Registration of Association and Foundation

1. How is an association or foundation established?

1. The founder of an association or foundation shall first draft a constitution and apply to the Identification Services Bureau (DSI) for the “Certificate of Adoptable Name of Association and Foundation”;
2. Upon receipt of the certificate, the founder shall notarize the establishment of the association or foundation at the Public Notary Office;
3. After the constitution is published in the Official Gazette, DSI will notify the association or foundation of the registration number by an official letter;
4. The founder of the association may call general assemblies and elect members of the leadership structure in accordance with the constitution;
5. General assembly minutes and photocopies of the identity documents of all members shall be submitted to DSI. Also, the founder can register the leadership structure and information of members online and upload the identification documents and meeting minutes using the “Association and Foundation Management System” in the association-dedicated area of the “Business and Associations Platform”.

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2. How does the applicant collect the “Certificate of Adoptable Name of Association and Foundation”? How long is the processing time?

After DSI has received the application for the “Certificate of Adoptable Name of Association and Foundation”, the certificate (in the form of official letter) will be posted to the contact person according to the address provided on the application form 12 working days following the date of receiving all required documents.

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3. How is a constitution written for establishing an association on foundation?

Please refer to the constitutions of established associations or foundations published on the website of the Government Printing Bureau (www.io.gov.mo). The establishment of all associations or foundations has to be published in the Official Gazette, Series II, of the Macao Special Administrative Region.

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4. How can an established association or foundation revise its name or add another name?

1. The association or foundation has to properly fill out an application form for the “Certificate of Adoptable Name of Association and Foundation” and  stamp the form with the association or foundation seal (the applicant must be the president or director of the association or foundation, or any individual authorized by the president or director);
2. The application form must specify the registration number of the association or foundation and the new name to be adopted;
3. A photocopy of the identification document of the applicant;
4. The draft amendment to the constitution (please specify the articles to be amended);
5. The minute of the general assembly in which at least three-fourth of members attending the assembly agreed on the resolution to amend the constitution (if any).

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5. How can an established association or foundation amend articles of its constitution (including changing the address)?

The association or foundation just needs to apply to the Cartório Notarial (the Public Notary Office) for the amendment of articles of its constitution (including the association address) provided that the change does not involve the association name. (1.º Cartório Notarial, Tel: 28574258; Cartório Notarial, Tel: 28554460; Cartório Notarial das Ilhas, Tel: 28827504).

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6. How does an association or foundation set up a minute register?

Pursuant to the stipulations of Article 146 of the Civil Code, the resolutions of an association or foundation should be recorded in its minute register. The minute register shall be accessible by the members.
The minute register can be set up by the person-in-charge or the administration body of the association or foundation (e.g. the board of directors or other organs of similar function). The minute register should be made up of blank loose-leaf pages. The association has to ensure that each page is kept intact by an effective means so as to avoid losses.

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7. What must be included in general assembly minutes?

Pursuant to paragraph 3 of Article 146 of the Civil Code, general assembly minutes must include:

1. The venue, date, time, and agenda of the assembly;
2. The name of the person who chairs the assembly;
3. The contents of proposed resolutions and the results of votes thereupon;
4. Clearly state the intent of vote of the office-holders of leadership structure vote on their request;
5. The signature of office-holders of the leadership structure attending the assembly;
6. The signature of the person who chairs the assembly.

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8. Is it necessary to notify DSI when the term of office of members of the leadership structure of an association expires?

At the expiry of term of office of members of the leadership structure, a general assembly shall be convened for the purpose of electing new members of leadership structure according to the constitution. After the election, the association shall submit the general assembly minutes to DSI along with photocopies of the identification documents of all members within 90 days according to law. Also, the association can choose to update the leadership structure and upload the relevant meeting minutes online through the “Management System of Association and Foundation” in the association-dedicated area of the “Business and Associations Platform”.

