Frequently asked questions
- If an applicant is outside Macao, can he/she apply for the Macao SAR Travel Documents by post?
- What travel document is needed if Macao resident wishes to travel to the Hong Kong SAR?
- If a Macao resident travels to the Hong Kong SAR, what is the maximum period of stay in Hong Kong SAR?
- What is the validity period of a « Macao SAR Passport »?
- Is it necessary to apply for a visa when traveling to Taiwan Region?
- What should cardholders do if they found their lost Macao SAR travel documents after lodging the application for replacing the lost document?
- What are the procedures for collecting the Macao SAR Travel Document?
- How to collect Macao SAR Travel Document at Document Collection Kiosk?
- What should an applicant do if he/she applied for travel document renewal and chose to collect the document at document collection kiosk, but he/she lost his/her former valid travel document before collection?
- What are the photo specifications for applying for Macao SAR Travel Documents?
- What should Macau residents do if they lost their Macau SAR travel document overseas?
- When lodging the application for travel documents for underage children in “Macao One Account”, how do parents submit their children’s “photo for Identification documents” in “My Photos” of “Macao One Account” ?
1. If an applicant is outside Macao, can he/she apply for the Macao SAR Travel Documents by post?
Yes. If the applicant is in other country or region, he/she can authorize a representative in Macao to obtain an application form and lodge the application to DSI on his/her behalf. The applicant can also download the application form from the “Postal Application Service” system of DSI.
2. What travel document is needed if Macao resident wishes to travel to the Hong Kong SAR?
(1) Eligible Macao SAR permanent residents holding electronic Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card can enter and exit the Hong Kong SAR as visitors without producing any other travel documents or filling in any arrival/departure card. Pursuant to the existing Hong Kong SAR immigration requirements, nationals of certain countries are required to obtain a visa in prior before entering the Hong Kong SAR. These individuals, though possessing a valid electronic Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card, are still subject to prior assessment and approval in order to enjoy the abovementioned facilitations.
(2) Chinese or Portuguese nationals holding a Macao SAR non-Permanent Resident Identity Card can apply for the “Visit Permit for Residents of Macao SAR to Hong Kong SAR” at the Identification Services Bureau in order to travel to Hong Kong.
3. If a Macao resident travels to the Hong Kong SAR, what is the maximum period of stay in Hong Kong SAR?
By presenting an electronic Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card, the Macao SAR permanent resident is allowed to stay in the Hong Kong SAR as a visitor for a maximum period of 180 days provided that the immigration requirements are duly fulfilled. For a Macao SAR non-permanent resident entering Hong Kong with his/her «Visit Permit for Residents of Macao SAR to HKSAR», he/she is allowed to stay in the Hong Kong SAR as a visitor for a maximum period of 30 days provided that the immigration requirements are duly fulfilled.
4. What is the validity period of a « Macao SAR Passport »?
The validity period of « Macao SAR Passport» is 10 years for holders aged 18 or above, and 5 years for holders aged under 18.
5. Is it necessary to apply for a visa when traveling to Taiwan Region?
Macao residents can contact the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Macao for relevant visa details, tel: (853)28306289.
6. What should cardholders do if they found their lost Macao SAR travel documents after lodging the application for replacing the lost document?
After the lost document is found, the cardholder has to present it to DSI and apply for refund if needed. If the cardholder returns the lost document to DSI on the same day of lodging the application, the cardholder can apply for refund of the entire fee, including application fee and the additional fee for document loss. Otherwise, the cardholder can apply for refund of the additional fee only. Moreover, the cardholder cannot be returned the fee in cash at DSI if the request for refund is not made to DSI in the same week of lodging the application for replacement of document. In this case, the cardholder has to wait for DSI’s notification to collect a statement which is issued by the Finance Services Bureau for the cardholder to cash at bank. Please note that the refund process takes time.
