Special Authorization to Stay for Non-resident Students

1. I am a non-resident student and have just enrolled in a higher education institute in Macao. Do I need to apply for Special Authorization to Stay for Students?

Non-resident students who intend to take a higher education program approved by the competent entity in Macao may apply to the Stay Subdivision of the Residence and Stay Affairs Department for Special Authorization to Stay for Students or renewal / extension of the Authorization according to Item 6, Term 1, Article 32 of Law No. 16/2021 and Articles 19-21 of Administrative Regulation No. 38/2021 if their limit of stay is not long enough for them to complete the program.

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2. I heard that some people do not need to fill in the Arrival Card when they enter Macao. To which types of people does this policy apply?

Starting from 10 July 2013, the Non-stamping Immigration Clearance Policy was implemented for all passengers (non-residents are exempted from stamping on their travel document upon entry and exit). All passengers do not need to complete an Arrival Card. Instead, a printed Slip of Authorization to Stay bearing the limit of stay in Macao is issued to passengers, who should be mindful of the limit of stay and keep the Slip properly during their stay in Macao. If the Slip is lost, the passenger may approach the designated departments of the Public Security Police Force for reissue of the Slip.

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3. What is the fine per day for overstaying in Macao? Liable to imprisonment?

According to Law No. 16/2021 “Legal Regime of Immigration Control, Stay and Residence Authorization of the Macao Special Administrative Region”, persons who still remain in Macao after their Authorization to Stay expires and persons who do not leave Macao within the designated period after their Authorization to Stay is revoked are regarded as overstayers. Overstay is an administrative infraction.
According to the law, an overstayer will be fined MOP500 to 800 per overdue day. The fine should not exceed MOP15000 and should be paid within the statutory 10 working days. The status of an overstayer who overstays for not more than 30 days, pays the fine upon giving himself or herself to the police or immediately after he or she is discovered and has never been fined for the same infraction in the past year can be normalized. Otherwise, the overstayer will be deported and interdicted from entry. In addition, application for Residence Authorization and Special Authorization to Stay will not be permitted for 2 years counting from the date the entry interdiction expires. (For details, please refer to the relevant law and regulation)

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4. A student from Mainland China leaves Macao and goes back to the Mainland after submitting an application for Special Authorization to Stay for Students to the Residence and Stay Affairs Department. Then for certain reasons the student is not able to go to the unit concerned to collect the examination result on the date of collection specified on the “receipt”. What documents should the student use when he or she re-enters Macao?

A Mainland student who re-enters Macao with a “PRC Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao” is required to possess a valid “Type D – Stay” endorsement. He or she has to present documents certifying his or her enrollment at a higher institute in Macao (e.g. a valid student card, a testimonial from the higher institute, etc.) and the “receipt”. After inspection by the police officers at the checkpoint, the student will be admitted for the moment and will be given a written notification instructing him or her to proceed to the Residence and Stay Affairs Department on a designated date to complete the relevant procedures. If the student cannot produce the above documents, he or she may be refused entry to Macao.

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5. I want my son (non-resident) to study in Macao. Can I apply to the Public Security Police Force for Special Authorization to Stay for the purpose of studying at an education institution as stipulated in Item 6, Term 1, Article 32 of Law No. 16/2021?

Item 6, Term 1, Article 32 of Law No. 16/2021 and Article 19 of Administrative Regulation No. 38/2021 regulate the applications for Special Authorization to Stay for the purpose of taking higher education programs approved by a competent entity. Therefore, non-residents of Macao can apply for Special Authorization to Stay.

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6. I am a holder of Special Authorization to Stay and have several addresses in Macao. Which one should I declare?

The requirement to declare the contact address and habitual residence address in Macao serves the purpose of facilitating contact, hence enhancing the processing of an application and protecting the rights of the person concerned and public interests. Therefore, if you live in Macao, a valid address for contact will do.

