Living in Western Sahara as a French Citizen: What the Official Sources Say

The status of Western Sahara is the subject of differing positions. This page takes none: it uses the terms of the French official sources where they exist and flags each point that these sources do not cover. The choice is deliberate: better an incomplete but verified benchmark than unestablished information on a territory where official information is limited.

In practical terms, the France Diplomatie list of destinations has no separate entry for Western Sahara. The territory appears in the safety section of the advice on Morocco. The entry and stay, health, useful information and useful contacts sections of this advice do not mention Western Sahara. The World Bank indicators interface recognises no code for this territory and delivers no series, and the register of French nationals living abroad gives no readable data: no figure for population, income or French community is therefore put forward here.

In its safety advice, France Diplomatie classes among the zones of heightened vigilance “Western Sahara” and specifies that, “when crossing it, any route leaving the tarmac coastal road must be subject to prior agreement from the royal gendarmerie or the royal armed forces”. It also recommends, concerning mines, that travellers on motorbike or in a 4x4 vehicle who wish to use unpaved tracks “in the region bordering Western Sahara” report to the gendarmerie or to a local authority such as the caid.

As regards the border with Mauritania, France Diplomatie indicates that any travel along this border is strongly advised against and that the only access point to Mauritania is the coastal road leading to Nouadhibou. The coastal route towards Mauritania must not be used at night: the road is narrow and traffic, particularly trucks, is heavy. The advice on Morocco more broadly advises against driving at night, and advises inexperienced drivers against taking the wheel; France Diplomatie does not specify whether this general wording applies to the territory.

These instructions are repeated here as published. A resident or traveller preparing a long journey checks with the French embassy in Rabat the latest version of the vigilance zone map and, before each trip, the notices of the local authorities.

The entry and stay page of the advice on Morocco indicates that a passport valid for the whole stay is compulsory, that an identity card alone no longer allows entry and that non-residents must present a return ticket and sufficient means. It does not mention Western Sahara: these formalities are therefore not carried over here. The conditions of entry, length of stay, residence permit, identification number and registration applying to this territory should be confirmed with the French embassy in Rabat (+212 5 37 68 97 00) before departure.

The France Diplomatie useful contacts for Morocco list the French embassy in Rabat and six consulates general, in Agadir, Casablanca, Fès, Marrakech, Rabat and Tangier. The page specifies the district of none of these posts for Western Sahara: the question of which post is competent for the area of stay should be put to the embassy, as should that of registration on the register of French nationals living abroad.

No official source consulted describes, for Western Sahara, the cost of living, the housing market, French or international schools, the languages spoken or the climate. In the absence of a source, these points are neither quantified nor commented on. A plan to settle therefore starts with direct contact with the French embassy in Rabat, the employer or the host organisation, who hold the information on the ground, and with a reconnaissance stay.

For families, schooling should be prepared early: ask the embassy for the list of schools accessible from the area of stay, including distance learning possibilities. For students, health cover should be checked with the health insurance fund (see insurance for students abroad).

In its health advice on Morocco, France Diplomatie considers it essential to have assistance or insurance covering medical costs, hospitalisation and medical repatriation. It specifies that the French embassy cannot pay these costs, that healthcare establishments may require full payment before the patient leaves and that you must check the extent and validity of your medical cover. For a stay in Western Sahara, reading the contract therefore focuses on the geographical zone covered: you should obtain from the insurer written confirmation that the territory is within the coverage zone and that assistance operates there.

The detail of access to care on the spot and of health advice is presented in the page on the healthcare system, and the reimbursement situations in healthcare reimbursement.

• Contact the French embassy in Rabat about the entry and stay formalities that apply to the area and about the competent consulate.
• Ask the CLEISS (the French centre for international social security links) (+33 1 45 26 33 41) whether a social security agreement applies, none being in its lists for this territory.
• Take out insurance with assistance and repatriation, checking validity in the territory.
• Plan for authorisations to travel off the tarmac coastal road, as France Diplomatie indicates.
• See a doctor or an international vaccination centre well before departure.
• Report your departure to the local health insurance fund (CPAM), the CAF (family benefits fund) and the pension funds.

Expavy can help compare assistance cover, but the decision is always taken after written confirmation of the zone covered.