Moroccan nationals continued to rank among the world’s leading recipients of Schengen visas in 2025, underscoring the depth of mobility ties between the Kingdom and Europe, according to data released by the European Commission.
Consulates of Schengen countries granted a total of 480,354 short-stay visas to Moroccan applicants last year, placing Morocco among the top global beneficiaries of European visas.
The figures come as Moroccan citizens submitted 619,827 applications, making the Kingdom the fifth-largest applicant country worldwide, behind China, Turkey, India and Russia.
More than 265,000 visas issued to Moroccans were multiple-entry permits, enabling holders to travel frequently within the Schengen area.
This reflects sustained mobility flows and growing confidence between consulates and Moroccan applicants.
At the same time, 114,320 applications were rejected, corresponding to a refusal rate of 19.2%, slightly above the Schengen-wide average.
Across the Schengen area, consulates received 11.93 million visa applications in 2025, up 1.8% compared to the previous year. More than 10 million visas were issued, marking a 3% increase year-on-year, although levels remain below pre-pandemic peaks of nearly 15 million in 2019.
Parallel data from Eurostat further illustrates the importance of Morocco in Europe’s mobility landscape. In 2024, 97,056 Moroccan nationals acquired citizenship of a European Union member state, making Morocco the second-largest country of origin for new EU citizens, accounting for 8% of all naturalizations.
Moroccans ranked just behind Syrians and ahead of Albanians, maintaining a consistent presence among the top nationalities acquiring EU citizenship over recent years.
