Declaration of Value for Moroccan Degrees: How It Really Works and Hidden Aspects You Should Know

The Declaration of Value is a fundamental tool for anyone who has obtained a degree in Morocco and wishes to use it in Italy for academic, competitive, or professional purposes. It is a certification document that confirms the legal value of the degree in the country of origin and its level within the Moroccan educational system, allowing it to be correctly recognised in Italy.

However, behind this seemingly straightforward procedure, there are technical steps, checks, and administrative practices that are useful to know in order to avoid delays or rejections.

• Enrolling in university courses or master's programs;
• Participating in public competitions;
• Obtaining equivalence or professional recognition;
• Accessing regulated training programs.

The Role of Italian and Moroccan Authorities

It is important to clarify: the Italian Consulate does not issue Apostilles nor intervene in the formal validity of Moroccan documents. In Morocco, the Apostille is issued exclusively by the competent authority in the city where the institution that issued the degree or professional certificate is located. This means:

• A diploma issued in Casablanca must be apostilled in Casablanca.
• One issued in Marrakech must be apostilled in Marrakech, and so on.

The Italian Consulate only intervenes at the final stage, when the complete file is submitted and the documentation is verified to issue the Declaration of Value.

The Procedure

1. Obtaining the Original Diploma: This is the preliminary and essential step. Without the original, no procedure can begin.

2. Apostille on the Degree: The original diploma must be apostilled in the city of origin of the institution so that it acquires international validity. This step is often where delays occur due to overloaded offices, non-uniform practices, and additional checks for older degrees.

3. In Some Cases: Apostille on an Authenticated Copy: A second Apostille on an authenticated copy is not always necessary. It is only required when the degree is very old or not yet registered in the recent Moroccan ministry databases. In such cases, the administration may request an authenticated, apostilled copy to strengthen authenticity verification.

4. Sworn Translation: The diploma (and, if present, the authenticated copy) must be translated into Italian by a sworn translator, which is also subject to an Apostille.

5. Submission to the Consulate and Issuance of the Declaration of Value: Once all documents, original diploma, any authenticated copy, Apostille, sworn translation, are collected, the file is submitted to the competent Italian Consulate. After formal checks (origin, authenticity, compliance), the Consulate issues the Declaration of Value.

Which Degrees Can Obtain a Declaration of Value
The Declaration can be requested for:

• Middle school diplomas;
• High school diplomas (baccalauréat);
• Professional diplomas;
• University degrees.

Attention to Private Degrees
Degrees from private institutions follow a more complex procedure, requiring additional verification and not always resulting in approval. For this reason, in most cases, requesting them is not recommended.

Why Rely on a Professional
The Moroccan system is highly decentralised: each city may apply slightly different procedures, which can significantly complicate timelines. In addition, documentation must be perfectly consistent to avoid the Consulate blocking the procedure.

Giambrone and Partners can assist with:

• Identifying the competent authorities for each degree;
• Collecting and verifying documentation;
• Coordinating translations, authentications, and Apostilles in the city of origin;
• Submitting the file to the Italian Consulate.
• Monitoring the entire process until the Declaration of Value is issued.

Our lawyers can provide complete guidance on all aspects of the procedure.  If you would like to start the procedure leading to your Declaration of Value, please click here.