Unmarried In Morocco

Assuming you are not a Morrocan national, and the country relies on tourism this would not apply to you.

Thank you so much for clearing that up. 👍

There are several notes on the internet that say some hotels will refuse to rent a room to unmarried couples due to the laws, even if you are not Moroccan. Hotels do check passports at check in. Guess it would be a good idea to check with your hotel on this.

This is not a real-world concern. Wherever you saw that it's nonsense.

I've traveled pretty extensively in Morocco with my spouse, stayed in all kinds of places, everything from fancy international chain hotels and traditional riads to funky backpacker hotels in big cities to small inns way out in the hinterlands, and we have very different last names (and are a racially mixed couple, too). Nobody gave us a second glance.

Cross this off your list of things to worry about. Morocco is not Saudi Arabia, it's not run by ISIS. It may appear and feel exotic (it should, it is), but it also gets vast numbers of European tourists, and as is about as "westernized" as anyplace in North Africa. You won't have any issues about your names.

Enjoy your trip!

Not a problem, in my experience. I went to Morocco with my boyfriend and no one even asked, and have many friends that have been there, married and not married, who don't share the same last name (as in many countries), and it has never been a problem.

Muslim tradition is for the wife to keep her father’s name. As married Muslim couples rarely have the same last name, none of this makes any sense.

donna,

Your profile doesn't list your location, but I'm assuming you live in the U.S.?

You may have already done this, but be sure to have a look at the U.S. State Department website concerning travel to Morocco. The Canadian government website has slightly stronger warnings, and this is mentioned in the section on "Laws & Culture*.......

"Adults travelling with children should always carry written permission from both parents, or a legal document granting them custody or allowing them to travel alone with the children."

If your partner doesn't go, be sure you have some documents with you.

Regarding the marriage question, as you've been together for 15 years, that's somewhat the same as marriage in some jurisdictions (although it's not usually called a "marriage"). If they question your status, you could always point out that many people these days retain their original names, even in a legal marriage.

We recently returned from Morocco. While my other half and I have the same last name, we were traveling with people whose last names didn't match. They experienced no problems at all, whether in hotels in Marrakech or out of the way places on the edge of the Sahara. Your biggest worry will be making sure that you always have enough cash on hand, as credit cards aren't always accepted.