7. What are the procedures for collecting the Macao SAR Travel Document?
The applicant can collect the document in person or by an authorized person. To authorize a representative to collect the document, the applicant has to fill out the authorization form on the receipt and sign the receipt according to the Macao SAR Resident Identity Card signature. For applicants under 18 years old, the authorization form must be signed by their parent or legal representative. When the delegate collects the document, he/she has to present a valid identification document for verification.
Note﹕
- If the former travel document has not expired, it must be presented to this Bureau for cancellation when collecting the document.
- Applicants reached 18 years old and applied the document via Macao One Account have to collect the document in person; For applicants below 18 years old, their documents have to be collected by their parent or guardian in person and cannot be collected by other persons by authorization.
8. How to collect Macao SAR Travel Document at Document Collection Kiosk?
After lodging the application for the Macao SAR Travel Document at service counters or self-service kiosks, applicants can choose to collect the new travel document at any of the seven government 24-hour self-service kiosk centers. Applicants aged 18 or above must collect the document in person; for applicants aged below 18, the document must be collected by their parent or legal representative holding a Macao SAR resident identity card. When collecting the document, one may choose to scan his/her electronic identity, or scan or enter the receipt number for identity verification through facial recognition or fingerprint verification. If the former travel document has not expired, it must be brought along for cancellation.
9. What should an applicant do if he/she applied for travel document renewal and chose to collect the document at document collection kiosk, but he/she lost his/her former valid travel document before collection?
The applicant should first report the loss to the Macao Public Security Police Force.After that, he/she should visit the service counters at the Identification Services Bureau with the loss report and pay the additional charge for being unable to present the former travel document, and then wait for the Identification Services Bureau’s notification of the collection date of the new travel document.
10. What are the photo specifications for applying for Macao SAR Travel Documents?
Applicants can submit a 1.5-inch, color, bareheaded and full-faced photograph in plain white background which is taken at a photography studio within the last 6 months, use the photograph taken on-site at no cost or choose the “photo for identification documents” in “My Photos” of the “Macao One Account” which is taken by a contracted photography studio in the last 6 months. For details, please refer to “Photo Specifications”.
11. What should Macau residents do if they lost their Macau SAR travel document overseas?
In order to assist Macau residents who have lost their Macau SAR travel documents overseas to return to Macau as soon as possible, the Identification Services Bureau launched the “Overseas Assistance- Lost Travel Document in Journey” service. Residents can use the service through “Common Access to Public Services of the Macao SAR” APP. After completing the application, the applicant will receive an application number and a verification code which is valid for 24 hours only. The applicant has to proceed to the Chinese overseas embassy or consulate to apply for a Chinese travel document for returning to Macao.
In addition, they can call the 24-hour hotline of Macao Public Security Police Force at (853) 2857 3333, the Macao Government Tourism Office at (853) 2833 3000, the Emergency Call Center of the World’s Consular Affair of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China at 008610-12308 or the Identification Services Bureau at (853) 2837 0777 (in office hours) themselves or through relatives or friends in Macao for assistance.
12. When lodging the application for travel documents for underage children in “Macao One Account”, how do parents submit their children’s “photo for Identification documents” in “My Photos” of “Macao One Account” ?
(1) Online Service:
Parent who is holding a Macau SAR Resident Identity Card holders and have reached 18 years old can use his/her “Macao One account” to lodge the application for travel documents of his/her underage child who has reached 5 years old on the latest issuance date of identity card. It should be ensured that the child’s “photo for identification documents” have already been uploaded to the parent’s “Macao One account” so that the parent can choose the child’s photo as the travel document photo when lodging the application.
(2) Offline Service:
When using counter services, it should be ensured that the child’s “photo for identification documents” have already been uploaded to the parent’s “Macao One account”. The parent just needs to select his/her child’s “photo for identification documents” in “My Photos” of “Macao One Account”. After showing the QR Code of the photo to the counter officer and input the sharing code as instructed, the photo can be submitted to the public department.