The Consulate General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong says there are empty appointment slots available “for this week and next” for any Portuguese national needing to get documents renewed.
In an email sent this morning, it said that it “strongly recommends that users take advantage of this…and book their appointment immediately if their citizen card or passports have expired or will expire by the end of this year.”
The consulate also mentioned that it is able to handle up to a maximum of 220 bookings per day between 6 May and 31 July. The dramatic increase in capacity comes in the wake of months of frustration for Portuguese residents of Macao, who have endured delays of more than six months for document renewals.
[See more: Residency permits for Portuguese nationals come under the spotlight]
At the height of the backlog, many opted to take Macao passports and become Chinese nationals simply to have a valid travel document to go overseas with. Others waited it out in Macao, or travelled to Lisbon, where passports can be renewed in just five days.
In frustration, 430 Portuguese nationals residing in Macao signed a petition last year urging authorities in Lisbon to improve the situation at the consulate, which blamed delays on chronic staff shortages that began during the Covid-19 pandemic and continued even after Macao emerged from lockdown.
Booking for the consulate’s services can be made via its website and can be done one month in advance, with appointments scheduled at 15-minute intervals from 9 am to 12 pm in the morning and 1:30 pm to 4 pm in the afternoon.
