Russia denies visa exemption for Moroccan nationals amid social media rumors

Contrary to claims circulating on social media and relayed by some media outlets, Russia has not lifted visa requirements for Moroccan nationals. According to Russian diplomatic sources quoted by L’Opinion on Thursday, the rumor stems from «a misinterpretation of a dispatch by the Russian agency Interfax».

The confusion appears to come from comments made by Tatiana Dovgalienko, Director of Cooperation with Africa at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While she did refer to a visa exemption, it concerned Russian citizens being allowed to travel without a residence permit to eleven African countries, including Morocco. Several reports had mistakenly inverted her statement.

Diplomatic sources told the Moroccan daily that if a new visa exemption for Moroccans were ever introduced, «such a measure would be announced through official channels, namely the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Russian embassy in Rabat».

For now, the rules remain unchanged: Moroccan nationals wishing to travel to Russia must continue to apply for a visa through Russian consular services in Morocco.