Can you kiss in Morocco if not married?

Are there laws around public displays of affection in Morocco? Yes, there are. Morocco has laws relating to those things that are, “an act of aggression against Moroccan Muslim society and people” – kissing in public falls into this category. The prohibitions specifically relate to unmarried couples.



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Moroccan society has rules regarding passionate kissing in public and lying on top of each other in a public garden as an act of aggression against Moroccan society - kissing in public can be considered a no-go for unmarried couples.

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If you are a foreign couple visiting and you kiss no one is likely going to say anything to you – kissing in Morocco is not illegal. However if one partner is Moroccan you may face additional scrutiny. While you might not get in trouble, it is highly frowned on to kiss or fondle each other in public.

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While public affection is generally frowned upon in the country, holding hands is fine.

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As long as the couple is an adult, they can stay in a hotel together, unless the hotel owner does not want them to share the room. Normally, unmarried foreign couples have no issue without showing proof of marriage. The law prohibits sexual relations outside marriage (Article 490), but this law is rarely enforced.

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The laws says that all couples (Moroccan couple, Tourist couple or Mixed) are not permitted to share an hotel room without being married not only Moroccan with tourist. Some hotels turn a blind eye for tourists couples, even some Riads for all but to be honest not Respectable Riads as you said.

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If you are a foreign couple visiting and you kiss no one is likely going to say anything to you – kissing in Morocco is not illegal. However if one partner is Moroccan you may face additional scrutiny. While you might not get in trouble, it is highly frowned on to kiss or fondle each other in public.

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When Moroccan women (I've seen men do this, too) greet each other, the greeting typically involves a 3-part kiss. The Moroccan woman will brush her cheek against that of the other woman's and will make a kissing sound. They don't typically kiss directly on the cheek. The same is repeated to the other cheek.

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So it is considered incredibly rude to eat, shake hands, give a gift, or leave a tip with your left hand. If you get invited to a local's home for tea during your tour of Morocco, be especially careful to only touch your cup and any fruit or bread that may be offered with your right hand.

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Moroccans don't eat with their left hands. Left hands are considered the “dirty hand” as they are traditionally used for hygienic duties. When eating tajine, you will be given bread to dip into the middle dish. You can rip your own bread with your left hand, but use your right hand to dip into the communal dish.

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Gulf countries do not allow live-in relationships for unmarried couples. This is the case in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In fact, the 2022 World Cup highlighted some of Qatar's traditional laws.

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Cover Your Chest and Shoulders While you do not need to cover your entire arms, it is highly recommended that you at least cover your shoulders. Tank tops or strapless shirts and dresses are not considered appropriate in the streets of Morocco. Again, you will experience a lot of harassment if you wear these items.

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So in summary – it's generally possible for unmarried couples to share a hotel room, but discretion is advised.

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Hygiene. In Morocco it is very common to find squat toilets, which are flushed with a bucket of water. Moroccan toilets almost always do not contain toilet paper and it is a necessity to carry toilet paper and/or hygiene wipes if you will be away from the hotel for an extended period of time.

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My partner & I spent 3 weeks travelling around, and it was never an issue. We just gave our passports over (different surnames) and we were NEVER asked whether or not we were married. To be honest, we never even thought about it until reading these posts after our trip. Don't worry, you'll be fine... have a fab trip!!

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