turns the dotation from a source of anxiety into a straightforward annual budget, fully under your control.

A cultural note on money and mobility in Morocco

For newcomers from countries with no exchange controls, the very idea of an annual currency allowance can feel foreign. In the United Kingdom or the Gulf you simply move your own money; in Morocco, transferring currency abroad is a regulated act with a quota and a paper trail. Yet long-standing residents describe a quiet logic to it: the system nudges people to keep orderly records, to plan family expenses such as a child’s overseas tuition in advance, and to treat the annual allowance almost like a budgeting calendar. Mastering the dotation becomes a rite of passage into Moroccan financial life, a sign you have stopped improvising and started planning. Expatriates who embrace that rhythm, anticipating their transfers and filing their documents early, find the framework far less restrictive than it first appears.

Frequently asked questions

Who is entitled to the tourist allowance?

Any natural person resident in Morocco, whether Moroccan or an expatriate, may use it within the limits set by the Office des Changes.

Does the base allowance need supporting documents?

No. The base part of the tourist allowance is used without prior justification. The supplements and purpose-specific envelopes do require documents.

How is the tax-linked supplement calculated?

It equals 25% of the Moroccan income tax you paid, within an overall ceiling. The estimator above gives an approximation.

Can I combine several allowances?

Yes. The envelopes answer different needs and can be cumulated, each within its own limit and documentation rules.

What is the overall ceiling on the tourist allowance?

The base plus the tax supplement are capped at a total of 100,000 MAD (about $10,000) per year.

Is the allowance reset every year?

Yes, it is an annual entitlement that renews each calendar year; unused amounts do not generally carry over.

Does receiving foreign income use up my dotation?

No. The dotation governs currency leaving Morocco. Income arriving from abroad follows separate repatriation rules.

What if my medical or study document is incomplete?

The transfer can be delayed. A correctly issued quote, invoice or certificate is what unlocks the operation, so prepare documents carefully in advance.

Are the amounts fixed permanently?

No. The Office des Changes updates amounts and conditions periodically, so confirm the prevailing figures before transferring.

Conclusion

The dotation is far more generous and flexible than many residents assume. Understood properly, it lets an expatriate or investor cover travel, education, healthcare, online spending and even foreign investment, all within a clear legal framework. The recurring lesson is that information, not regulation, is the real limit: those who know their envelopes and keep their documents in order rarely feel constrained.

Settling in Marrakech or Agadir, or structuring a cross-border investment? Armonia Solutions guides expatriates and non-resident owners from banking setup to turnkey rental management. Contact our team to plan your transfers and your project with confidence.

Sources

• Office des Changes, General Instruction on Foreign Exchange Operations.
• Bank Al-Maghrib, indicative reference exchange rates.
• Armonia Solutions, field experience with expatriates and non-resident owners in Morocco.