In brief: Exchange Office allowances are the annual foreign-currency allocations granted to Moroccan residents by the IGOC 2026 to cover their needs abroad. Main 2026 baseline amounts: personal travel 100,000 MAD/year (base tranche, raisable subject to income-tax conditions), business travel calculated on paid corporate tax, studies abroad 15,000 MAD/month, e-commerce individuals 20,000 MAD/year, e-commerce companies from 50,000 MAD (corporate-tax basis). Additional allowances cover medical care, service imports and Hajj/Umrah. This pillar guide summarises the floors, ceilings, conditions and procedures of each regime.
What is an Exchange Office allowance?
Morocco operates under a regulated exchange regime: residents can only transfer foreign currency abroad within the framework of operations authorised by the Exchange Office. Allowances are the annual lump-sum foreign-currency allocations granted by the IGOC to certain categories of needs, without the need for individual prior authorisation.
Each allowance has:
- An annual or monthly ceiling
- Eligible beneficiaries (individuals, companies, students…)
- Usage channels (international card, foreign-currency purchase at the counter, wire transfer)
- Supporting documents to be produced to the bank or kept for audit purposes
IGOC 2026 has significantly raised most ceilings compared to previous versions and introduced new flexibilities for categorized operators. For the general framework, see our article on exchange control regulations in Morocco.
Summary table of main 2026 allowances
| Allowance | Beneficiary | 2026 amount | IGOC basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal travel | Adult resident | 100,000 MAD/year (base), raisable under IR conditions | Art. 139-145 |
| Personal travel — minor child | Accompanying child | 50% of parent’s base allowance | Art. 139-145 |
| Business travel — standard | Moroccan company | Based on paid corporate tax, capped at 500,000 MAD/year | Art. 132-138 |
| Business travel — categorized operators | Categorized company | Enhanced regime up to 1,500,000 MAD/year | Art. 132-138 |
| Studies abroad | Moroccan student | 15,000 MAD/month + tuition + rent | Art. 146-150 |
| Medical care abroad | Resident patient | Based on medical quote (full coverage) | Art. 151-152 |
| E-commerce — individuals | Adult resident | 20,000 MAD/year | Art. 122-124 |
| E-commerce — ADD-labelled startups | Labelled startup | Up to 2,000,000 MAD/year | Art. 125-127 |
| E-commerce — companies | Moroccan company | Minimum 50,000 MAD, computed on corporate tax, capped at 5,000,000 MAD | Art. 128-130 |
| Hajj and Umrah | Pilgrim | Set by annual decree | Dedicated article |
| Import of services (operations) | Company | Based on contracts and supporting documents | Current transfers |
Personal travel allowance (formerly “tourist allowance”)
Historically known as the “tourist allowance”, this allocation is now formally titled personal travel allowance in the IGOC. It covers all non-professional trips abroad: tourism, family visits, personal shopping, leisure.
A base allowance raisable under conditions
IGOC 2026 structures the allowance into a base tranche and a conditional top-up:
- Base allowance: 100,000 MAD per person per calendar year, accessible to any adult resident without income conditions, on simple presentation of passport and national ID. This is the guaranteed amount for every resident.
- Conditional top-up: the allowance can be raised above 100,000 MAD, within a maximum ceiling, subject to proof of income tax paid equal to at least 30% of the top-up requested.
In other words, every resident automatically has 100,000 MAD; higher tranches are only accessible to taxpayers with a sufficient tax history.
Top-up calculation example
| Top-up requested | Minimum income tax paid (30%) |
|---|---|
| 100,000 MAD | 30,000 MAD |
| 200,000 MAD | 60,000 MAD |
| 300,000 MAD | 90,000 MAD |
For all practical details (child allowance, bank procedures, surrender of unused currency), see our dedicated article: Travel abroad: allowances and exchange obligations 2026.
Business travel allowance
Moroccan companies benefit from a business travel allowance intended to cover trips abroad by directors and employees: transport, accommodation, meals, representation.
