Immigration Clearance of Non-residents of Macao

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Immigration Control

The Border Control Department of the Macao Public Security Police Force keeps a record of the entry and exit of non-local residents on computer, as well as on their passport, travel document or other appropriate document, indicating the limit of stay granted. If necessary, the Department will also collect bio data so as to confirm or verify identities.

The Public Security Police Force is a department responsible for immigration control in the Macao Special Administrative Region.

When a non-resident enters Macao, the Public Security Police Force not only inspects his or her identity document but also verifies his or her identity by collecting biometric data. The biometric data includes fingerprints or palm prints, iris or retina patterns, facial features.

Applying for a visa, Authorization to Enter and Stay, Macao Residence Authorization, as well as renewal and extension of such authorizations, is equivalent to consenting to let the Public Security Police Force handle the interested person’s personal information, which includes his or her biometric data.

If a non-resident objects to the handling of his or her personal information by the Public Security Police Force, he or she may be refused entry to the Macao Special Administrative Region. Applications for the relevant visa or authorization may also be rejected.

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Transfer

Passing through the embarkation/disembarkation control area or any checkpoint, or getting from one checkpoint to another under the control and supervision of the authorities for the purpose of proceeding to other countries or regions. As long as no movement record is made and no Authorization to Enter and Stay is issued, transfer is not regarded as entry to and departure from the Macao Special Administrative Region.

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Border Checkpoints

• Border Gate Checkpoint
• Qingmao Checkpoint
• Zhuhai-Macao Cross-border Industrial Zone Checkpoint
• Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Checkpoint
• Checkpoint of Macao Port Zone of Hengqin Port
• Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal Checkpoint
• Taipa Ferry Terminal Checkpoint
• Inner Harbour Ferry Terminal and Yacht Terminal Checkpoint
• Airport Checkpoint

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Documents for Entry to and Departure from Macao

1. Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao issued by the competent entity of the People’s Republic of China;
2. Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao or other travel documents issued by the competent entity of the People’s Republic of China (e.g. Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, so-called Taiwan Compatriot Permit);
3. Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card, Re-entry Permit or other documents issued by the competent entity of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and accepted by the Macao Special Administrative Region;
4. A Seaman’s Identity Book issued by countries having ratified in the International Labour Organization Convention 108 of 13 May 1958;
5. A License or Crew Certificate (subject to travelling on duty only) issued under Annex 1 and 9 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation of 7 December 1944;
6. Other documents as prescribed by law or international treaties which are applicable to the Macao Special Administrative Region.

• Note:

1. Holders of a valid “Non-Resident Worker’s Permit” or “Special Stay Permit” of Macao are required to present the Permit as well when entering or departing from Macao;
2. Except for holders of the document listed in Item 1, all other holders of the above documents are admissible to the Macao Special Administrative Region only on the condition that their document allows them to enter or re-enter any other country or region;
3. Under exceptional circumstances where proper reasons are given, the condition in Point 2 can be exempted.

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Entry Requirements

1. For entry to the Macao Special Administrative Region, non-residents are required to meet the following requisites as well:
   1. In possession of a passport, travel document or other document accepted for the purpose of immigration control, and the document should be valid for at least 90 days beyond the period of intended stay in the Macao Special Administrative Region;
   2. By means of a visa or other special advance procedures, or under the circumstances that such procedures are exempted, obtain the corresponding administrative authorization upon arrival at the Macao Special Administrative Region;
   3. Confirmed that there is no entry refusal reason as prescribed by law upon actual entry to the Macao Special Administrative Region.
2. “Two-way Exit Permit” holders are required to possess a valid “exit endorsement”;
3. Visitors are required to possess a valid onward or return ticket unless they can prove that they reside on the Mainland of China or in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The exemption is not applicable to Chinese passport or Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders who transit Macao to another country or region;
4. Proof of possessing at least MOP5000 as means of subsistence in Macao if the period of intended stay is 7 days, at least MOP10,000 if the period of intended stay is 8-14 days, at least MOP15,000 if the period of intended stay is 15-21 days, at least MOP20,000 if the period of intended stay is 22 days or longer;
5. Visitors who are not exempted from a visa and entry permit are required to:
   1. Apply for an “Entry Permit” (aka “Visa-upon-arrival”) at any of the border checkpoints of the Border Control Department of the Public Security Police upon arrival at Macao;  or
   2. Apply, by a representative, to the Residence and Stay Affairs Department in advance for “Authorization to Enter and Stay”  (Note: Refer to the “Authorization to Enter and Stay” Section for details); or
   3. Apply for a ‘visa’ of the Macao Special Administrative Region in advance through a diplomatic mission of the People’s Republic of China or a representative office accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (visa sample) (Note: Starting from 1 July 2010, visitors from Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are required to apply for a Macao visa in advance through a Chinese embassy or consulate. For details, please see “Application for Macao Visa through Chinese Embassy or Consulate”).
6. Application for an “Entry Permit” (aka “Visa-upon-arrival”)
   1. Persons who intend to enter the Macao Special Administrative Region but have not applied in advance to any diplomatic mission of the People’s Republic of China or representative office accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China for a ‘visa’, or to the Residence and Stay Affairs Department of the Macao Public Security Police Force for Prior Authorization to Enter can apply for Authorization to Enter and Stay (so-called ‘visa-upon-arrival’) at the Visa Room of the checkpoint upon arrival at Macao. They will also be granted Authorization to Stay for a maximum of 30 days once the application is approved.
   2. Fees
      

