Rabat – France has confirmed the expansion of his Visa services to Laayoune, the largest city in the southern provinces of Morocco, in one step that many as significant political gestures of support for Moroccan sovereignty over western Sahara.
The announcement was made by the French ambassador Christophe Lecourtier during the official inauguration of a new TLS -VISA center in Casablanca.
For the first time, residents of Laayoune and the more comprehensive region of Sahara can apply for French visas directly from their city. This development is expected to make the visa process for applicants more accessible in the south and more expensive.
“In accordance with the position that the President of the Republic expressed during his official visit in October last October, the Visa operating services were expanded directly to Laayoune in cooperation with TLS. The residents of this region will now benefit from the same services,” said the French embassy in Morocco in a press release.
The step comes as France Double After his support for the sovereignty of Morocco via Western Sahara, the significant position in July 2023, when Macron expressed full support for the Morocco autonomy plan as the most serious and credible solution for the conflict.
A few days ago, the French government confirmed its position in favor of Morocco during the visit of Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Paris.
The newly built 3,500 m² Visa Center in Casablanca can process between 800 and 1,200 visitors a day. According to the message, it includes improved facilities such as extended deadlines (including Saturdays and early morning hours), a document collection at home and free access to a premium lounge for people with reduced mobility.
The French Consulate General has also signed partnership agreements with large companies in Morocco, including Air France, CMA-CGM, Renault and Saint-Gobain to facilitate business trips. A special agreement was also made with the French Chamber of Commerce and the industry in Morocco (CFCIM).
In order to prevent fraud and ensure fairness, a lottery system was introduced for some schedule categories to stop illegal intermediaries that take advantage of visa applicants, added the explanation.
Lecourtier commented on the inauguration and said that the new facility “The obligation that always drove us in the message and at TLS to improve the reception that we give all those who want to visit France are many of which there are.”
The ambassador added that “visa applicants have legitimate and growing expectations that we have to encounter to counter the challenges of mobility between Morocco and France.”
