Eastern Asia · Immigration

Macau

32 immigration routes

Macau sits in Eastern Asia. Its immigration system runs 32 distinct routes — led by talent & merit, family and residence-based status, each set out in official law. All 32 cite an official government source, shown on the route with the date we last read it. Who actually qualifies depends on your full profile.

1 further route is recorded for Macau but not shown here — its details are still under review.

Immigration routes
32across 11 route categories, each set out in official law
Source-cited routes
32 of 32cite an official government source, with the date we last read it
Largest category
Talent & merit9 of the 32 routes — see them under Talent & merit below
Region
Eastern Asia
Capital
Macau
Population
685,900
Official language
Portuguese, Chinese
Currency
MOP
Time zone
UTC+08:00
Source-cited pathways

Immigration routes

All 32 routes, grouped by purpose — 32 of 32 cite an official government source directly.

Work

1 route

Employer-sponsored work and stay authorisation documented by the Non-resident Worker's Identification Card.

Eligibility: 1Process & costs: 1Report facts: 7
Official government source: gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Investment

2 routes

Temporary Residence for a Major Investment through the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.

Eligibility: 1Process & costs: 4Report facts: 4
Official government source: gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Business & self-employment

2 routes

Stay authorisation for a non-resident holding employment authorisation to conduct an activity for personal benefit as self-employed.

Eligibility: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 6
Official government source: gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Talent & merit

9 routes

Current talent-recruitment programme for a person with exceptional skills, globally recognised achievements or significant contributions.

Process & costs: 3Report facts: 6
Official government source: cdqq.gov.mo · checked 2026-08-03

Study

1 route

Family

4 routes

Residence-based status

4 routes

Naturalisation procedure for a foreign national or stateless person who is a Macao permanent resident.

Eligibility: 1Documents: 1Process & costs: 3Report facts: 6
Official government source: gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

General Residence Authorization procedure for an eligible person outside the specific Mainland-permit and Portuguese categories.

Eligibility: 1Documents: 1Process & costs: 1Report facts: 8
Official government source: gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Permanent-resident status for a person who falls within an official Macao right-of-abode category.

Eligibility: 1Report facts: 8
Official government source: gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Short stay & visit

4 routes

Advance diplomatic, official or ordinary visitor visa obtained through a Chinese diplomatic mission or authorised representative office.

Process & costs: 1Report facts: 7
Official government source: fsm.gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Paid authorisation to enter and stay obtained at a Macao checkpoint by a non-exempt traveller eligible to apply on arrival.

Process & costs: 2Report facts: 7
Official government source: gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Advance entry authorisation for a non-exempt traveller, including the published agent route for six specified nationalities.

Documents: 1Report facts: 8
Official government source: gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Humanitarian protection

1 of 1 says who you can bring
1 route

Statutory refugee-status determination for a person requesting recognition in Macao under Law No. 1/2004.

Can bring: spouse, dependants, children
Process & costs: 1Report facts: 8
Official government source: images.bo.dsaj.gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Ancestry & return

2 of 2 say who you can bring
2 routes

Restoration procedure for a Macao resident and foreign national who previously held Chinese nationality.

Can bring: spouse, children
Eligibility: 1Documents: 1Process & costs: 2Report facts: 6
Official government source: gov.mo · checked 2026-07-27

Other & special

1 of 2 says who you can bring
2 routes

Official sources

Compiled by António Mira, founder · How we verify our data · Not legal advice — immigration rules and thresholds change; confirm with the official sources above before deciding.

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