      Type	Fee
      Individual	MOP200 (one-off) MOP300 (multiple)
      Family Passport	MOP400 (one-off) MOP600 (multiple) Note: per passport
      Children under the age of 12	MOP100 (one-off) MOP150 (multiple)
      Groups comprised of at least 10 people organized by a single travel manager and presenting a collective travel document	MOP100 (one-off) MOP150 (multiple)

   3. Persons who have paid the fee for multiple Authorization to Enter and Stay can enjoy multiple entries within the limit of stay granted (a maximum of 30 days) without making further payments.

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“Visa” and “Entry Permit” Exemption

1. Holders of a Permit for Proceeding to Hong Kong and Macao issued by the competent entity of the People’s Republic of China;
2. Holders of a travel document which only allows the holder to enter or return to the Macao Special Administrative Region, provided that the holder is confirmed to have the status of a permanent resident or is granted Residence Authorization in advance and present the relevant proof upon entry to the Macao Special Administrative Region;
3. Holders of a Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao or other travel document issued by the competent entity of the People’s Republic of China;
4. Holders of a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card, Re-entry Permit or other document issued by the competent entity of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and accepted by the Macao Special Administrative Region;
5. Holders of a Seaman’s Identity Book specified in International Labour Organization Convention No. 108 of 13 May 1958;
6. Holders of a License specified in Annex 1 or a Crew Certificate specified in Annex 9 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation of 7 December 1944, while they are on duty only;
7. Holders of a passport issued by the competent entity of the People’s Republic of China, a Hong Kong Identity Card or an identification document issued to diplomatic and consular personnel by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;
8. Persons prescribed in International Law documents applicable to the Macao Special Administrative Region;
9. Persons transiting in the Macao Special Administrative Region via the Macao International Airport, not including the particular persons or groups, or nationals or citizens of particular countries or regions who are not allowed to be granted Authorization to Enter and Stay but are required to possess a visa or Prior Authorization to Enter according to the decision made in the written instructions of the Chief Executive;
10. Persons only transferring in the Macao Special Administrative Region;
11. Persons re-entering Macao before the Authorization to Stay expires, including those who have their multiple Authorization to Stay extended;
12. Persons granted Special Authorization to Stay;
13. Persons who can prove they are granted Residence Authorization or Special Authorization to Stay as Worker but do not possess an identity card or Non-resident Worker’s Identification Card yet;
14. Crew members sailing by way of the Macao Special Administrative Region;
15. Nationals of the following countries are exempted in accordance with the written instruction of the Chief Executive:

Albania	Indonesia	Philippines
Andorra	Ireland	Poland
Australia	Israel	Portugal
Austria	Italy	Republic of Argentina
Belgium	Japan	Republic of Armenia
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Kingdom of Morocco	Republic of Belarus
Brazil	Kiribati	Republic of Ecuador
Brunei	Korea (Republic of)	Romania
Bulgaria	Latvia	Russia
Canada	Lebanon	Samoa
Cape Verde	Liechtenstein	San Marino
Chile	Lithuania	Serbia
Croatia	Luxembourg	Seychelles
Cyprus	Macedonia	Singapore
Czech	Malaysia	Slovakia
Denmark	Mali	Slovenia
Dominica	Malta	South Africa
Egypt	Mauritius	Spain
Estonia	Mexico	Sweden
Finland	Moldova	Switzerland
France	Monaco	Tanzania
Germany	Mongolia	Thailand
Greece	Montenegro	Turkey
Grenada	Namibia	United Arab Emirates
Hungary	Netherlands	U.S.A.
Iceland	New Zealand	United Kingdom
India	Norway	Uruguay

