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Macau SAR
Specific Information
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April 29, 2008
DESCRIPTION: 
Macau, formerly a Chinese territory under Portuguese administration, became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the
People's Republic of China (PRC) on December 20, 1999. The SAR maintains a high degree of autonomy, except in the areas of
defense and foreign policy. Macau retains its own currency, laws, and border controls. Facilities for tourism are well developed
and continue to expand rapidly. Gambling and tourism dominate the local economy, with textile and apparel manufacturing playing
important secondary roles. With a population of approximately 508,500, Macau covers a 28.2 square-kilometer area including
the peninsula of Macau, connected to the PRC, and the two islands of Taipa and Coloane linked by a highway 2.2 km long. Read
the Department of State Background Notes on Macau for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: Valid passports are required. Passports should be valid for 30 days beyond the intended period of stay in Macau. Because many neighboring areas require six months validity remaining on the passport, U.S. citizens planning travel beyond Macau should ensure that their passports are valid for at least six months from the date of their proposed entry into such areas. A visa is not required for tourist visits of up to 30 days.
For further information on entry requirements, contact the Embassy of the People's Republic of China at Room 110, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone (202) 338-6688; fax (202) 588-9760; e-mail chinaembassy_us@fmprc.gov.cn, web site at http://www.china-embassy.org/eng or the Consulates General of the PRC in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York City and Houston. Travelers may also consult the Macau Tourist Information Bureau's U.S. representative office at 5757 West Century Boulevard, Suite 660, Los Angeles, CA 90045-6407, telephone (310) 568-0009 or fax (310) 338-0708, web site http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/en/index.php. Please see the Macau SAR government home page at http://www.gov.mo/egi/Portal/index.htm for the latest, up to date entry and exit requirements.
Holders of a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card or a Hong Kong Re-entry Permit may use either document to enter Macau for a
maximum stay of up to one (1) year. All visitors must present their passport or other valid travel document upon arrival.
Visit the Embassy of the People's Republic of China web site for the most current visa information.
Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.
SAFETY AND SECURITY: For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada, or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.
CRIME: Petty street crime, including pick-pocketing, occurs in tourist areas in Macau, including in and around casinos and at the airport. Travelers should take caution with their personal belongings and travel documents at all times. Tourists can dial 112 to report crimes directly related to travel, such as petty theft.
INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. The embassy/consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.
See our information on Victims of Crime and the U.S. Consulate Hong Kong web site for Macau-specific guidance and information at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/.
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: The two major hospitals in Macau, Kiang Wu, and the Peak, have adequate medical facilities, including 24-hour full-service emergency rooms. Travelers should know that 999 is the telephone number to call in case of an emergency in Macau. Highly developed medical facilities and trained personnel are available in Hong Kong, which is about an hour by jetfoil and ten minutes by helicopter from Macau.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, or further health information, consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en/.
MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Macau is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Traffic moves on the left in Macau and roads are narrow and winding. Traffic is generally congested throughout the day. Due to the rapid growth of the tourism industry, taxis can be very hard to find; public buses are inexpensive and frequent.
For specific information concerning Macau driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and mandatory insurance, contact
the Macau Tourist Information Bureau's U.S. representative office at 5757 W. Century Boulevard, Suite 660, Los Angeles, California
90045-6407; telephone (310) 568-0009; fax (310) 338-0708), or the Macau Transport Department (Comissariado de Transito de
Macau), Ave Sidonio Pais, Macau; telephone (853) 374-214; fax (853) 522-966, web site http://www.iacm.gov.mo/. (Please Note: Web site is available only in Chinese and Portuguese).
Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Visit the web site of Macau’s tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety
at http://www.iacm.gov.mo/. (Please Note: Web site is available only in Chinese and Portuguese).
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in the Macau SAR, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Macau’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs%5Finitiatives/oversight/iasa/.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
Language: The official languages in the Macau SAR are Chinese and Portuguese. English, however, is spoken in tourist areas.
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. Travelers visiting Macau from Hong Kong may wish to bring sufficient Hong Kong dollars to cover their 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. There is a 5% duty levied on electrical appliances and equipment imported into Macau. For specific information regarding customs requirements, it is advisable to contact the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Washington D.C. or one of the PRC's Consulates in the United States at the addresses noted above, or the Macau Customs Service, Rua S. Tiago da Barra, Doca D. Carlos I, SW, Barra-Macau, telephone (853) 559-944 or fax (853) 371-136. The web site is http://www.customs.gov.mo/en/index1.htm. Please see our Customs Information.
Dual Nationality: Under the nationality law of the PRC, 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 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.
Dual national residents or former residents of Macau who wish to ensure U.S. consular access and protection after the initial 30-day period of visa-free admission into Macau should declare their U.S. nationality to the Macau Immigration Department upon arrival. Dual-national residents of Macau who enter Macau on travel documents other than their U.S. passports and who desire U.S. consular protection should declare their U.S. nationality as soon as possible after entry. This “declaration of change of nationality” will ensure U.S. consular protection. It may also result in loss of one's PRC nationality (but not necessarily one's right of abode). Whereas failure to declare U.S. nationality may jeopardize U.S. consular protection, such failure will not jeopardize one's U.S. citizenship.
Dual nationals contemplating onward travel into mainland China should be attentive to use of their U.S. passports. Dual nationals who enter or depart mainland China using a U.S. passport and a valid PRC visa retain the right of U.S. consular access and protection under the U.S.-PRC Consular Convention. The ability of the U.S. Embassy or Consulates General to provide normal consular services would be extremely limited should a dual national enter mainland China on a Macau SAR or other non-U.S. passport.
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.
Typhoons: During the storm season (July through September), the Macau Observatory (Direccao dos Servicos Meteorologicos e
Geofisicos) issues typhoon warnings on an average of six times a year. The Macau Observatory has a good notification and
monitoring system in place. Please consult the Macau Observatory's web site at http://www.smg.gov.mo/ for further information. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the
U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at http://www.fema.gov/. Please see our Customs Information.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Macau’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession of, use of, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Macau are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in illicit sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties.
CHILDREN'S ISSUES: For information see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.
REGISTRATION / CONSULATE LOCATION: Americans living or traveling in Macau are encouraged to register with the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong or through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Macau. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
There is no U.S. diplomatic or consular presence in Macau. Consular assistance for U.S. citizens is provided by the U.S. Consulate
General in Hong Kong, 26 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong; telephone (852) 2523-9011 or (852) 2841-2211; fax (852) 2845-4845;web
site at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/, e-mail at questions@hongkongacs.com.
Further information on emergency American citizen services in Macau is available at http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/acs_macau_wardens.html. The mailing address (from the U.S.) of the Consulate General in Hong Kong is PSC 461, Box 5, FPO AP 96521-0006. U.S. citizens
living in or visiting Macau are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong
and obtain updated information on travel and security within Macau.
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This replaces the Specific Information for Macau dated October 17, 2007, to update sections on Description, Crime, Medical
Facilities and Health Information, and Traffic Safety and Road Conditions.
