Foreigners meeting certain requirements are now permitted to enter Macao from mainland China. The measure became effective from the stroke of midnight today, according to Executive Order No. 43/2021.

To be able enter Macao, foreigners need to meet the following requirements:

i) they must hold a mainland China visa issued by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao SAR, and must return to Macao from mainland China within the visa’s validity period; and

ii) they must not have been to any place outside either mainland China or Macao in the 21 days prior to their intended arrival in Macao.

Under existing rules, there are additionally two groups of foreigners eligible to apply for approval to enter Macao.

The first group eligible for consideration for entry are foreigners wishing to visit Macao for matters serving Macao’s public interest, particularly ones relating to disease prevention and control, and emergency rescue; as well as the ensuring of the proper operation of public services in the community; and of meeting the basic day-to-day needs of the Macao public.

The second group eligible for consideration are those foreigners arriving via the mainland and who have stayed on the mainland for 21 days or more, immediately prior to their planned arrival in Macao. Such people may apply to the authorities for entry on the following grounds:

• they are either a spouse or child of a Macao resident;
• they have registered with the authorities as a non-resident worker, or hold a permit to enter Macao for work purposes, or they are a family member of such a worker, and have either obtained the relevant authorisation or meet the eligibility requirements to stay in Macao;
• they have obtained the authorisation to stay in Macao;
• they are students registered to local higher-education institutions;
• they plan to visit Macao for an important business event, or academic or professional activities.

Anyone granted approval for entry under the updated rules would still be obliged to observe certain health-monitoring requirements as applicable.