Contrary to a common misconception, this allowance is not a flat amount: it is proportional to the company’s tax situation and subject to a maximum ceiling.
Standard regime: linked to paid corporate tax, capped at 500,000 MAD
For a non-categorized company, the annual allowance is computed on the basis of a share of the corporate tax paid for the last closed financial year, within a ceiling of 500,000 MAD. A company that has not yet paid significant corporate tax therefore has a limited allowance — the ceiling (500,000 MAD) must not be confused with an automatically granted amount.
Enhanced regime for categorized operators
Companies classified as categorized operators by the Moroccan Customs Administration benefit from an enhanced allowance whose maximum ceiling is raised to 1,500,000 MAD/year. This ceiling is only reached by companies generating substantial corporate tax; for the others, the allowance remains proportional. The regime rewards companies with an exemplary customs and exchange compliance record.
Combination with the personal allowance
The business travel allowance (granted to the company) and the personal travel allowance (granted to the individual) are independent and cumulative. A director can perfectly use the company allowance for professional trips and the personal allowance for private travel.
Studies abroad allowance
Moroccan students pursuing higher education abroad benefit from a monthly allowance of 15,000 MAD, up from 12,000 MAD under the previous IGOC. This revaluation reflects the rising cost of living in major university destinations.
Components of the studies allowance
The allowance covers:
- Subsistence costs: 15,000 MAD/month
- Tuition fees: full transfer on enrolment certificate
- Rent: transfer of the lease amount
- Security deposit: equivalent to 3 months’ rent upon moving in
Eligibility conditions
The student must be enrolled in a recognised educational institution abroad and provide:
- Enrolment or pre-enrolment certificate
- Housing proof (lease, university residence certificate)
- Valid passport
The transfer is carried out by the family’s bank or by the student directly if they hold a Moroccan bank account.
Medical care abroad allowance
Moroccan residents needing medical care that is unavailable or insufficient in Morocco can benefit from a dedicated allowance covering:
- Medical costs: full transfer on the basis of the foreign care provider’s quote
- Stay costs: subsistence allowance for the patient during treatment
- Accompanying-person costs where applicable (spouse, parent)
Required supporting documents
- Medical report from a Moroccan practitioner certifying the need for treatment abroad
- Quote from the foreign care establishment specifying the nature and cost of treatment
- Admission letter where applicable
This allowance is not capped in principle: it is granted up to the amount of the medical supporting documents produced.
International e-commerce allowance
IGOC 2026 substantially expanded the e-commerce allowance to reflect the development of international online shopping and the digital economy. It allows payments in foreign currency to foreign merchants via an international payment card.
Three regimes depending on the beneficiary
| Beneficiary | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| Resident individual | 20,000 MAD/year (fixed) |
| ADD-labelled startup | Up to 2,000,000 MAD/year based on usage plan |
| Moroccan company (non-startup) | Minimum 50,000 MAD, calculated on paid corporate tax, capped at 5,000,000 MAD |
Warning on the company allowance: the 5 million MAD figure is not automatically granted. It corresponds to the maximum ceiling reachable by companies with very high paid corporate tax. The practical rule is: 50,000 MAD minimum guaranteed, then a calculation based on the previous year’s corporate tax, capped at 5,000,000 MAD. A small or mid-sized company with modest corporate tax therefore has an e-commerce allowance of a few tens or hundreds of thousands of dirhams, not 5 million.
Usage channels
The e-commerce allowance is exclusively usable via an international payment card linked to the resident’s dirham account. Payments are automatically debited within the granted limit. Online purchases cover a wide range: software, SaaS subscriptions, digital services, physical goods, travel tickets, etc.
For companies, this allowance is particularly useful for paying foreign SaaS suppliers (cloud hosting, software licences, online advertising) without having to go through a more cumbersome service-import procedure.
All practical details are in our article: International e-commerce: allowances and exchange regime 2026.
Service import and operating allowance
Moroccan companies that import service supplies (technical assistance, royalties, fees, training, audits) benefit from specific regimes framed by the current transfers section of the IGOC. These allowances are not capped by a flat amount: they are aligned with actual contracts and supporting documents produced.
