Moroccan Citizenship

[Jenn! 918]

My husband is starting the process of getting our son his Moroccan citizenship. He knows he needs to get his family book, register our marriage, etc. I think we're going to run into problems because we were not married islamically prior to the baby's birth. Any experience with this scenario?

[MrsAmera 41]

Yes you will run into problems. He'll need to the family book first - and will end up having to have a proxy in Morocco have his signature on a form (forgot the name) to get the book. Then you'll have to do the birth part. You will also end up having to send things over to Morocco for the birth because Adam is older than 1. He'll need a proxy to go before a judge in Morocco to certify the birth. AND you can't go to Morocco, visit, and do all of this - they will say "you live in America you have to do it through them". PIA.

[Jenn! 918]

Yes you will run into problems. He'll need to the family book first - and will end up having to have a proxy in Morocco have his signature on a form (forgot the name) to get the book. Then you'll have to do the birth part. You will also end up having to send things over to Morocco for the birth because Adam is older than 1. He'll need a proxy to go before a judge in Morocco to certify the birth. AND you can't go to Morocco, visit, and do all of this - they will say "you live in America you have to do it through them". PIA.

All of that is a pain, but it is doable. My question is will it all be for naught? Will they say that the baby was illegitimate and therefore ineligible for citizenship since we were not married islamically?

[Meriem_DZ 37]

Jenn, I am just curious. Does Morroco have a policy to require military service for males. If for instance, in the future you do get your son Morrocan citizenship, could he be called to do military duty when he is old enough?

Meriem

[KittyPollitt 284]

Jenn, please let me know how this turns out.. once we get AOS straightened out, we want to do this for our daughter, and haven't the foggiest clue where to start.. Wish you luck with it

Sarah

[MrsAmera 41]

Well...it could. I say this because we did our Islamic marriage part about 2 months after our legal marriage, and Khalil was born 7 months after our "islamic" marriage. I distinctly remember the consular at the Moroccan consulate giving us a hard time about this and I say "oh i know but he was a premie". Since both names are on the birth certificate it probably will get worked out. I'll tell you it's a pain in the A** in general. We gave up after 3 years of trying and losing a few hundred dollars in the wasteland of the process. Youssef's exact words "no one will care if he's Moroccan he's an American citizen"...yowch.

[Golden Gate 530]

Jenn, I am just curious. Does Morroco have a policy to require military service for males. If for instance, in the future you do get your son Morrocan citizenship, could he be called to do military duty when he is old enough?

Meriem

No, they don't require it.

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

Well...it could. I say this because we did our Islamic marriage part about 2 months after our legal marriage, and Khalil was born 7 months after our "islamic" marriage. I distinctly remember the consular at the Moroccan consulate giving us a hard time about this and I say "oh i know but he was a premie". Since both names are on the birth certificate it probably will get worked out. I'll tell you it's a pain in the A** in general. We gave up after 3 years of trying and losing a few hundred dollars in the wasteland of the process. Youssef's exact words "no one will care if he's Moroccan he's an American citizen"...yowch.

My daughter is Moroccan but I doubt she could ever get papers because he is still legally married to the Puerto Rican who direct consulate filed for him in the late 90s. She flew over there after meeting him on yahoo and married him in Morocco so as far as they are concerned, shes his wife even though he hasnt seen her since he dumped her right after he got his 10 year card. She never bothered to divorce him so wallah.. they have a 13 year marriage that he never bothered to end. I doubt I will ever able to get anything for my daughter and ironically if he dies , she is entitled to his money there and here. I doubt my princess will ever get a thing from Morocco as far as papers. I dont think he will ever get US citizenship.. nice time explaining what he did with his wife

[zahra 11]

The new Moroccan family law (2004) recognizes the paternity of illegitimate children. The other stuff (Puerto Rican wife) shouldn't be relevant to this issue.

My daughter is Moroccan but I doubt she could ever get papers because he is still legally married to the Puerto Rican who direct consulate filed for him in the late 90s. She flew over there after meeting him on yahoo and married him in Morocco so as far as they are concerned, shes his wife even though he hasnt seen her since he dumped her right after he got his 10 year card. She never bothered to divorce him so wallah.. they have a 13 year marriage that he never bothered to end. I doubt I will ever able to get anything for my daughter and ironically if he dies , she is entitled to his money there and here. I doubt my princess will ever get a thing from Morocco as far as papers. I dont think he will ever get US citizenship.. nice time explaining what he did with his wife

[Jenn! 918]

Well...it could. I say this because we did our Islamic marriage part about 2 months after our legal marriage, and Khalil was born 7 months after our "islamic" marriage. I distinctly remember the consular at the Moroccan consulate giving us a hard time about this and I say "oh i know but he was a premie". Since both names are on the birth certificate it probably will get worked out. I'll tell you it's a pain in the A** in general. We gave up after 3 years of trying and losing a few hundred dollars in the wasteland of the process. Youssef's exact words "no one will care if he's Moroccan he's an American citizen"...yowch.