-(a total of 81 countries)-

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Limit of Stay Granted upon Arrival

1. General Regulation
   1. The maximum limit of stay in the Macao Special Administrative Region of all persons is restricted to 90 days before the expiry of their passport, travel document or other document accepted for the purpose of immigration control.
   2. The above limitation should not oppose holders of an Exit-entry Permit or other document issued by the authorities of the People’s Republic of China and accepted for the purpose of immigration control, as well as persons who intend to enter the Macao Special Administrative Region for transit purpose owing to proven exceptional conditions of force majeure.
2. Limit of Stay
   1. The validity of the Authorization to Stay granted upon entry to persons who are required to apply for a visa, Prior Authorization to Enter or Authorization to Enter and Stay is a maximum of 30 days. If their visa, Authorization to Enter or Authorization to Enter and Stay allows for single-entry only, they are required to apply again. However, if it allows for multiple entries, they can enter and exit Macao for multiple times within the 30 days without making another application.
   2. Individuals exempted from a “Visa” or “Entry Permit”.

Types of People	Limit of Stay
Holders of a valid passport or travel document	A maximum of 30 days
Holders of a passport issued by a European Union or Schengen Agreement member state (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland) Holders of a passport issued by Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cape Verde, Croatia, Dominica, Egypt, Grenada, Japan, Kingdom of Morocco, Korea (Republic of), Macedonia, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Republic of Armenia, Serbia, Tanzania, Uruguay.	A maximum of 90 days
Holders of a passport issued by Brunei.	A maximum of 14 days
Holders of a passport issued by Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon, New Zealand.	A maximum of 3 months
British citizens holding a British passport	A maximum of 6 months
Holders of a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card or a Re-entry Permit	A maximum of 1 year
Holders of a diplomatic passport, “Laissez Passer” issued by the United Nations, “diplomatic or consular identity card” issued by the Macao Special Administrative Region	No limit
Holders of a Seaman’s Identity Book issued by countries having ratified in the International Labour Organization Convention 108 of 13 May 1958	The period the ship is berthed at a harbour in Macao
Holders of a License or Crew Certificate issued under Annex 1 and 9 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation of 7 December 1944	During the interval of service of the flight
Nationals and residents holding a passport issued by countries and regions which have reached a mutual visa-free agreement with the Macao Special Administrative Region	Not longer than the period stated in the agreement
Holders of a “Two-way Exit Permit” issued by the authorities of the People’s Republic of China with a valid “Exit Endorsement to Macao”(1)	The period indicated in the endorsement, but not more than 90 days
Mainlanders holding a “Permit for Travelling to and from Taiwan” with an “Exit Endorsement to Taiwan”	A maximum of 7 days (no matter traveling to Taiwan via Macao or returning to the mainland via Macao)
Holders of a passport or travel document issued by the authorities of the People’s Republic of China (with a flight ticket to and entry visa of another country)	A maximum of 7 days (for transit)
Holders of a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport (with a flight ticket to and entry visa of another country or region)	A maximum of 7 days (for transit)
Holders of a Macao “Non-resident Worker’s Identification Card“(2)	Until the expiry date of the Permit (with multiple entries)
Individuals granted “Special Authorization to Stay” for study purpose or as reuniting family of a non-resident worker (in accordance with Article 32 of Law No. 16/2021)(2)	Until the expiry date of the Authorization (with multiple entries)
Persons who are permitted to extend their stay according to Term 1, Article 29 of Law No. 16/2021 and Article 11 of Administrative Regulation No. 38/2021 (2)	Until the expiry date of the extended Authorization to Stay (with multiple entries)
Holders of a “Special Stay Permit“(2)	Until the expiry date of the Permit (with multiple entries)
Persons who are granted extended Authorization to Stay according to Term 2, Article 29 of Law No. 16/2021 while pending result of their application for Residence Authorization.	Until the expiry date of the Authorization (with multiple entries)