The main categories covered:
- Technical assistance and engineering services
- Royalties and licences (patents, trademarks, software)
- Fees of foreign consultants
- Training costs abroad
- International transport services
- Insurance and international reinsurance
Each requires a written contract, an invoice, and often a 10% withholding tax on gross income paid to non-residents (Art. 15 Moroccan Tax Code), unless a more favourable treaty rate applies under a tax convention. For more information: Current transfers and exchange in Morocco.
Hajj and Umrah: pilgrimage allowances
The IGOC provides a dedicated pilgrimage allowance for Hajj (Mecca) and Umrah. The amount is set each year by decree and is added on top of other travel allowances — there is no “competition” with the personal travel allowance. Pilgrims can combine both.
Usage channels are handled by partner banks and travel organisations approved by the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs.
Surrender of unused currency: mandatory return
All these allowances are subject to a common obligation: unused currency upon return must be surrendered to a bank or approved exchange bureau within a 30-day deadline (Art. 154 IGOC 2026). This obligation applies to banknotes as well as traveller’s cheques.
The surrender slip must be kept for 5 years as supporting evidence in case of audit. Failure to comply constitutes a breach of exchange control regulations, subject to financial sanctions.
The case of foreign residents in Morocco
Foreign residents in Morocco benefit from the same travel allowances as nationals. They can also transfer their savings on income abroad, up to the amount of income declared and taxed in Morocco, after justification with their bank.
Moroccans living abroad (MRE), conversely, are not subject to this allowance regime: they fall under the non-resident regime and have free transfer rights on their convertible dirham or foreign currency accounts.
Securing the use of your allowances
At Upsilon Consulting, we support company directors and their finance teams to:
- Optimise the business travel allowance based on paid corporate tax
- Obtain categorized operator status to access the enhanced regime
- Structure service imports to avoid reclassifications by the Exchange Office
- Manage audits by the Exchange Office in case of overrun or non-surrender
- Coordinate cumulative allowances (e-commerce + travel + service imports) for a multi-purpose company
For an exchange situation audit, contact our teams.
Frequently asked questions
Is the tourist allowance still 45,000 MAD in Morocco?
No. The old ceiling of 45,000 MAD is obsolete. IGOC 2026 (Art. 139-145) sets the personal travel allowance at a base tranche of 100,000 MAD/year accessible to any adult resident without income conditions. This tranche can be raised above 100,000 MAD subject to proof of income tax paid equal to at least 30% of the top-up requested.
Can an employee combine the employer’s business travel allowance with their personal allowance?
Yes. The two allowances are legally distinct: one is granted to the company (professional travel), the other to the individual (private travel). They are independent and cumulative. A director can perfectly use the company allowance for a mission and the personal allowance for vacation in the same year.
How to obtain categorized operator status for the enhanced allowance?
Categorized operator status is granted by the Moroccan Customs Administration (ADII) to companies with a history of exemplary customs and exchange compliance over several years. The application is made to ADII with a file justifying the company’s tax, customs and exchange regularity. This status opens the right to a business travel allowance whose maximum ceiling is raised to 1,500,000 MAD/year (vs 500,000 MAD under the standard regime), the amount effectively granted still being computed on paid corporate tax.
Which allowance to use to pay a foreign SaaS subscription?
For a company, the company e-commerce allowance (minimum 50,000 MAD, capped at 5,000,000 MAD depending on corporate tax) is the simplest channel: payment by international card linked to the company account, no additional formality. For an individual, the individual e-commerce allowance (20,000 MAD/year) covers personal subscriptions. For long-term structured services with high amounts, it is better to use a service import contract with 10% withholding tax (Art. 15 CGI).
Can allowances be carried forward from one year to the next?
No. All Exchange Office allowances are annual and non-transferable. Any unused balance in year N is lost on 1 January of year N+1. Directors should therefore plan their international trips and payments carefully to avoid leaving any allowance unused.
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Reference texts: General Instruction of Exchange Operations (IGOC) 2026 (PDF)
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