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9. How can an association submit general assembly minutes and apply for a new Certificate of the Leadership Structure after it has convened a general assembly and elected new members of leadership structure?

a. Through the “Management System of Association and Foundation” in the association-dedicated area of the “Business and Associations Platform”, associations can register information about members of the leadership structure, and upload general assembly minutes and photocopies of identification documents. (It is only needed to input Chinese and Portuguese name, document type, identity card number and document expiry date for Macao residents.) After receiving DSI’s confirmation, the associations can submit the meeting minutes to DSI service counter and apply for the certificate on the “Business and Associations Platform”. Applications lodged by this channel, the processing time of the certificate will be shortened to 3 working days (following the date of receiving the meeting minute by DSI).

b. General assembly minutes and certificate applications can be submitted to one of the following service locations of DSI in person or by an authorized representative:

• The Identification Services Bureau (1st floor, China Plaza)
• The Macao Government Services Centre in Areia Preta (Zone R, 2nd floor)
• The Macao Government Services Centre in Islands (Zone D, 3rd floor)

The certificate will be issued in 10 working days (following the day of receipt of the application and all required documents).

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10. 10. What is the “Management System of Association and Foundation” used for?.

In order to facilitate the enquiry and registration of the information of members of the leadership structure, the management system is equipped with following functions:

a. Enquiring information about members of the latest leadership structure of an association or foundation registered with DSI and checking if their documents are still valid ;
b. Registering members of the first or the renewed leadership structure and uploading minutes of general assembly and valid identification documents. (It is only needed to input Chinese and Portuguese name, document type, identity card number and document expiry date for Macao residents.)

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11. 11. Who are eligible to use the “Management System of Association and Foundation”?

Managers who have signed up an online account on the “Business and Associations Platform” and officers who are authorized to log in to the system under the association’s “Business and Associations Platform” account and manage the information of the association or foundation.

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12. How to sign up an online account of “Business and Associations Platform” ?

1. Two of the three heads of the governing bodies of the association o foundation (i.e. president of the general assembly, chairman of the management board and chairman of the supervisory board) can sign up an “Business and Associations Platform” account of the association after inputting the basic information or the association or foundation and the personal information in the “Business and Associations Platform” and passing facial recognition. After becoming the entity account managers, they will then be able to add other managers and officers in the system, and also authorize them to use the services in the “Business and Associations Platform”.
2. For newly established associations, two of the founders can sign up the account after facial recognition.
3. If two representatives are appointed by the resolution of the association or foundation’s general assembly to sign up the account, the association or foundation can first submit the meeting minutes to DSI for processing. After that, they will receive DSI’s notification of going through the formalities for signing up the “Business and Associations Platform” account.

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13. What can associations or foundations do in the “Business and Associations Platform”?

Holders of association or foundation account in the “Business and Associations Platform” can access the information of members of the association or foundation’s current leadership structure, make adjustments to functions and duties according to the new election result and upload the relevant election meeting minutes in the “Management System of Association and Foundation”, apply for the certificate of association and foundation, apply for subsidies, declare the entry of new employees and termination of employment of employees, renewal of license, borrowing venues, activity enrollment and so on.

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14. How to apply for the certificate of association or foundation?

a. Through the “Certificate of Association and Foundation” section in the association-dedicated area of the “Business and Associations Platform”.

b. Proceed to one of the following three DSI offices in person or by a delegate with a duly completed “Application Form for Certificate of Association and Foundation” and a photocopy of applicant’s valid identification document:

• The Identification Services Bureau (1st floor, China Plaza)
• The Macao Government Services Centre in Areia Preta (Zone R, 2nd floor)
• The Macao Government Services Centre in Islands (Zone D, 3rd floor)

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15. How do officers check the status of the application on the “Business and Associations Platform” ?

The “Business and Associations Platform” entity account manager can add permission to officers for accessing the status of application by the following steps:

1. Log in to the “Business and Associations Platform”
2. Click the profile picture at the upper right corner and choose “Government Services”
3. Click “Business and Associations Platform”
4. Click “My e-Affairs Managers”
5. Click “Edit”
6. Select the officers to add permissions
7. Click “Confirm”

After that, officers can select “e-Affairs” on the service page to check the status of applications.

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16. How do officers check the electronic certificates on the “Business and Associations Platform”?