[Notes:

1. Holders of an endorsement with a comparatively longer limit of stay in Macao for work or study purpose should go to the Residence and Stay Affairs Department in person and apply for an extension of stay before their endorsement expires if they intend to stay for more than 90 days. They will be regarded as overstayers if they do not apply for an extension while the “Authorization to Stay” granted upon arrival expires. In addition, if they renew their endorsement and are granted a new endorsement during their legal stay in Macao and before the expiry date of their current endorsement, they are required to go to the Immigration Department to extend their “Authorization to Stay” accordingly. Otherwise, they will also be regarded as overstayers.
2. In cases where the limit of stay granted upon re-entry extends beyond the expiry date of the “Non-Resident Worker’s Identification Card”, “Special Stay Permit”, “Special Authorization to Stay” or “Extension of Stay”, the Residence and Stay Affairs Department will make the following arrangements:
   1. Persons who are not exempted from a visa or Prior Authorization to Enter and choose to apply for Authorization to Enter and Stay are required to pay the fee for the Authorization. When the relevant document/Authorization to Stay expires, they can continue to remain in Macao until the expiry of the Authorization to Stay which is granted to them as visitors upon entry;
   2. For individuals who choose not to apply for Authorization to Enter and Stay, they can remain in Macao until the expiry date of their “Non-Resident Worker’s Identification Card”, “Special Stay Permit”, “Special Authorization to Stay” or “Extension of Stay”.]

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Entry Refusal

Legal Reason

1. Non-residents are refused entry to the Macao Special Administrative Region for the following reasons:
   1. Having been deported;
   2. Interdicted from entering, staying at or transiting the Macao Special Administrative Region in accordance with the international law documents applicable to Macao;
   3. Interdicted from entering the Macao Special Administrative Region in accordance with the law.
2. Non-residents will be refused entry to the Macao Special Administrative Region for the following reasons:
   1. Attempting to evade the regulation on stay and residence and having frequent entries to the Macao Special Administrative Region within short intervals without appropriate justification;
   2. Having been sentenced to a penalty of freedom deprivation in or outside the Macao Special Administrative Region;
   3. Existence of strong indication of having committed or preparing to commit a crime;
   4. No guarantee of return to last port of embarkation, existence of sufficient reason to suspect the authenticity of the travel document, no possession of the vital resources for the expected period of stay, no possession of transportation document necessary for return to last port of embarkation.
3. The power of entry refusal remains the competence of the Chief Executive; this power can be authorized to another person.

Transporter’s Responsibility

1. If a sea or air transporter carries a passenger, seaman or crew member to the Macao Special Administrative Region who is refused entry, the transporter should immediately carry the person back to the first location where he or she boards a means of transport of the transport corporation. If it is not possible to carry the person back to the location, the transporter should carry him or her to the country or region where his or her travel document was issued.
2. If the transporter fails to remove the passenger, seaman or crew member who is refused entry in accordance with the above stipulation, it will be liable for all costs incurred by the person during his or her stay in the Macao Special Administrative Region, particularly accommodation expenses, costs of meals and health care expenses.
3. Transport operators transporting passengers, stewards and stewardesses, sea crew or air crew who are inadmissible according to the law to the Macao Special Administrative Region with any form of transport that satisfies the legal requirement of possessing nominative documents will be fined MOP10,000 to MOP30,000 per inadmissible person, no matter whether those persons are permitted to enter Macao afterwards. The transport operators will not be penalized for such conduct if it is not possible to reasonably demand, under concrete circumstances, that the transport operators know the status of the relevant persons.
4. Payment for the above fine should be made within 10 working days from the date of notification.
5. If the violator fails to voluntarily pay the fine in accordance with the above stipulation, the Border Control Department will send the notes of executory effect to the jurisdictional court for mandatory collection of the fine.

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Departure of Non-residents with Loss of Document

Go to “Processing of Cases of Loss of Entry Document for Non-residents” for details.

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Application location and office hours

Contact Information: Please click here for details

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Remark / Requirement

According to Term 1, Article 66 of Law No. 16/2021, to apply for a visa, Authorization to Enter and Stay, Macao SAR Residence Authorization, Renewal or Extension of Residence Authorization means the interested person consents to have his or her personal information, which includes his or her biodata, treated by the Public Security Police Force.

 

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