Guidance

Morocco: notarial and documentary services

Documents and certificates available at the British Embassy Rabat, Morocco.

Overview

The consular sections at the British Embassy Rabat and British Honorary Consulate Marrakech issue a range of legal documents for British nationals in Morocco.

Where local notaries can provide services, the British Embassy Rabat and/or British Honorary Consulate Marrakech will not provide them. In many cases, local translators or lawyers can provide services more conveniently, quickly and cheaply.

You should check with the relevant authority (e.g. town hall/registry office/tax authorities/foreigners’ office, etc) in the UK or in Morocco whether our consular certificate or service will be accepted. Your local British consular office cannot confirm this information, only the relevant authority can advise you.

Also see our additional information on marriage and services provided by other UK authorities.

You must apply for each service that requires your personal attendance. Use the links after each service to apply.

Services we provide in Morocco

Note that notarial and documentary services are only available at the British Embassy Rabat and Honorary Consulate Marrakech. Staff at these offices can:

  • legalise a signature or seal only if the document did not originate in the UK – for documents from the UK, contact the Legalisation Office for advice
  • prepare certain documents in English or French
  • administer an oath, affirmation or affidavit (including for marriages)
  • witness a signature
  • make a certified copy of a document
  • unite documents

Change of Address Certificate

The British Embassy in Rabat no longer issues ‘Change of Address Certificate’ since we are unable to confirm your previous and current addresses. We advise you to seek advice from local notaries who might be best placed to issue such document.

The British Embassy has also stopped issuing a ‘ Radiation Letter’ since British people are no longer registered with the British Embassy. Local authorities have been informed of this change.

What to bring to your appointment

See the individual services below for details of supporting documents and use the link below the relevant service to apply. Make sure you have acceptable proof of address and identity, and payment for any fees.

Payment

We accept and encourage payment by international credit or debit card on the day the service is provided.

Refunds of consular fees are not given for certificates of notarial services that are not accepted by the requesting authority. See the full list of consular fees

Proof of identity

For all notarial services applications you will need to bring acceptable proof of your identity. We accept passports or national identity cards as proof of identity.

Administer an oath, affirmation or affidavit (including marriage)

This service is for people who need to swear an oath, make an affirmation or make an affidavit in front of a consular officer.

The embassy will not draft documents for you other than those required for marriage. There is additional information on what you need to bring for marriage affirmations or affidavits below. For other oaths, affirmations or affidavits, first check with the Embassy what format they need and then have the document drawn up or checked by a professional.

What you will need to bring with you:

  • the oath, affirmation or affidavit that you will swear or affirm (except for marriage)
  • proof of identity
  • the correct fee – see payment options

Additional information for marriage affirmations or affidavits

This service replaced the Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) from 10 March 2014. Also see how to apply for a marriage affirmation or affidavit online and in person.

To enable you to marry in Morocco, the British Embassy will provide you with 2 documents:

  • the affirmation or affidavit which replaces the capacity to marry
  • a certified copy of your British passport which replaces the certificate of nationality

Note that:

  • same sex marriages/civil partnerships are not recognised in Morocco. Therefore we cannot process documentation for a same sex marriage, even if the marriage is proposed to take place in a third country.
  • the Moroccan authorities will require you to provide more documents. You should check with them for a full list.

What you will need to bring with you for a marriage affirmation or affidavit:

  • passports for both the bride and groom (or a Moroccan ID card if your partner is Moroccan)
  • original divorce paper/death certificate (if previously married)
  • original deed poll (if name has been changed before)
  • the correct fee – see payment options

Apply for the affirmation of marital status.

Witness a signature

This service is for customers who need to sign a document and have their signature witnessed by a consular officer. The document must be prepared in advance as we will not draft documents for you. We do not handle wills or probate, or witness deed polls.

Do not sign the document beforehand - you will need to do this in front of a consular officer.

What you will need to bring with you:

  • the document that you will sign before a witness
  • British passport of the person whose signature is being witnessed
  • [he correct fee – see payment options. Note that the fee is charged per signature.

Legalise a signature/document

This service is for legalising a signature or seal only if the document did not originate in the UK. For documents from the UK, contact the Legalisation Office.

The signature/document to be legalised must have been signed by an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Morocco (MFA).

What you will need to bring with you:

  • the signature/document to be legalised
  • British passport of the person who is requesting the service
  • the correct fee – see payment options. Fees are charged per signature.

Make a certified copy of a document

This service is for customers who need certified photocopies of British passports or UK educational documents (only those that have been issued in the UK by a recognised institution and are listed on the Legalisation Office website). We cannot make certified copies of documents issued by the General Registry Office in the UK.

What you will need to bring with you:

Unite documents

This service joins documents together using ribbon and a seal and is usually only needed for legal reasons.

What you will need to bring with you:

  • the documents to be united
  • British passport of the person whose document is to be united
  • the correct fee – see payment options

Prepare a document in English or French

In a limited number of cases consular staff can write a statement of fact (‘preparing a certificate’) to help British nationals with various local authorities. The wording must be cleared with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London, which means these documents will take longer to prepare.

We can only provide this service if we have proof that the wording/content you require is correct and unambiguous. This service is provided at the discretion of consular staff and we can refuse to provide it. Contact the British Embassy Rabat before applying. We can prepare these documents in English or French. Ensure you select the correct service and note the difference in fees.

What you will need to bring with you:

Make a copy of a birth or death certificate

We are able to provide copies of birth and death registrations only if they were registered at the British Embassy Rabat before 13 January 2015. If you require this service, contact the consular section with your request.

Services provided elsewhere:

The British Embassy no longer handles applications for renunciation and naturalisation or registration as a British Citizen. All applications are now handled by the UK Border Agency.

Data protection

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office holds and uses data for purposes notified to the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act 1998 (which may be viewed at www.ico.gov.uk. Such personal data may be disclosed to other UK Government departments and public authorities.

Disclaimer

This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the embassy by the relevant local authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. Accordingly the FCDO and the British embassy will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain any further information must contact the relevant local authority.

Published 10 April 2013
Last updated 28 June 2022 + show all updates
  1. Updated 'Additional information for marriage affirmations or affidavits' section.

  2. Update: British Embassy Rabat no longer issues ‘Change of Address Certificate’. See more in the 'Change of Address Certificate' section.

  3. Payment methods

  4. Change of payment method.

  5. New updates to the notarial and documentary services guide for Morocco

  6. Changes made to show notarial services are now available at the British Embassy Rabat only.

  7. First published.