A common mistake among MREs is thinking family reunification can include parents. It cannot — in France, Belgium and Spain, only spouses and minor children are eligible. To host Moroccan parents for an extended stay, the lesser-known long-stay 'visitor' visa (type D) is the correct route, fully accessible if conditions are met.
Costs & fees
| Long-stay D visitor visa (French consulate) | €99 | Per adult parent, non-refundable |
| International health insurance €30,000 minimum | €150-400 | For 1-year stay; providers: AXA, Allianz, MAEDI |
| Hosting certificate (French town hall) | €30 | Fiscal stamp, issued at the MRE's town hall |
| Translation and apostille of Moroccan documents | €100-250 | Per full file (birth and marriage certificates) |
| Prefecture extension (visitor residence card) | €225 | Fiscal stamp for residence card application if extending from France |
Timeline
Understanding the three visa regimes by duration
Schengen visa (type C, max 90 days): for short visits, issued by the consulate. Long-stay visitor visa (type D, >90 days): for extended stays without employment or family reunification. In France it is valid for 1 year and renewable. Extension from France: a parent already in France with a C visa can apply for a 'visitor' residence card at the prefecture under certain conditions.
💡 Tip — If your parents want to stay less than 90 days, a Schengen C visa is sufficient. For more than 90 days, a D visa is mandatory from the outset.
⚠️ Warning — Exceeding 90 days on a Schengen C visa results in a ban from the Schengen area.
Conditions for the type D visitor visa in France
Cumulative conditions: (1) the parent must not intend to work in France; (2) the parent must show sufficient means of subsistence — approximately €1,200/month or a hosting declaration plus financial support from the MRE child; (3) international health insurance covering at least €30,000 in medical expenses for the entire stay; (4) serious evidence of intention to return to Morocco (property, family left behind, active Moroccan bank account).
💡 Tip — A hosting certificate (attestation d'accueil) issued by the MRE's French town hall significantly strengthens the file and proves accommodation.
⚠️ Warning — Lack of proof of intent to return is the leading cause of refusal. Consulates are vigilant about families trying to bring elderly parents with no return plan.
Procedure at the French consulate in Morocco (Casablanca or Rabat)
The application is submitted on france-visas.gouv.fr then in person at the consulate in Casablanca (bd Moulay Youssef) or Rabat (av. Allal Ben Abdallah). Required documents: long-stay visa cerfa form, passport valid 6 months, parent's birth certificate, parents' marriage certificate, parent's proof of income in Morocco (3-month bank statements), notarised or town-hall hosting certificate, €30,000 insurance, proof of filiation (MRE child's birth certificate). Cost: €99.
💡 Tip — Book 4 to 6 weeks in advance: consular slots in Casablanca are fully booked in 2026.
⚠️ Warning — Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) are taken at the appointment. Your parent must attend in person.
Processing time and refused visa appeal
Processing time is 3 to 8 weeks depending on the consulate and season. If refused, a gracious appeal to the consul or a contentious appeal before the Nantes Administrative Court (competent for all visa refusals in France) is possible within 2 months. In practice, a motivated gracious appeal results in a favourable revision in 20-30% of cases.
💡 Tip — Attach to the gracious appeal any document strengthening proof of return: Moroccan property deed, recent Moroccan bank statements.
Belgium (family D visa) and Spain: alternatives
Belgium has no strict long-stay 'visitor' visa. Parents can obtain a family reunification type D visa if the Belgian/resident child proves financial or medical dependence of the parent — discretionary and rarely granted. An alternative is a prolonged temporary stay visa via the Belgian consulate in Casablanca. In Spain, parents can obtain a residencia temporal no lucrativa visa valid 1 year, renewable, with proof of autonomous resources (€28,800/year in 2026 for both parents). Cases of sick or dependent parents open specific humanitarian procedures.
💡 Tip — For a sick parent requiring medical care in France, a type D medical visa is possible with a translated and apostilled medical certificate.
⚠️ Warning — In Belgium, attempting to use family reunification for parents without proving dependence leads to refusal and may harm future visa applications.
In depth
The crucial legal nuance to remember: parents do not fall under family reunification as defined in European law (Directive 2003/86/CE), which reserves this mechanism for spouses and dependent children. Parents may however be covered by each Member State's national law. In France, the 'visitor' (long-stay) visa is the only realistic avenue, and its issuance is entirely discretionary. The consulate independently assesses the reality of the intention to return. A parent over 70, owning property in Morocco, with savings in a Moroccan account and family remaining there, is a far more credible profile than a parent with no assets or strong ties to Morocco. The hosting certificate signed by the town hall (not just a personal declaration from the child) carries significant weight. On the question of cumulative stays: a parent who chains 90-day Schengen stays with brief returns to Morocco enters a grey area; consulates may refuse the next visa if they conclude the parent is de facto settling.
❌ Common mistakes to avoid
- ✕Believing family reunification can include parents: it is strictly limited to spouses and minor children under European Directive 2003/86/CE.
- ✕Not taking out international health insurance of at least €30,000 before submitting the file: this is a non-negotiable condition.
- ✕Presenting a file without solid proof of intent to return (property, active bank account, family in Morocco): leading cause of consular refusal.
- ✕Exceeding 90 days on a standard Schengen visa hoping to 'regularise' from France: this triggers a territory ban and jeopardises all future applications.
- ✕Forgetting to renew the visitor visa or residence card at the prefecture 2 months before expiry: beyond that, the parent is undocumented.
🔗 Official links and resources
France-Visas - Long-stay visitor visa
Official French long-stay visa application platform, type D visitor
French Consulate General in Casablanca
Consular information, list of required documents for long-stay visas
Service-public.fr - Hosting certificate
Procedure and conditions to obtain a hosting certificate from a French town hall
Nantes Administrative Court - Visa appeal
Contentious appeal procedure against a French visa refusal
❓ Frequently asked questions
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