How to Enter Macau
Do I need a passport or visa to enter?
Your passport must be valid for at least 30 days beyond your intended period of stay in Macau. If you are a tourist, you may visit for up to 30 days without a visa. According to the Macau Immigration Department, if you depart and then immediately reenter Macau, when you reenter, you should expect that you will be given fewer than 30 days to remain in Macau.Because many neighboring areas require that your passport has six months validity remaining, if you are planning to travel in these areas, be sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the date of your planned travel. If you hold a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card or a Hong Kong Re-entry Permit, you may use either document to enter Macau for a maximum stay of up to one year. You must present your passport or other valid travel document upon arrival. Visit the Macau Government Tourist Office website for the most current visa information.
You should obtain all required visas prior to departing the United States. Specifically, you must have a PRC visa if you plan to travel to the PRC from Macau. You should apply for the PRC visa at the PRC embassy or consulate where you reside. In some cases you can get a PRC visa at the PRC Visa Office in Macau; however, there are limitations depending on the visa category. For example, the visa may be issued for a shorter length of validity and for fewer entries than one obtained in the United States. If you are the parent of a child who holds a U.S. passport, be aware that the PRC Visa Office may require an original birth certificate or other documentation for your child. Persons applying in Macau for PRC visas for their U.S.-born children have been unable to obtain PRC visas without the children’s U.S. birth certificate.
Special Travel Circumstances in Macau
Currency: There are no currency restrictions for tourists in Macau. Although the pataca is the official currency in Macau, Hong Kong currency is commonly used and widely accepted in transactions, especially in tourist areas. If you are visiting Macau from Hong Kong, you may wish to bring sufficient Hong Kong dollars to cover your expenses. Credit cards and ATM network debit cards are widely accepted in Macau. Banks and major hotels accept traveler's checks.
Customs Regulations: Macau customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Macau of items such as firearms, ivory, certain categories of medications, and other goods. Please see the Macau Customs Service website for further information.
You should know that the importation into the United States of counterfeit brand-name items, such as watches, compact discs, computer software, and clothing, is prohibited by U.S. law.
Dual Nationality: According to the PRC nationality law, persons of Chinese descent who were born in the PRC, including Macau, are PRC citizens. However, under an agreement between the United States and the People's Republic of China, all U.S. citizens entering Macau on their U.S. passports, including such persons as may be considered PRC nationals by the PRC authorities, are considered to be U.S. citizens by the Macau SAR authorities for purposes of ensuring U.S. consular access and protection during their initial legal stay of up to 30 days in Macau.
If you are a dual national contemplating onward travel into mainland China, you should strongly consider which passport you will use to enter and exit China. Under the U.S. – PRC Consular Convention, the U.S. Embassy and consulates general in the PRC are not able to provide you with consular protections ifyou do not use your U.S. passport to enter or exit China.
In addition to being subject to all Macau SAR laws affecting U.S. citizens, dual nationals may be subject to laws of Macau that impose special obligations on Macau citizens. For further information on consular protection and dual nationality, please refer to our information on dual nationality.
Language: The official languages in the Macau SAR are Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese; however, English is spoken in tourist areas.
Typhoons: During the storm season (July through September), the Macau Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau issues typhoon warnings on an average of six times a year. The Bureau has a good notification and monitoring system.
Disclaimer
You are responsible for ensuring that you meet and comply with foreign entry requirements, health requirements and that you possess the appropriate travel documents. Information provided is subject to change without notice. One should confirm content prior to traveling from other reliable sources. Information published on this website may contain errors. You travel at your own risk and no warranties or guarantees are provided by us.