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: 100% of the tax paid, up to 200,000 MAD (1,000,000 MAD for categorized operators), with a flat 50,000 MAD for new, exempt companies or those whose tax is below 50,000 MAD. In addition, medical care abroad is settled on supporting documents. 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 | Moroccan resident, MRE, foreign resident | 100,000 MAD/year (base) + 30% of income tax paid, total ≤ 500,000 MAD | Art. 140-143 |
| Business travel — standard | Company without a foreign-currency account | 100% of corporate tax paid, capped at 1,000,000 MAD/year (minimum 100,000 MAD) | Art. 132-135 |
| Business travel — categorized operators | Company categorized by the Exchange Office | 100% of corporate tax paid, up to 1,500,000 MAD/year | Art. 133 and 17 |
| Studies abroad | Moroccan resident student, MRE, foreigner born to a Moroccan parent | 15,000 MAD/month (more on supporting documents) + tuition + rent | Art. 144-151 |
| Medical care abroad | Moroccan resident, foreign resident, MRE | Amount of supporting documents (invoice, quote) | Art. 152-155 |
| E-commerce — individuals | Resident individual, MRE | 20,000 MAD/year | Art. 120-122 |
| E-commerce — ADD-labelled startups | Labelled startup | Up to 2,000,000 MAD/year | Art. 120-122 |
| E-commerce — companies | Company without a foreign-currency account | 100% of the tax paid, capped at 200,000 MAD (1,000,000 MAD if categorized); flat 50,000 MAD for new, exempt companies or those whose tax is < 50,000 MAD | Art. 121 |
| Payment for imported services (not an allowance) | Company | Based on contract and invoice | Art. 69-85 |
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, without income conditions, open to Moroccan residents, MRE and foreign residents, on presentation of passport and national ID (or registration card for foreign residents). This is the amount open to every beneficiary.
- Top-up: an additional allowance equal to 30% of the income tax paid or withheld at source during the previous year, up to 400,000 MAD, i.e. an overall ceiling of 500,000 MAD per person per calendar year (Art. 141 IGOC 2026).
In other words, every beneficiary automatically has 100,000 MAD; the top-up is only accessible to taxpayers who paid income tax in the previous year.
Top-up calculation example
| Income tax paid in the previous year | Top-up (30%) | Total allowance |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 MAD | 30,000 MAD | 130,000 MAD |
| 500,000 MAD | 150,000 MAD | 250,000 MAD |
| 1,000,000 MAD | 300,000 MAD | 400,000 MAD |
| 1,333,334 MAD or more | 400,000 MAD | 500,000 MAD (ceiling) |
For all practical details (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: 100% of the tax paid, capped at 1,000,000 MAD
For a company, a cooperative subject to corporate tax or a registered branch that has no foreign-currency or convertible-dirham account, the annual allowance equals 100% of the corporate tax (or income tax, or minimum contribution) paid for the last closed financial year, up to 1,000,000 MAD (500,000 MAD under IGOC 2024). Newly created or exempt companies, or those whose corporate tax paid is below 100,000 MAD, have an allowance of 100,000 MAD per year; liberal professions, 100% of their income tax up to 100,000 MAD (Art. 133 IGOC 2026). The allowance is credited to a mandatory “business travel allowance” account (Art. 134).
Enhanced regime for categorized operators
Companies holding categorized operator status with the Exchange Office (a certificate issued by the Office to companies categorized by Customs (ADII), the Tax Directorate (DGI) or jointly) benefit from an allowance equal to 100% of corporate tax paid, up to 1,500,000 MAD/year (Art. 17 and 133 IGOC 2026). 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 resident students, MRE and foreigners born to a Moroccan father or mother pursuing post-baccalaureate studies abroad receive living costs of 15,000 MAD per month (12,000 MAD under IGOC 2024), an amount that may be exceeded on a certificate from the institution, the consulate or the embassy (Art. 149 and 151 IGOC 2026). 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: where the lease provides for it, up to 3 months’ rent, to be repatriated and surrendered within 60 days after the end of the lease
Eligibility conditions
The student must be enrolled in a recognised educational institution abroad and provide:
- Enrolment or pre-enrolment certificate
- Invoice from the institution and certificate of enrolment (admission letter) for tuition fees
- Lease or certificate from the accommodation provider for rent (Art. 151 IGOC 2026)
The person ordering the transfers opens a single “studies abroad” file with one bank, which alone executes the transfers (Art. 147 IGOC 2026).
Medical care abroad allowance
Moroccan residents, foreign residents and MRE receiving care abroad can have its cost settled by their bank, covering:
- Medical costs: full transfer on the basis of the foreign care provider’s quote
- Medicines, orthopaedic equipment, medical transport between foreign locations, medical evacuation and repatriation of remains
Living costs during the stay fall outside this regime: they are covered by the personal travel allowance, which can be combined with it (Art. 141 IGOC 2026).