I didn't realize you never actually succeeded after all of your efforts! I'm certainly not optimistic about the whole thing. Thanks for the info.

The new Moroccan family law (2004) recognizes the paternity of illegitimate children.

Thanks - I didn't know that. I don't see my child as illegitimate, of course, but he might be from the Moroccan government's perspective.

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

The new Moroccan family law (2004) recognizes the paternity of illegitimate children. The other stuff (Puerto Rican wife) shouldn't be relevant to this issue.

Well he was added to her birth certificate about a year later when the state went after him because he refused to support her. He had to start paying child support and they added him to her birth certificate. Hes pretty pissed at me right now because I gave her my family name and not his but he was being a total #### when I was pregnant. It took him 3 full years to start acting like a human being and when I was pregnant he had moroccan friends call up and all tell me I needed to abort her. ( We were living together up until about this point) I kicked him out when I was 6 months pregnant because I was over it. Whats ironic is that now we are actually on pretty good terms but I would never let him take her to Morocco until shes 18. I have been really sick and on chemo drugs but I myself would love to take her there. Shes been to Algeria 4 times and Tunisia twice so shes travelled alot but I would love to experience Morocco, especially when she is old enough to understand it. I really like taking her to the EPCOT pavillion and she gets to see Moroccans all the time because there are Moroccans all over.

I have my good days and bad days. Some days I am very tolerant and forgiving and other days I am over it. I was super pissed at how other Moroccans acted to my pregnancy, especially men, telling me that because we werent married I should do him and the baby a favor and abort her. I was pretty shocked at their laissez faire who cares attitude to abortions. All the moroccan women I met were super kind and supportive and actually gave me gifts for her and have embraced her. I was also horrified at some of his family members. The brother almost terrorised me when he found out I was pregnant. I am nice to them but I feel hard for how they treated me and how they have neglected her

This has nothing to do with the subject anyway. I just wouldnt pursue ANYTHING resembling Moroccan citizenship for her for another 12 years because they dont have a hague convention with us and if he got it in his mind to keep her there, he could because they dont let children of moroccans outside the country without the dads permission if they are moroccan citizens

[zahra 11]

I wasn't referring to your child. From their instructions it shouldn't be a problem but nothing is ever as simple as it seems. I'm sure you have seen this, but on the Moroccan Consulate's webpage in the FAQ section they say:

What if we have not been married at the Mosque?

In this case you need to call the Consulate at: 212-758-2625 Ext: 238 to get “Moulhak” a necessary document for the issuance of your family book.

Thanks - I didn't know that. I don't see my child as illegitimate, of course, but he might be from the Moroccan government's perspective.

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

I wasn't referring to your child. From their instructions it shouldn't be a problem but nothing is ever as simple as it seems. I'm sure you have seen this, but on the Moroccan Consulate's webpage in the FAQ section they say:

What if we have not been married at the Mosque?

In this case you need to call the Consulate at: 212-758-2625 Ext: 238 to get “Moulhak” a necessary document for the issuance of your family book.

I am sure with enough money, you can get any paper you want... it sure seems that way

but honestly, I dont think with him married to another american who took him out of morocco and who is still on the books as his wife that my child will ever get anything... I am not going to try until shes 18 anyway. hes on his us birth certificate so I am sure that someday I can get something if she even wants it..She might one day want to stay over there and as the child of a moroccan citizen, she should be able to do so

[KittyPollitt 284]

It can become an issue when traveling in and out of Morocco as visitors. Moroccan citizens are supposed to use a Moroccan passport to enter/exit. When we left the last time as a family, we were questioned by Moroccan authorities about why our daughter (who has a super Moroccan last name) did not have a Moroccan passport. I don't know what might have come from it, but better safe than sorry..

[MrsAmera 41]

Really? My son has been in and out of Morocco 3 times and not one word about a Moroccan passport/citizenship..