Foreign residents from 41 countries and regions will be allowed to enter Macau from September 1, the government announcement in a statement.
The latest announcement is the city’s biggest step yet towards loosening Covid controls as the city adheres to Beijing’s strict zero-Covid policy.
The city has kept its borders closed for foreign entrants since March 2020 to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The government stated that foreign entrants from places other than mainland China will not need prior approval from the Health Bureau (SSM) if they bear passports issued by countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the UK and the US among others.
Those not meeting the above criterion will be allowed to enter Macau with prior SSM approval if if they are a spouse or a family member of Macau residents; bear a Permit to Stay as employee; possess Entry Permission for Work Purposes or Preliminary Approval for Permit to Stay as Employee issued by the Public Security Police (PSP); family members of professional non-resident workers, with approval to stay; and if they bear a permit to stay issued by the Macau government.
International students accepted by any local higher education institutions and those visiting Macau for “emergency business, official or private matters” will also be permitted entry.
Criteria for considerations, according to the government, will include actual needs and pandemic risks.
Although they may be allowed to enter Macau, people should get certain documents ready prior to their departure, such as SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test (NAT) negative results for boarding, as well as booking confirmations for quarantine hotels and NAT during quarantine.
The current length of quarantine is seven days in a hotel and three days under self-management.
On entrants of mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan residents
In a separate statement, residents of mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan will be allowed to enter Macau regardless of their travel history.
Prior to this change, residents from outside Greater China were not allowed to enter Macau. Those with residency of mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were allowed in unless they had been outside of Greater China in the preceding 14 days.
The change, as announced in the Chief Executive Dispatch No 166/2022, takes effect from September 1, putting an end to the Dispatch No 64/2022, which was enacted April 26 this year.
“These residents will be permitted to enter Macau from inside or outside of China,” the government said in a statement. Despite this fact, entrants will need to abide by existing health measures put into force by the SSM, such as quarantine-upon-entry.
Meanwhile, foreign entrants from mainland China will not need prior SSM approval if they bear a valid Portuguese passport; and if they bear a valid passport of other countries and possess any type of permit to stay issued by the PSP.
