Heba Press – Rabat
The parliamentary representative of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, Hanan Atrekin, raised the demand that Moroccans be compensated for refused “Schengen” visa fees,
She sent a written question to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, asking him to study the possibility of allowing Moroccans whose Schengen visa application is rejected to recover the fees paid.
She explained that the number of Moroccans applying for a Schengen visa is constantly increasing, since in 2023 they will occupy fourth place in the world and first in the Arab world and Africa in terms of the number of applications filed, according to a report from the European Commission.
The representative added that the application process has become a major burden for Moroccans, financially and psychologically, due to the difficulty in obtaining appointments, as well as the handling of these appointments by brokers. and the delay in responses from consulates in certain countries.
Hanan Atrekin confirmed that after overcoming numerous obstacles related to submitting applications, many Moroccans find themselves faced with the rejection of their applications. The same report indicates that Schengen area countries rejected around 136,367 visa applications from Moroccan citizens in 2023, resulting in a non-refundable financial loss estimated at around 118 million dirhams.
