Morocco Residence Permit Criminal Records: Which One Do You Need?

A Morocco residence permit criminal record request can be deceptively difficult to interpret. A foreign police certificate, a Moroccan casier judiciaire and a fiche anthropométrique are not three names for the same document. They cover different records, come from different authorities and may be requested at different stages of a first residence application or renewal.

In local terminology, you may encounter casier judiciaire (السجل العدلي), Bulletin n°3 (البطاقة رقم 3) and fiche anthropométrique (بطاقة السوابق). A residence office may shorten these terms to casier, fiche or “police certificate.” Before ordering, authenticating or translating anything, identify the exact document name, issuing authority, target language and required form.

Key takeaways

A home-country police certificate concerns another country’s records. It is commonly relevant to a first Moroccan residence application, but the issuing country and current receiving-office checklist determine the exact document.
Morocco’s Bulletin no. 3 is a judicial-record extract. It is issued through the Ministry of Justice, and the responsible record center depends on where the applicant was born—not simply where the applicant now lives.
A fiche anthropométrique is a separate DGSN police document. Official sources do not support treating it as an automatic substitute for Bulletin no. 3 in every foreign-resident case.
“Certified translation” is a bridge term in Morocco. If the receiving office asks for a traduction assermentée, confirm that it expects a translator recognized in the Moroccan system before paying an overseas provider.

Who this guide is for

This Morocco-wide guide is for foreign adults preparing a first application or renewal for a Moroccan carte d’immatriculation or carte de résidence. That includes employees, students, retirees, visitors and family-based residents who have been asked for a foreign police certificate, a Moroccan casier judiciaire, Bulletin no. 3 or a fiche anthropométrique.

Typical files combine a passport, birth certificate, entry or visa evidence, foreign police clearance, existing residence card or filing receipt, and a Moroccan criminal-record extract. Foreign documents may be in English, Spanish, German, Dutch, Italian, Chinese or another language, while the receiving office may work in French or Arabic. These examples describe common cross-border files, not an official ranking of language pairs.

This guide is especially useful if you already obtained one criminal-record document but are unsure whether it covers the correct country, if the police counter gave you only a verbal request, or if the names and birth details on your passport and police certificate do not match exactly.

Morocco residence permit criminal records at a glance

Comparison of the three criminal-record documents commonly discussed in Moroccan residence applications
Document	What it generally addresses	Issuing authority	Likely residence-stage relevance	Translation question
Foreign police certificate or foreign criminal-record extract	Records held in the issuing foreign jurisdiction	The appropriate police, justice or national record authority abroad	Often requested during a first application; exact country coverage depends on the current checklist	Ask whether French or Arabic sworn translation is required and whether authentication must come first
Casier judiciaire — Bulletin n°3	Specified Moroccan court convictions recorded under the Moroccan judicial-record system	Ministry of Justice national center or the competent local court record center	Frequently encountered in renewals and other Morocco-based background checks	The original is Moroccan; translation may instead be needed when using it outside Morocco
Fiche anthropométrique	A police-system antecedent record distinct from the judicial Bulletin no. 3	Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale, or DGSN	May appear on a local checklist, but foreign applicants should confirm eligibility and the precise intended document	Usually not a foreign-language-document issue for a Moroccan filing

The Moroccan government’s digital-services directory lists the fiche anthropométrique under DGSN and the electronic casier judiciaire service under the Ministry of Justice. That institutional separation is a strong reason not to treat the documents as interchangeable. See the official Morocco digital-services directory.

First application: start with the jurisdiction the record must cover

For a first residence application, a receiving office may ask for a police or criminal-record certificate from the applicant’s country of origin or another relevant country of residence. The practical purpose is different from a Moroccan extract: the foreign certificate addresses conduct recorded before or outside the applicant’s Moroccan residence.

Do not assume that “police certificate” means the same document in every country. The United States may involve an FBI identity-history document, the United Kingdom may involve an ACRO certificate, and other countries use court, justice-ministry or national-register certificates. Obtain the document intended for official overseas use, not a private employer screening report.

Before ordering it, ask the Moroccan receiving office:

Which country or countries must the certificate cover?
How recent must it be on the filing date?
Does the office require an original, digitally verifiable certificate or certified copy?
Does it require an apostille or consular legalization?
Must the document be translated into French or Arabic?
Does the office specifically require a Moroccan traduction assermentée?

No stable national public source establishes one universal age limit for every foreign police certificate in every residence category. If a counter mentions “three months,” obtain that requirement in writing or photograph the current checklist instead of applying it to every case by assumption.