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7. Persons granted Special Authorization to Stay for over 90 days should specify to the Public Security Police Force their contact address and habitual residence address in Macao. What should be done if the address is changed in the future?

If there is any change in the contact address and habitual residence address in the future, persons who are granted Residence Authorization or Special Authorization to Stay for over 90 days, including non-resident workers, their dependants and non-resident students, should update the Public Security Police Force within 45 days from the date of change.

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8. Under what circumstances will the Public Security Police Force reject my application for Special Authorization to Stay outright?

Unless otherwise stipulated, the Chief of the Residence and Stay Affairs Department of the Public Security Police Force should give reasons in his written instructions to reject an application for Special Authorization to Stay outright in any of the following situations:

(1)   The remaining validity of the interested person’s passport, travel document, return document or other documents accepted for the purpose of immigration control does not meet the requirement;

(2)   The interested person is interdicted from making applications for Special Authorization to Stay at the time;

(3)   The application is not written in any of the official languages, but applications written in English with no difficulty caused to the Public Security Police Force in the interpretation are excepted.

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9. Is it necessary to fill in an application form when applying for the “Special Authorization to Stay” for non-resident students?

Starting from 15 August 2024, students of higher education institutions can enter information and submit application via the Integrated Online System for “Special Authorization to Stay” for Non-resident Students. After submitting the application, they will complete the remaining procedure in person at the Stay Subdivision of the Residence and Stay Affairs Department by presenting a screenshot of the “Application QR Code” generated and the original of the passport/travel document/identification document used in making the application. Therefore, it is no more necessary to fill in an application form.

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10. What can I do if I lost the screenshot of the “Application QR Code” or forgot to take a screenshot after submitting the application for “Special Authorization to Stay” for non-resident students online?

Applicants who lost the “Application QR Code” or forgot to take a screenshot of it just need to login the Integrated Online System for “Special Authorization to Stay” for Non-resident Students and enter the information again. A new QR code will be generated after submission.

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11. I have already submitted an application via the Integrated Online System for “Special Authorization to Stay” for Non-resident Students. Why do I still need to go to the Residence and Stay Affairs Department in person to go through the application procedure?

After submitting the application online , non-resident students need to go to the Residence and Stay Affairs Department in person for identity verification in order to complete the application procedure for the “Special Authorization to Stay”. Upon completion of the procedure, you will be issued an “Application Receipt” and your“Authorization to Stay” will be extended accordingly so that you can remain in Macao to wait for the application result.

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12. When I use the Integrated Online System for “Special Authorization to Stay” for Non-resident Students to submit my application, the words ‘student status information not found’ are shown. What should I do?

Please review the information you have filled in to check if there is any error. If there is no error and the system still shows this message, please contact the higher education institution to enquire about your student status.

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13. I have already submitted an application online and completed the procedure at the Residence and Stay Affairs Department. Does it means that I am granted “Special Authorization to Stay” for non-resident students?

No, it doesn’t. After the above-mentioned procedure is completed, your application enters the examination stage. Please use the Integrated Online System for “Special Authorization to Stay” for Non-resident Students to enquire about the application result. If the application is approved, you should collect the “Slip of Special Authorization to Stay” which contains the validity of “Special Authorization to Stay” and an “Approval Notification” at our self-service kiosks or service counters before the date designated on the “Application Receipt”. If the date is approaching and there is still no application result, please go to the Stay Subdivision of the Residence and Stay Affairs Department to make an enquiry before the designated date so as to prevent overstay.

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14. I am a student from Mainland China. I have received an admission notification from the higher education institution and applied for the”PRC Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao”, but I have not completed the enrollment procedure. Can I submit an application for “Special Authorization to Stay” online?

No, you can’t. After being admitted to a higher education institution in Macao, non-resident students should complete the enrollment procedure at the institution. After the institution confirms the student status and submits the relevant information to our department, non-resident students can then use the Integrated Online System for “Special Authorization to Stay” for Non-resident Students to submit an application for “Special Authorization to Stay”.

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