Opening a Moroccan Bank Account: A Complete Guide

You can open a Moroccan bank account as a foreigner, and the regulations allow it whether or not you are resident. What decides how easy it is in practice is the bank, and often the branch.

Before you walk in, decide which type of account you need, because it controls how easily money can leave Morocco again:

• A convertible dirham account holds money that came from abroad, and what you brought in can generally be sent out again. Morocco’s exchange control rules allow foreigners, resident or not, to hold one. For most people whose income comes from outside Morocco, it is the right account.
• An ordinary dirham account is for money earned and spent locally. Sending it abroad is possible only for authorised purposes, with documents.

One important exception: if you are retiring here on a foreign pension, the choice has a tax consequence. The main Moroccan tax relief on foreign pensions requires the pension to be transferred permanently in non-convertible dirhams. See the retirement guide before you choose.

Convertible or ordinary dirhams

A convertible dirham account (compte en dirhams convertibles) is designed for non-residents and foreigners legally resident in Morocco. Funds you bring into Morocco in foreign currency and convert into this account can generally be paid back out again from the eligible balance, which is what makes it the right account for anyone whose income comes from outside Morocco. That does not mean the account is paperwork-free, though: what it removes is the restrictive exchange control regime that applies to standard dirham accounts, not the bank’s own requirement to document where money came from before releasing it again. See “Exchange controls” below for what that actually involves.

A standard dirham account treats you like a Moroccan national for currency purposes. Money in it, generally income earned locally in dirhams, can be used freely within Morocco, but transferring it abroad requires the transfer to fall into one of the authorised categories under Morocco’s exchange control regulations, with matching documentation. A bank balance by itself is not sufficient justification for an outward transfer, regardless of account type; the bank needs to see what the money was for. Opening one by mistake, or opening the wrong type because the difference was not explained, is a common problem worth avoiding.

What banks usually ask for

The exact list is set by each bank, but for a resident foreigner expect:

• your passport;
• your Carte de Séjour, or the récépissé while you wait for it;
• proof of address in Morocco, such as a lease or a utility bill;
• proof of income: bank statements, an employment contract, or evidence of a pension or other income.

Some banks also ask for a short letter on why you want the account.

Non-residents can hold a convertible dirham account under the regulations, but whether a particular branch will open one for someone on a tourist entry is the bank’s own decision. Expect more questions, more documents and more variation between branches than for a resident. If one branch says no, another bank, or another branch of the same bank, may say yes.

Choosing a bank

Attijariwafa has the widest branch and ATM network. Banque Populaire (Chaabi) has a strong retail presence, including outside the big cities. Bank of Africa (formerly BMCE) and CIH are other major retail banks. BMCI is majority-owned by BNP Paribas, which can help if you already bank with BNP elsewhere; note that BNP agreed in April 2026 to sell its stake to the Moroccan group Holmarcom, with completion expected in late 2026, so check whether that link still matters when you apply. Our brand directory summarises each bank.

For most people the choice comes down to practical things: a branch near home or work, how well the app works for you, and how smoothly your particular kind of transfer goes. Ask other foreign residents in your city which branch they use; the experience can differ between branches of the same bank. Branches in business districts often see more foreign customers.

Exchange controls

Morocco has foreign exchange controls, managed by the Office des Changes. The dirham is not freely convertible, which means you cannot simply move large amounts of money in and out of the country without justification. Receiving money from abroad is straightforward; sending money out is where the rules bite.

If you earn income from outside Morocco and receive it through a convertible account, you can typically repatriate up to 100 percent of your imported income from the eligible balance. If you earn locally in dirhams, you can transfer a portion abroad for specific purposes (tuition, mortgage payments, family support) but only with documentation justifying the transfer, and only within one of the authorised transfer categories. Either way, the bank is checking the same underlying thing: where the money came from and why it is leaving.

What that documentation looks like depends on your income type. Morocco’s Office des Changes foreign exchange instruction sets out different evidence for different sources: private sector salary generally needs an employment contract plus an employer certificate of net salary; public sector salary needs an employer-certified net salary statement; self-employed income needs the previous year’s taxable income declaration together with the tax authority’s receipt for it; a pension needs evidence of payment from the paying body.

This is not a complete checklist, and it should not be treated as one. Requirements differ by transaction category and by bank, and categories like accumulated savings, gifts, inheritance, and property sale proceeds each have their own documentation rules that we have not independently verified here. The Office des Changes also reissued its general instruction for 2026, so details may have moved. Keep records of every international transfer you receive regardless of income type, and ask your bank’s international operations desk to confirm exactly what they will require for your specific situation before you need the transfer to go through.

Day to day

Moroccan banking apps and web portals work, typically in French and Arabic, though they are not always as polished as the European apps you may be used to. Transfers between Moroccan banks are routine.

Cash still matters. Supermarkets, larger restaurants, fuel stations and hotels generally take cards, but many small shops, cafés, markets and the neighbourhood hanout are cash-first. Mobile wallets are growing, and services such as Cash Plus and inwi money handle domestic payments and transfers, but they complement a bank account rather than replace it.

For withdrawal limits and fees on foreign cards, which depend on both the Moroccan bank and your own card issuer, see our guide to ATMs and exchanging money.