Residence permit renewal: why a Moroccan casier judiciaire enters the file

A renewal examines a period during which the applicant has already lived in Morocco. That explains why a Moroccan judicial-record extract often becomes more relevant than simply reusing the foreign certificate submitted during the first application. This is a practical pattern, however, not permission to disregard the current checklist for your residence category.

Morocco’s Ministry of Justice explains that Bulletin no. 3 is the individual-facing extract from the judicial-record system. It reports specified custodial sentences imposed by Moroccan courts for felonies or misdemeanors; it is not a complete history of every police contact, and it does not automatically reproduce convictions recorded abroad. The Ministry’s official casier judiciaire information page explains the record categories and applicant routes.

This produces an important, counter-intuitive result: a clean Moroccan Bulletin no. 3 does not prove that a person has no record in another country. Conversely, an overseas police clearance does not replace a Moroccan extract when the residence office wants evidence about the applicant’s time in Morocco.

Birthplace—not current address—controls the Bulletin no. 3 record center

The Ministry of Justice divides responsibility according to birthplace:

For a person born in Morocco, the local criminal-record center at the competent Court of First Instance maintains the record for people born within that court’s territorial jurisdiction.
For a person born outside Morocco, regardless of nationality, the national criminal-record center handles the record.

This is one of the most common sources of wasted trips. A foreign resident born abroad may live near a Court of First Instance, but that does not make the local court the record-holding authority. The online system may still offer a separate collection option; record jurisdiction and collection location are not necessarily the same thing.

Documents listed by the Ministry for foreign applicants

The Ministry’s official information distinguishes between resident and non-resident foreign applicants. A foreign resident is asked for a copy of the residence card and a birth certificate. A foreign non-resident is asked for a birth certificate, the passport identity page and the page bearing the latest Moroccan entry visa. When another person applies on the individual’s behalf, the Ministry lists a special power of attorney with an authenticated signature. Recheck the portal before filing because interface and delivery options can change.

Applying online, collecting and mailing Bulletin no. 3

The Ministry of Justice’s electronic criminal-record portal offers online application and status tracking. Its published delivery choices include collection through a selected court or central service and secure mail. The portal states secure-delivery charges of 25 MAD inside Morocco and 40 MAD abroad. The Ministry’s information page also lists a 10 MAD stamp for the relevant national-record application route.

Do not build a renewal schedule around a forum’s one-day success story. The government does not publish a single nationwide residence-processing average, and a criminal-record request, secure delivery and the residence-card decision are separate timelines. Public discussions show that some users collect quickly while others encounter upload-format errors, missing-document requests or repeated visits.

For the online application:

Choose the applicant and birthplace category carefully.
Match names, dates and birthplace to the passport and birth certificate.
Upload readable, complete files within the portal’s current technical limits.
Save the application or tracking number.
Bring the identity documents requested for collection.
Keep the issued original, envelope and verification information until the residence process is complete.

Fiche anthropométrique: confirm before chasing the wrong document

The fiche anthropométrique belongs to the DGSN police system. It should not be described as merely another version of the Ministry of Justice’s Bulletin no. 3.

Eligibility is the most important uncertainty for foreign residents. Canadian immigration guidance for Moroccan police certificates identifies the fiche anthropométrique for Moroccan citizens and Bulletin no. 3 for foreign nationals. That guidance concerns Canadian immigration rather than Moroccan residence permits, but it is useful evidence that the two documents serve different applicant routes. See the Government of Canada’s Morocco police-certificate instructions.

If a Moroccan residence counter asks a foreign applicant for a “fiche,” ask four questions before leaving:

Do you mean the DGSN fiche anthropométrique or Ministry of Justice Bulletin no. 3?
Is the document required for a foreign national in my specific residence category?
Which office or online service should issue it?
Will a written checklist or supplementary-document notice identify the exact French or Arabic name?

This small clarification can prevent a circular journey between the residence office, police service and judicial-record portal.

Translation and authentication: what needs attention

A foreign certificate that is not in the receiving office’s accepted language may need translation. In Moroccan administrative practice, the more natural term is usually traduction assermentée, not the U.S.-style idea of a certified translation supported only by a translator’s signed declaration.

Do not assume every foreign police certificate automatically needs the same combination of apostille, legalization, notarization and sworn translation. Those layers answer different questions:

Authentication concerns the public document’s signature, seal or issuing capacity.
Translation makes the content usable in the receiving language.
Sworn-translator status concerns who is authorized or accepted to produce the translation.
Notarization ordinarily authenticates a signature or notarial act; it does not by itself turn an ordinary translator into a Moroccan sworn translator.

