Medical repatriation from Spain to Morocco
A relative is being treated in a Spanish hospital and needs to return to Morocco, or you handle an insured patient’s case. Across the Strait of Gibraltar the distances are short, which widens the choice of transport. Once the option is chosen with the treating team, we organise a bed-to-bed transfer.
A short route across the Strait
[Route to be confirmed by the company]
The Strait of Gibraltar is about 14 km wide at its narrowest point. Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Seville and Valencia have direct flights to Morocco, notably to Tangier, Tétouan, Nador and Casablanca, which is about 870 km from Madrid as the crow flies. Royal Air Maroc, Iberia, Air Arabia, Vueling and Ryanair operate these routes, with seasonal timetables.
Distances and flight times
| Route | Distance as the crow flies | Scheduled flight time |
|---|---|---|
| Málaga – Tangier | about 165 km | about 50 min |
| Madrid – Tangier | about 570 km | about 1 h 30 |
| Barcelona – Nador | about 830 km | about 1 h 50 |
Indicative flight times, from Ryanair’s timetables. An air ambulance needs a comparable time, depending on the aircraft, the winds and any technical stop. On legs this short, the ground transfers often take longer than the flight.
Four ways to travel
Air ambulance
For a patient in intensive care, or to reach an airport without a convenient direct flight, such as Al Hoceima. See air ambulance.
Stretcher on a scheduled flight
Only if the airline accepts it on that flight, which depends on the aircraft and its medical service. See stretcher on a scheduled flight.
Seat with a medical escort
On a one- or two-hour flight, a stable patient may travel seated next to a doctor or nurse. See medical escort.
By road and sea
A ground transfer including the sea crossing must be assessed case by case: duration, waiting, care on board, border checks. See ground ambulance.
Medical file, language and formalities
- The medical file is usually written in Spanish. Ask the receiving team in Morocco which language it works in: a French or Arabic translation of the main report can save time on arrival.
- Moroccan nationals need no visa to enter Morocco; check that the passport is valid.
- Spanish relatives need a passport valid for more than six months, as the identity card (DNI) does not allow entry into Morocco, according to the Spanish foreign ministry. It lists no compulsory vaccination.
- Other nationals should check the entry rules on the Moroccan consular portal.
- A relative living in Morocco who wants to join the patient in Spain needs a Schengen visa from the Spanish consulates in Morocco.
Insurance for the return home
A visitor from Morocco holding a Schengen visa had to take out travel medical insurance covering repatriation for medical reasons: call that insurer first. For a Moroccan who lives and works in Spain, check whether the assistance contract covers a transfer to Morocco or only a return to the home in Spain; otherwise the family can fund it privately.
Insurers: see our dedicated page and our guide to insurance.
Timescale and cost
A short flight shortens the journey, not the preparation: medical report, bed confirmed in Morocco, ambulances at both ends and, on a scheduled flight, the airline’s clearance. Our usual time from agreement to take-off is [usual time from agreement to take-off]. 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 how the patient can travel. In an emergency in Spain, call 112.
Questions about repatriation from Spain to Morocco
Is going by road and ferry faster than flying?
Not necessarily. Transfers, waiting, the crossing and border formalities add up, with the patient under medical supervision throughout. The medical team compares the options.
Which establishments receive patients in Morocco?
The family or the insurer chooses, for example a university hospital centre (CHU) or a private clinic in Tangier, Tétouan, Oujda, Fès, Rabat or Casablanca. It must agree to admit the patient before departure.
Is there a page for patients in France?
Yes: see medical repatriation from France to Morocco and our other routes.
Bring your relative home from Spain
Tell us where the patient is in Spain and where they need to go in Morocco. Our medical team reviews the file and we reply with a written quote.