Departure NAT validities for foreign travels eased Departure NAT validities for foreign travels eased

Whilst many countries are no longer requiring SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test (NAT) results upon arrival or departure, the Macau government updated the validity requirements for departure NAT results yesterday.

In a statement announcing the change, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre noted that, from today onwards, travelers to destinations other than the neighboring Guangdong Province should possess negative NAT results of varying validity periods, depending on the destination.

Travelers flying out of Macau to destinations in which NAT results are no longer required should possess a result issued within seven days, inclusive of the day on which the sample was collected. The centre added that, if the NAT is taken in Macau, a result that is valid for traveling should be requested upon registration. The result can be in electronic or paper form.

Those flying from Macau to mainland Chinese cities are recommended to check with their airline to confirm the validity requirements, as these vary across different cities.

People flying from Macau to Taiwan or Singapore should have a result issued within seven days, with the specimen collection date included, despite both destinations no longer requiring NAT results upon arrival.

Those traveling by bus to Hong Kong will not be required by Macau to bear NAT results. However, should they be entering Hong Kong through its Come2HK or Return2HK schemes, they will be required by Hong Kong to bear negative NAT results issued within 72 hours from the specimen collection date. AL