Morocco will reopen to travelers in February

Morocco is lifting its international travel ban starting February 7, allowing internatioanl visitors into the country once again.

The move to open the borders follows "the evolution of the epidemiological situation in the kingdom" said a government statement  via AFP, as hospitalization numbers stabilize across the North African country.

Morocco imposed one of the northern hemisphere's strictest travel bans to deal with the emergence of the Omicron strain of COVID-19, closing all land, air, and sea borders to travelers on November 29. The move stranded tens of thousands of Moroccans abroad, as well as keeping international visitors within the country, when repatriation flights ended in December.

The Moroccon government divides foreign countries into A, B and C lists based on various COVID-19 risk factors, and imposes international entry measures accordingly. While the government confirmed that borders would open on February 7, details of entry requirements for each list have not yet been confirmed. These measures will be revealed closer to February's reopening date and we will update this article with that information when it is available.

Meanwhile, the country is still battling a growing number of coronavirus cases, particularly among the unvaccinated population, and some domestic measures remain in place. Proof of vaccination (i.e., a vaccine pass) is required to enter establishments such as hotels, cafes, restaurants, museums gyms, hammams, supermarkets, and public transport. Wearing face masks in public areas is required.

When tourists return, it's likely they will be required to abide by the same domestic rules. US citizens should carry their Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) white card as proof of vaccination, the US Embassy says, although it "cannot be certain what proof will be accepted by individual establishments". The UK Embassy confirmed that Morocco will accept the UK’s proof of COVID-19 recovery and vaccination record at the border, though whether this will be accepted has a vaccine pass has yet to be confirmed. EU citizens can present their EU Digital COVID certs as proof of vaccination as the certificate's QR code is recognized in Morocco.

Morocco is Africa's most vaccinated country, having now administered two shots to 23 million people, in a total population of 36 million. According to Reuters, nearly three million people have received booster doses as of last month.