Starting today, more groups of non-resident foreigners – specifically, foreign nationals without a Macao ID card – will be allowed to directly enter Macao from mainland China without having to apply for entry beforehand.
According to the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre, the new measure covers travellers who hold a visa that allows them to return to mainland China without the need to apply for a new visa, provided that they have not visited any countries and regions outside mainland China within the past 10 days before their intended entry into Macao.
The Centre noted that since June certain groups of non-resident foreigners have been allowed to enter Macao directly from mainland China without the need to apply to the Macao Health Bureau in advance; these include foreign non-resident workers (NRWs), professional NRWs’ family members who have obtained a special permit to stay in Macao, and foreign students enrolled in Macao’s higher education institutions who need to commute frequently between the mainland and Macao.
The beneficiaries of the new measure include various groups of foreigners such as those holding a valid residence permit for foreigners in mainland China for work purposes, personal matters or family reunions, and those holding a valid diplomatic, official, or courtesy visa issued by the mainland China authorities.
The new measure also covers those who hold a valid Portuguese passport. Moreover, unlike other foreigners, Portuguese passport holders entering Macao do not need to hold a visa that allows them to return to mainland China.