Required supporting documents
- Medical certificate issued by the treating doctor in the patient’s name
- Final invoice, quote or pro-forma invoice (the final invoice must be provided within 3 months of payment)
- Copy of the patient’s passport or registration card
Where the costs are covered by an insurer or a provident body supervised by ACAPS, a copy of the coverage approval is sufficient (Art. 155 IGOC 2026).
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 or MRE | 20,000 MAD/year (fixed) |
| ADD-labelled startup | Up to 2,000,000 MAD/year, on the labelling certificate, for services related to the business |
| Moroccan company without a foreign-currency account | 100% of the tax paid, capped at 200,000 MAD (1,000,000 MAD if categorized); flat 50,000 MAD for new, exempt companies or those whose tax is < 50,000 MAD |
Warning on the company allowance: it is not a flat amount. A company without a foreign-currency account receives 100% of the tax paid for the last closed financial year, up to 200,000 MAD (1,000,000 MAD for an operator categorized by the Exchange Office). Newly created or exempt companies, or those whose tax paid is below 50,000 MAD, have a flat 50,000 MAD (Art. 121 IGOC 2026).
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. For individuals, online purchases cover a wide range (software, subscriptions, goods, travel tickets); for companies, the allowance is limited to services supplied to them (Art. 120 IGOC 2026).
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.
Imported services: payment under contract (not an allowance)
Moroccan companies that import service supplies (technical assistance, royalties, fees, training, audits) fall under the imports of services regime (Art. 69 to 85 IGOC 2026). This is not an allowance: the bank pays the amounts set out in the contract and invoice, with no flat ceiling. International transport and insurance/reinsurance follow separate regimes (Art. 71).
The main categories covered:
- Technical assistance and engineering services
- Royalties and licences (patents, trademarks, software)
- Fees of foreign consultants
- Training costs abroad
Each requires a written contract, an invoice, and often a 10% withholding tax on gross income paid to non-residents (Art. 15 of the Moroccan Tax Code for legal entities, Art. 45 and 73-II-B-1° for individuals), unless a more favourable treaty rate applies under a tax convention. For more information: Current transfers and exchange in Morocco.
Hajj and Umrah: no specific allowance
IGOC 2026 provides no specific pilgrimage allowance (Hajj or Umrah): these expenses are covered by the personal travel allowance, intended for “all types of travel abroad, including transport tickets, living and accommodation costs” (Art. 140). Where the trip is organised by an approved agency, the agency may pay foreign providers by subrogation of this allowance (Art. 142).
Surrender of unused currency: mandatory return
Foreign currency issued for a trip and not used must be sold on the foreign exchange market within 30 days of returning to Morocco, or of its issue if the trip is cancelled (Art. 33 and 142 IGOC 2026). This obligation applies to banknotes as well as traveller’s cheques.
The exchange slip issued upon the sale must be kept as supporting evidence, for the retention periods set by the Commercial Code (Art. 20 and 34 IGOC 2026). Failure to comply constitutes a breach of exchange control regulations, subject to financial sanctions.
The case of foreign residents and MRE
Since IGOC 2026, foreign residents benefit from the personal travel allowance and the medical care regime on the same terms as Moroccans (Art. 140 and 152). They can also transfer their employment income (salaries net of tax and contributions, pensions, professional income) under Art. 156 to 159, after justification with their bank.
Moroccans living abroad (MRE) also benefit from the personal travel allowance, the 20,000 MAD e-commerce allowance, and the studies and medical care regimes (Art. 140, 121, 145 and 152). They may also buy back and re-export foreign currency repatriated and sold over the last twelve months, up to 100,000 MAD per year (Art. 41), and freely use their foreign-currency or convertible-dirham accounts.
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. 140-143) sets the personal travel allowance at a base of 100,000 MAD/year, without income conditions, plus a top-up equal to 30% of the income tax paid or withheld at source in the previous year, the total not exceeding 500,000 MAD per person per calendar year.
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 with the Exchange Office is requested from the Office (form in Annex 2 of the IGOC) by companies already categorized by Customs (ADII), the Tax Directorate (DGI) or jointly, with proof of that categorization; the Office issues a certificate. This status opens the right to a business travel allowance whose ceiling is raised to 1,500,000 MAD/year (vs 1,000,000 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 without a foreign-currency account, the e-commerce allowance (100% of the tax paid, up to 200,000 MAD, or 1,000,000 MAD if categorized; flat 50,000 MAD for new, exempt companies or those whose tax is < 50,000 MAD) is the simplest channel: payment by international card, issued on presentation of the tax receipt for the last closed financial year (Art. 121-122 IGOC 2026). 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; Art. 45 and 73-II-B-1° if the provider is an individual).
Can allowances be carried forward from one year to the next?
In principle, no. Rights not used by 31 December cannot be carried forward to the following year (Art. 10 IGOC 2026). Exception: the balance held on the “business travel allowance” account can be carried forward, provided the total credited during the year does not exceed the annual ceiling (Art. 233). 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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