Medical repatriation from France to Morocco
A relative is in hospital in France and needs to go home to Morocco, or you manage an insured patient’s file. We organise the journey from the ward in France to the establishment that will continue the care in Morocco.
The route: many direct links, medium-haul distances
[Route to be confirmed by the company]
Depending on the season, direct scheduled flights link Paris (Charles de Gaulle and Orly), Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes and Montpellier with Moroccan airports such as Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier, Fès, Oujda and Nador. Royal Air Maroc, Air France, Transavia, Air Arabia and low-cost carriers share these routes, some of them seasonal.
It is about 1,930 km as the crow flies from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Casablanca, 1,620 km from Paris to Oujda and 1,140 km from Marseille to Oujda. Royal Air Maroc gives about three hours for Paris–Casablanca. As an indication, an air ambulance needs a similar time; the actual duration depends on the aircraft, the winds and any technical stop.
Three ways to travel
Air ambulance
For a patient who needs intensive care, flying to the airport closest to the receiving hospital. See air ambulance.
Stretcher on a scheduled flight
Possible on some direct flights, subject to the airline’s agreement and the space available. See stretcher on a scheduled flight.
Seat with a medical escort
For a stable patient able to sit for three hours or more, with a doctor or nurse alongside. See medical escort.
Who pays for the return to Morocco?
A Moroccan resident taken ill while visiting France
Under the EU Visa Code, a Schengen short-stay visa requires travel medical insurance covering repatriation for medical reasons, with at least 30,000 euros of cover. Contact that insurer first: it often has to approve the transport in advance.
A Moroccan living in France who wants treatment in Morocco
The French Assurance Maladie does not pay for medical repatriation, and many assistance contracts bring the insured person back to their country of residence. Check that a transfer to Morocco is covered; otherwise the family can fund it privately.
Insurers: see our dedicated page and our guide to insurance.
Formalities and documents
- Moroccan nationals need no visa to enter Morocco; if the passport has expired or been lost, contact the Moroccan consulate early.
- Other nationals should check the entry rules on the Moroccan consular portal. French nationals need a passport valid for the whole stay, as the identity card alone is no longer accepted (French foreign ministry).
- Franco-Moroccan dual nationals should also carry their French passport for the return to France.
- A relative living in Morocco who wants to join the patient in France needs a Schengen visa, applied for through France-Visas.
- The medical file: a recent report from the treating team, the discharge summary and the list of current treatments. See our guide to MEDIF and fit-to-fly documents.
Timescale and cost
Before take-off we need the medical report, a confirmed bed and, for a scheduled flight, the airline’s clearance. Our usual time from agreement to take-off is [usual time from agreement to take-off].
The price depends on the means of transport, the medical staff and the ambulances at both ends. See our page on costs.
Important
This page gives general information and does not replace the advice of the treating doctor, who decides with the medical team and the airline whether the patient can fly. In an emergency in France, call 112.
Questions about repatriation from France to Morocco
Can the patient land at a regional airport such as Oujda or Nador?
Often, yes: by a direct flight in some seasons, or by air ambulance to the airport closest to the receiving hospital.
Who chooses the hospital in Morocco?
The family or the insurer, for example a university hospital centre (CHU) or a private clinic in Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech or Fès. It must agree to admit the patient before departure.
Can a relative travel with the patient?
Usually. For a stretcher passenger, some airlines even require a companion, as Royal Air Maroc states in its special services conditions.
Bring your relative home to Morocco
Tell us where the patient is in France and where they need to go in Morocco. Our medical team reviews the file and we reply with a written quote. Travelling the other way? See Morocco to France and our other routes.