If authentication is required, complete it before translation so that the apostille or legalization text, seals, stickers and reference numbers can be translated with the certificate. The detailed sequence is covered in CertOf’s Morocco apostille, legalization and sworn-translation guide.

For the distinction between an overseas certified translation and local sworn translation, use the narrower Morocco traduction assermentée guide. Self-translation, family translation and machine translation are addressed separately in the Morocco self-translation and notarization guide.

What a complete police-certificate translation should cover

All certificate text, headings and result wording;
Names, previous names, dates and places of birth exactly as shown;
Document, case, verification and QR reference numbers;
Seals, stamps, signatures and handwritten annotations;
Reverse-side text and continuation pages;
Any apostille, legalization or certified-copy statement attached to the document;
Transparent labels for illegible text rather than guesses.

There is no single public certification sentence published specifically for every Moroccan residence-permit police certificate. The relevant question is whether the receiving office requires a locally recognized sworn translator and what physical signature, stamp or original format it expects. The Ministry of Justice describes the regulated translator profession and its oversight on its official translator information page.

Translation service routes: compare the signer, not the storefront

Translation routes for foreign criminal-record documents used in Morocco
Service route	Useful when	What to verify	Important boundary
Individual Moroccan court-approved translator	The residence office explicitly asks for a traduction assermentée	Current professional status, authorized language, office details, signature, stamp and whether an original paper translation is supplied	Do not rely only on an online advertisement claiming “official” status
Local translation agency coordinating a sworn signer	A file contains several languages or needs local physical delivery	The full name and status of the person who will sign; whether the agency itself or a registered translator assumes responsibility	An agency brand is not a substitute for the required signer’s professional status
CertOf online certified translation	The recipient accepts standard certified translation, the document is being prepared for international review, or the applicant needs complete digital translation before confirming a local sworn route	Target language, full-page scope, certification format, delivery type and recipient acceptance	CertOf does not issue Moroccan police records or claim Moroccan government designation

The Association Professionnelle des Traducteurs Assermentés agréés près les Juridictions provides a practical city-and-language directory. It is a professional-association resource, not a guarantee that a particular residence office will accept a particular deliverable. Confirm the named signer’s current status, authorized language and final format before paying.

Commercial claims such as “DGSN approved,” “the only accepted translator” or “guaranteed residence acceptance” should be treated cautiously. Ask for the named translator’s verifiable professional status and a description of the final deliverable.

Public and nonprofit resources

Official and nonprofit resources for document requests, translator checks and administrative problems
Resource	Use it for	Cost and limits
Ministry of Justice criminal-record portal	Bulletin no. 3 application, tracking and delivery selection	Official service; it does not decide which document your residence office requires
Ministry of Justice translator-profession resources	Understanding the regulated Moroccan translator route	Official information; it does not quote or arrange a translation for you
GADEM	Rights-oriented information concerning foreigners and migrants, particularly where a residence problem extends beyond document translation	Nonprofit guidance with scope and capacity limits; not a substitute for the issuing authority or retained counsel
Chikaya national complaints portal	Submitting and tracking a complaint about a Moroccan public service	Government complaint channel; it does not suspend filing, appeal or court deadlines

Local user signals: useful, but not rules

Two recurring patterns appear across expatriate forums and institutional onboarding material for international students and foreign employees.

First, applicants report that document lists can change between the first application and renewal, and sometimes between offices. Recent Expat.com discussions describe Moroccan casier judiciaire requests during renewal, while older threads show upload-size problems and uncertainty about copies and collection. These accounts are useful for identifying friction, but their processing times and local checklists are not national standards. See this example renewal discussion.

Second, university and employer onboarding guides commonly tell new foreign residents to bring a home-country record and later obtain a Moroccan record. These guides are more structured than anonymous posts, but they still serve a particular institution and applicant group. Use them as preparation signals, not as replacements for the police office’s current checklist.

The strongest practical lessons are therefore modest: start early, preserve written instructions, distinguish the issuing authorities, and do not order translation until the target language and translator status are confirmed.

Costs, timing and local logistics

Published criminal-record charges: the Ministry portal states 25 MAD for secure delivery inside Morocco and 40 MAD abroad; the Ministry information page lists a 10 MAD stamp in the relevant national-record route.
Residence-card timing: no single official nationwide average is published. A quick Bulletin no. 3 does not mean the residence card itself will be ready quickly.
Scheduling: residence intake is handled through the competent police or gendarmerie structure. A nationwide appointment model should not be assumed; confirm locally before traveling.
Mailing: choose secure delivery only if someone can receive it and the timetable leaves room for correction. Keep scans of the application and issued record.
City details: this national guide does not generalize one city’s opening hours or queue system. Applicants in Casablanca can use the more specific Casablanca residence-document guide.

