Albanian citizens can travel to Morocco without a visa for short stays from 15 August 2026. Albania's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs published the notice on 14 August, saying it had been informed by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco accredited to Albania, which sits in Rome, that the competent Moroccan authorities had decided to abolish the visa requirement for Albanian citizens travelling to Morocco for short-term stays. The change takes effect the day after the announcement. It completes a commitment the two governments made in March 2025 and leaves Albanian passport holders able to board a flight to Casablanca or Marrakech without applying for anything in advance.
Background
The decision goes back to 1 March 2025, when Albanian foreign minister Igli Hasani travelled to Morocco and the two foreign ministers signed a joint declaration marking the 63rd anniversary of diplomatic relations. Morocco said then that it had decided to lift visa formalities for Albanian citizens travelling for short stays, and that it was committed to finalising the implementation procedures. That is where the matter sat for the next seventeen months, long enough that several travel reference sites began listing Albania as already visa-exempt for Morocco, which it was not. The 14 August notice is the first time an entry-into-force date has been attached to the commitment.
What exactly changed
Until now, Albanian passport holders needed a visa for Morocco. Many used Morocco's electronic visa, but that route is conditional: it is open only to travellers who already hold a qualifying visa or residence permit from a short list of countries, among them the Schengen states, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, and it grants a stay of 30 days. Albanians without one of those documents had to apply through a Moroccan consulate. From 15 August the requirement disappears for short stays and the e-Visa step becomes unnecessary for travel in that category. The exemption is one-way. Moroccan citizens still need authorisation to enter Albania, and nothing in the announcement suggests that changes.
Before and after
- Before: Albanian passport holders needed a visa for Morocco, with the e-Visa route open only to those already holding a qualifying visa or residence permit from the Schengen area, the US, the UK, Canada or a handful of other countries, for stays of up to 30 days
- After: no visa required for short stays, from 15 August 2026
- Announced by: Albania's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs on 14 August 2026, informed by the Moroccan embassy accredited to Albania
- Not reciprocal: Moroccan citizens still require authorisation to enter Albania
Who it affects
The obvious group is Albanian travellers going to Morocco for a holiday, a family visit or a short business trip, who no longer have to build an application into their timeline or meet the residence-permit condition the e-Visa imposed. The change is also useful to Albanians living elsewhere in Europe who travel on an Albanian passport, since it removes a step that previously depended on which residence document they happened to hold. For anyone considering a longer stay, a move or work in Morocco, this does not help directly. A visa waiver covers short visits only; residence and work in Morocco run on a separate permit system, and that is unchanged.
What this means in practice
Confirm the permitted length of stay with the Moroccan consular authorities before booking. The announcement describes the exemption only as covering "short-term stays" and does not state a number of days, which is the one detail a trip actually turns on. Carry proof of onward travel and accommodation as well, which Moroccan border officers can ask for regardless of visa status. Airlines and border systems sometimes take a few days to catch up with a change like this, so keeping a copy of the ministry notice on your phone is a reasonable precaution for the first weeks. Our Morocco country guide (/country-guides/morocco) covers what living and travelling there involves, and the Albania guide (/country-guides/albania) covers the picture from the other direction.
When it takes effect
The visa exemption applies from 15 August 2026. Source: statement of Albania's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, 14 August 2026, reported by Zëri, Vizion Plus and Gazeta Telegraf the same day.
What is not yet confirmed
The announcement does not state how many days the exemption allows, whether it is limited to ordinary passports, or whether the two countries have signed a formal visa-waiver agreement or Morocco has acted unilaterally. Neither foreign ministry had published a machine-readable notice at the time of writing. Confirm the length of stay with a Moroccan consulate before you travel.
Key Takeaway
From 15 August 2026 Albanian passport holders can enter Morocco for short stays without a visa, ending a requirement Morocco agreed to drop back in March 2025.