How long can you stay?
Entry rules change without much warning, and the only authority that counts is the Macao Public Security Police. Treat everything below as a starting point and confirm your own passport at the CPSP visa pages before you commit to travel.
- Mainland China—Permit required
Requires an Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (往來港澳通行證) with a valid Macao endorsement. Tour-group and individual-visit endorsements differ in length of stay.
- Hong Kong SAR365daysVisa-free
Permanent residents enter on a HKSAR passport or permanent identity card.
- Taiwan30daysVisa-free
- Japan90daysVisa-free
- South Korea90daysVisa-free
- Portugal90daysVisa-free
Portuguese nationals have long-standing ties to the territory; 90 days is the standard allowance.
- Thailand30daysVisa-free
- Indonesia30daysVisa-free
- Singapore30daysVisa-free
- Malaysia30daysVisa-free
- Philippines30daysVisa-free
- Vietnam30daysVisa-free
- India30daysVisa-free
- United Kingdom180daysVisa-free
British citizens get an unusually long allowance — six months rather than the more common 30 or 90 days.
- Ireland90daysVisa-free
- European Union90daysVisa-free
Most EU nationalities receive 90 days. A few receive 30 — check your own passport against the CPSP list.
- United States30daysVisa-free
- Canada30daysVisa-free
- Australia30daysVisa-free
- New Zealand30daysVisa-free
- Brazil90daysVisa-free
- South Africa30daysVisa-free
- Most other nationalities30daysVisa on arrival
Many passports not listed can obtain a visa on arrival at the airport or ferry terminal for a fee. A number cannot — confirm with the CPSP before booking travel.
What the border actually wants
A passport with room left on it
Six months of validity beyond your stay is the safe standard, plus a blank page for the stamp. Macao stamps a slip of paper rather than your passport at some crossings — keep it, you may be asked for it on the way out.
Onward travel
You can be asked to show a ticket out. It is not always checked, but arriving with nothing booked and no plan is the fastest way to a long conversation at the counter.
Where you are staying
Have a hotel name and address to hand. If you are staying with friends, an address still helps.
The Hong Kong question
Macao and Hong Kong are separate immigration jurisdictions. Crossing between them is a full exit and entry, and each has its own allowance — a day trip to Hong Kong spends one of your Hong Kong entries, not a Macao one.
Overstaying
Macao takes overstaying seriously — fines are charged per day and a record of it can follow you into future entries here and in Hong Kong. Extensions are possible through the CPSP but must be applied for before your permitted stay runs out, not after. If your plans slip, deal with it while you are still in date.