US-Morocco tax considerations
- 1977 US-Morocco tax treaty: limited scope. Immovable property taxed in state of situs (Morocco). US citizens/residents taxed on worldwide income anyway — Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116) for Moroccan tax paid.
- FBAR (FinCEN 114): mandatory if foreign financial accounts aggregate >USD 10,000 during the year. Includes your Moroccan CCD account.
- Form 8938 (FATCA): required when foreign financial assets exceed specific thresholds (from USD 50k single / 100k joint at year-end). Real estate NOT reportable directly, but holdings in Moroccan SCI might be.
- PFIC rules: avoid Moroccan collective investment vehicles (OPCI) — highly punitive US treatment. Direct property ownership is preferred.
- US estate tax: global estate >USD 13.6M exemption. Include Moroccan property at FMV.
- State tax: California, NY, NJ, etc. may tax worldwide income. Check state-specific rules.
Banking & mortgage from USA
No US subsidiaries of Moroccan banks. Process: open CCD remotely (Moroccan nationality proof + US ID + proof of address), SWIFT transfer from US account (Chase, BoA, Wells Fargo, Citi all support). Mortgage dossier directly with Moroccan bank using US income (W-2 or Schedule K-1, last 2 years 1040).
MRE USA mortgage: LTV 70-80%, term 10-20 years typical, rates 4.5-6% MAD / 3.5-5% EUR. USD-denominated mortgages rare. Dossier processing 4-8 weeks due to US income translation.
Moroccan consulates in USA
- New York — Consulate General (largest MRE hub)
- Washington, D.C. — Embassy + Consular section
- Orlando, Florida — Consulate General (Southeast MRE)
- Los Angeles — honorary consulates, services via DC for POA
POA procedure: US notary public → state apostille (Secretary of State) → Moroccan consulate legalisation → mail to Morocco. Allow 4-6 weeks end-to-end.
Preferred destinations — MRE USA
- Casablanca CFC & Anfa Supérieur — premium apartments, business ticket
- Marrakech Palmeraie & riads — luxury secondary residence
- Rabat Souissi — diplomats, academics, government sector
- Tangier — growing premium segment (hotel investments)
Investing from NY, DC, Florida or California?
Fully remote service + coordination with your US CPA on reporting. Quote within 24h.