Retiring in Western Sahara: What the Official Sources Establish

France Diplomatie (the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs travel advice service) has no separate page for Western Sahara. The territory is mentioned in the safety section of its advice on Morocco, which deals with vigilance zones and routes but not with the conditions of stay of a retiree. The entry and stay page of this advice does not mention the territory. No retiree visa, pension threshold or long-stay residence permit applicable to this territory was therefore read in an official source: they are not described here.

Before any decision, the retiree asks the French embassy in Rabat (+212 5 37 68 97 00) in writing about the entry and stay formalities that apply to the area concerned, then the competent local authorities, and keeps the replies. They also check that their destination is indeed within the coverage zone of their insurance (see coverage zone).

According to the Assurance retraite (the French pension insurance), the French pension can be paid abroad, into a French or foreign bank account; transfer fees should be checked with the bank. A change of address and bank details is reported by letter to the regional fund. Each year, a proof of existence must be completed by a competent local authority or a consulate, then returned in time for the pension to continue to be paid, through the online personal account or by post to the Tours processing centre. The CLEISS specifies that a single certificate covers all funds, and that an app lets some residents complete it by video. No procedure specific to the territory is described: the French embassy in Rabat indicates which authority is authorised.

The solidarity allowance for older people (ASPA) and the supplementary disability allowance require residence in France: they stop on departure and can be applied for again on return. The retiree reports their departure to their pension fund and to their health insurance fund (CPAM), and registers on the register of French nationals living abroad with the embassy, which indicates the procedure that applies.

The list of tax treaties published by the French tax administration includes Morocco but has no entry for Western Sahara; the pages read do not specify whether the France-Morocco treaty applies to the territory. No official source read describes the local tax regime either. The retiree therefore asks the tax office for non-resident individuals and the local tax authorities where their pension is taxed, in order to avoid double taxation.

The tax administration describes the withholding tax applicable to French-source salaries and pensions paid to a non-resident: after a 10% allowance, under a scale of 0%, 12% and 20% by bands revised each year; the 0% and 12% bands are final, and the 20% levy is set against tax. It specifies that a non-resident is subject to it only for French-source income taxable in France under international treaties.

On social levies, the Assurance retraite indicates that the CSG, CRDS and CASA are not withheld when tax residence is no longer in France. A health insurance contribution of 3.20% may remain if the retiree stays in the French health scheme or is a foreigner with at least 15 years of contributions; the Assurance Maladie (the French public health insurance) cites 3.2% on the basic pension and 4.2% on the supplementary pension for people who keep rights during stays in France.

The Assurance Maladie specifies that a retiree who leaves France for a country outside the European Union, the European Economic Area, Switzerland or the United Kingdom no longer has their healthcare costs covered by French health insurance, unless a bilateral agreement applies; they can join the CFE or take out private insurance. Morocco is in the list of these agreements; as its application to Western Sahara is not specified, the retiree has it confirmed by their fund or by the CLEISS. The form S1 is reserved for European countries covered by the coordination regulations.

The CFE offers retirees its retirees’ offer, open to holders of a pension from the French basic scheme who no longer carry out any activity, with no health questionnaire and no refusal of membership; the waiting period is nil if membership takes place before departure or within three months of settling, then three months (under 44) or six months (over 45). The France Diplomatie health advice on Morocco considers it essential to have assistance or insurance covering medical costs, hospitalisation and medical repatriation, and reminds readers that establishments may demand full payment before discharge. See a retiree’s health insurance abroad and healthcare reimbursement in Western Sahara.

For stays in France, a general scheme retiree registers with the national centre for French retirees abroad; in a country with no agreement, reimbursement requires at least 15 years of contributions to French compulsory schemes. Their spouse is not covered during these stays in the absence of an agreement and must arrange insurance.

No official source read describes the cost of living, towns or housing in Western Sahara, and no World Bank data is published for it: these points are neither quantified nor commented on. France Diplomatie’s instructions concern safety: the territory is classed under heightened vigilance, any route leaving the tarmac coastal road must be subject to prior agreement from the royal gendarmerie or the royal armed forces, and the coastal route towards Mauritania must not be used at night.

A retirement plan is therefore prepared with a reconnaissance stay, exchanges with the French embassy in Rabat, health cover confirmed in writing for the area of stay, and a plan for returning. Retirees can see the page on retirement insurance abroad, and Expavy helps you compare cover with repatriation according to age and medical history.