Common failure points

Obtaining the right kind of record from the wrong jurisdiction. A private employer check may not be the foreign public certificate requested for official use.
Going to the current-city court when birthplace assigns the record elsewhere. Foreign-born applicants fall under the national criminal-record center.
Treating “fiche” as a precise instruction. Ask whether it means DGSN’s fiche anthropométrique or the Ministry’s Bulletin no. 3.
Translating before authentication. A later apostille page may be left untranslated.
Submitting a foreign certified translation when the office requested a Moroccan sworn translation.
Silently normalizing names. A translator should reproduce differences, not conceal them. Prepare supporting identity-chain evidence when necessary.
Relying on a community processing time. Portal issuance, postal delivery, residence intake and final card production are separate steps.

Complaints and anti-fraud steps

When a document is refused, first ask the receiving office to identify the missing document, defect or translator requirement in writing. Keep the filing receipt, tracking number, rejected copy, translation invoice and any supplementary-document notice.

For an unresolved public-service problem, Morocco’s Chikaya national complaints portal accepts and tracks administrative complaints. It publishes 3737 and 08 0200 3737 for calls inside Morocco and +212 5 37 67 99 06 from abroad. Select the responsible administration carefully and attach concise evidence. A complaint is not a substitute for observing an immigration, administrative-review or court deadline.

Fraud warning signs include an intermediary promising guaranteed approval, claiming exclusive police recognition, refusing to name the sworn translator, or requesting payment to “remove” a criminal entry without a lawful correction process.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a foreign police certificate for a first Moroccan residence application?

You may be asked for a certificate from your country of origin or another relevant country, but the exact country coverage, document age and authentication requirements should come from the current receiving-office checklist. A Moroccan Bulletin no. 3 does not cover foreign records.

Is Moroccan casier judiciaire the same as Bulletin no. 3?

Casier judiciaire describes the judicial-record system more broadly. Bulletin no. 3 is the individual-facing extract applicants commonly mean when they ask for their Moroccan criminal record.

Does Bulletin no. 3 show convictions from my home country?

Do not assume so. The Ministry describes Bulletin no. 3 by reference to specified sentences imposed by Moroccan courts. Obtain a foreign certificate separately when the receiving office asks for records from abroad.

Where does a foreign-born resident request Bulletin no. 3?

The national criminal-record center handles the records of people born outside Morocco, regardless of nationality. Apply through the Ministry of Justice portal and follow its collection or delivery instructions.

Can a foreign national obtain a fiche anthropométrique?

Do not assume eligibility merely because a clerk said “fiche.” Official sources distinguish the DGSN fiche from Bulletin no. 3, and foreign-facing guidance commonly directs foreign nationals toward Bulletin no. 3. Ask the residence office to confirm the exact document and issuing service in writing.

Must my foreign police certificate be translated into French or Arabic?

If the document is not in a language accepted by the receiving office, translation will be necessary. Confirm whether the target should be French or Arabic and whether a Moroccan traduction assermentée is required.

Can notarization replace a Moroccan sworn translation?

Not automatically. Notarization and sworn-translator status perform different functions. If the office requests a traducteur assermenté, notarizing an ordinary translation does not by itself satisfy that instruction.

Should I translate the police certificate before obtaining an apostille?

If authentication is required, complete it first and translate the entire authenticated package. Otherwise, the later apostille or legalization page may fall outside the translation.

What if my name is spelled differently on the certificate and passport?

Do not ask the translator to hide the difference. Preserve the original spellings, check whether the issuing authority can correct the record, and prepare birth, marriage, name-change or other identity-chain evidence when appropriate.

Prepare the translation without overstepping the filing rules

CertOf can translate foreign police clearances and supporting identity records, reproduce document structure, cover stamps and authentication pages, and provide digital certified-translation delivery and revision support. You can review CertOf’s translation quality controls, check turnaround benchmarks by document type, or upload the complete document package for translation.

If the Moroccan receiving office specifically requires a local traduction assermentée, verify and use an appropriately recognized Moroccan translator. CertOf does not issue Bulletin no. 3 or a fiche anthropométrique, book police appointments, provide Moroccan legal representation or guarantee approval by a government office.

Disclaimer

This guide provides general document-preparation and translation information. It is not legal advice and does not replace the current instructions of the competent Moroccan police, gendarmerie, court or Ministry of Justice service. Requirements can vary by residence category, applicant history, issuing country and receiving office. Confirm the exact record, document age, authentication route, target language and translator qualification before ordering or submitting documents.

Resources