How do I extend my stay beyond 90 days in Morocco?

This is the single most important piece of admin for anyone staying long, so get it right. Most visitors get 90 days visa-free on arrival. To remain beyond that lawfully, the proper route is to apply for a carte de séjour — a residence permit — at the Bureau des Étrangers within your local police prefecture. Crucially, you should start this before your 90 days run out, because overstaying without a valid card can mean fines and complications when you eventually leave.

What the prefecture typically wants: a valid passport with copies, passport photos, proof of a Moroccan address (a rental contract or a hosting attestation), proof of means or income, and a stated reason for staying — work, retirement, family, study. The list and the experience vary by city and even by which clerk you get, which is exactly why many first-timers hire a local lawyer or fixer to assemble the file and accompany them. It removes most of the frustration.

The other thing people do is the 'visa run' — leaving Morocco (the ferry to Spain, or a budget flight) and re-entering to reset the 90-day clock. It works for many travellers and is common, but I'm honest with clients that it isn't a legal entitlement: border officers have discretion, and repeated back-to-back runs can attract questions. For a single extra season it's an option; for building a life here, the residence card is the stable, lawful foundation.

My bottom line: if you know you'll stay beyond three months, treat the carte de séjour as a project you begin early, not a panic at day 88. Get a local address sorted, gather documents, and consider professional help for the first application. And because immigration procedures and timelines genuinely do change, confirm the current requirements with your nearest Moroccan consulate or your local prefecture before you rely on any of this.