The “Business and Associations Platform” entity account manager can add permission to officers for accessing all electronic certificates that have been applied and issued by the following steps:

1. Log in to the “Business and Associations Platform”
2. Click the profile picture at the upper right corner and choose “Government Services”
3. Click “Business and Associations Platform”
4. Click “My Certificates and Licenses Managers”
5. Click “Edit”
6. Select the officers to add permissions
7. Click “Confirm”

After that, officers can select “License” on the service page to check the electronic certificate.

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17. How do officers check the reminder message sent by this bureau on the “Business and Associations Platform”?

The “Business and Associations Platform” entity account manager can add permission to officers for receiving reminder message by the following steps:

1. Log in to the “Business and Associations Platform”
2. Click the profile picture at the upper right corner and choose “Government Services”
3. Click “Business and Associations Platform”
4. Click “Notifications –Notifications Managers”
5. Click “Edit”
6. Select the officers to add permissions
7. Click “Confirm”

After that, officers can select “Notifications” on the service page and go to “Reminder Messages” to check the notification.

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18. How can citizens access the information about their position taken (as an office-holder) in different associations or foundations?

a. Holders of “Common Access to Public Services of the Macao SAR” (individual account) can access the information in regard to the position that they have taken in different associations or foundations by using the “Association and Foundation Office-holders Information Enquiry” service on the “Business and Associations Platform”.
b. Holders of Macau SAR Resident Identity Card can use DSI’s self-service kiosks to check the position that they have taken (as an office-holder) in different associations or foundations.

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19. Is there any expiry date on the Certificate of Association and Foundation?

There is no expiry date on the Certificate of Association and Foundation in printed form or electronic form. Nevertheless, the recipient department or organization can decide to accept the document or not.

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20. What should be done if the application receipt of the Certificate of Association and Foundation is lost?

It is needed to declare the loss of the application receipt to DSI. The declaration should be stated the applicant’s name, number of identity card or identification document, and the name of the association or foundation. Also, the applicant has to sign the declaration according to the signature on the identification document and stamp the association seal on it.

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21. After the written/printed minute of the general assembly has been signed and confirmed by the chairperson and members who attended the assembly, what can be done if the minute needs additional information or modification?

For the handwritten or printed general assembly minute which has been signed and confirmed, addition of details or deletion of errors has to be made in ballpoint pens on the original document. Revisions should be made beside the relevant content and signed by the president or chairman as confirmation.

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22. What should be done if members of an association have doubt about the legality or validity of a resolution adopted at a general assembly?

The person concerned can start civil proceedings pursuant to Articles 165 and 166 of the Civil Code and Article 341 and subsequent articles of the Civil Procedure Code.

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23. How to establish and be confirmed as a foundation?

A foundation is referred to a legal person which is asset-based and social-interest-oriented. (refer to the stipulations of Articles 173 to 183 of the Civil Code). A founder who intends to establish a foundation has to apply to DSI for the “Certificate of Adoptable Name of Association and Foundation” and submit the constitution of the foundation, in which its purpose must be indicated and the assets allocated must be specified. Upon receipt of the certificate from DSI, the founder may apply to Cartório Notarial (the Public Notary Office) for confirming foundation status with relevant documents.

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24. How does an association or foundation apply for becoming an “administrative public welfare legal person”?

Pursuant to the stipulations of Article 4 of Law No. 11/96/M of August 20, it is the authority of the Chief Executive to declare an entity an “administrative public welfare legal person”. An association or foundation can apply, through Cartório Notarial (the Public Notary Office), to the Chief Executive for declaring it to be an “administrative public welfare legal person”. DSI will register the associations or foundations that have been declared “administrative public welfare legal persons” within its jurisdiction.

For details about formalities for declaring to be an “administrative public welfare legal person”, please visit the website (https://www.safp.gov.mo/safptc/pages/WCM_068592) or contact the Public Information Center:

• Address: Rua do Campo, n.°162, Public Administration Building, Macao
• Tel: 8866 8866 Fax: 2835 3355
• Office Hours: 9:00~18:00, Monday-Friday, without lunch break.

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