Macau or Aomin is a special administrative region of the PRC, formed as a result of the liquidation of the Portuguese colony. Passing under the jurisdiction of China, the region retained significant autonomy. You cannot enter the region with a Chinese visa, you must have a visa to Macau. Fans of gambling (the gambling business is the main source of budget replenishment), lovers of the warm sea, clean beaches and colonial architecture from the Russian Federation should know the rules for obtaining a permit.
Who is allowed visa-free entry
Those who, when planning a trip, have a question whether Russians need a visa to Macau in 2021, you need to know that there is an Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Macau SAR of China on the mutual abolition of visa requirements from 19.06. 2021 g.
In accordance with a bilateral agreement, Russians do not need to apply for a visa if:
- the period of stay in Macau does not exceed 30 days;
- the purpose of the trip is tourism, a visit to relatives, a business trip.
In accordance with part 1 of article 2 of this agreement, both of these conditions must be met.
What conditions must be met
When passing the border between mainland China and Macau, foreigners will have to go through passport control. According to the established rules, for visa-free entry, you need to prepare documents confirming that the tourist is not going to stay for a long period and has enough funds to stay.
Immigration officers can ask questions regarding the purpose of the trip, availability of hotel reservations, money, return ticket. As a result of the interview, the passport control officer has the right to grant an entry permit or refuse without giving reasons.
Upon arrival on the island, no fees are charged from citizens of the Russian Federation: they do not put a stamp in the passport, instead they issue a form with the date of entry, which must be kept until the end of the visit.
Citizens of the Russian Federation who have a Chinese visa to Macau can freely enter and stay in the region for the permitted period. Just before the trip, you need to check the multiplicity of the visa. If you have a single entry visa, you need to issue a new permit to return to China.
Required papers
An obligatory document for unhindered entry into Macau is a passport, which expires no earlier than 30 days from the moment of crossing the border. In addition to a passport, tourists are advised to have the following papers with them:
- return tickets or confirmation of flight booking;
- a hotel reservation (a printout from an online booking system is suitable) or a travel voucher;
- document confirming the availability of funds for stay in Macau. It is recommended to have at least 5,000 MOP (approximately $ 620) for the entire period;
- completed migration card.
What you need to cross the border with a child
If a minor is traveling with his parents, to enter Macau you will need:
- birth certificate;
- a minor's own foreign passport or an old-style foreign passport of one of the parents, where the child is registered.
In a situation where a child travels only with his father / mother, without parents, as part of a group or with relatives, the following documents will be needed:
- the child's own foreign passport;
- notarized consent of the other parent, when traveling without parents or with relatives - the consent of both father and mother.
If it is not possible to obtain consent, the basis for leaving may be:
- a copy of the death certificate;
- a copy of the court decision on deprivation of parental rights of one or both parents;
- original certificate stating that the mother has single status;
- a certificate stating that the whereabouts of the parent are unknown or a copy of the court decision on recognizing the parent as missing.
Copies of documents must be translated into English and certified by a notary.
Is it possible to extend the period of stay
If it becomes necessary to stay in Macau for a longer period, you need to take care of extending your stay. To do this, no later than 5 days before the end of the trip, you must apply to the subdivision of the Immigration Department of the Government of the SAR of Macau of the PRC with a corresponding application.
According to Macau law, Russians can stay in the SAR for up to 3 months. Persons who have violated the deadline for submission of documents or provided an unreasonable application can refuse to accept the application.
Sometimes Russian citizens try to extend their stay by obtaining a visa-run in Macau. To do this, after 30 days, they leave the administrative district and enter it again.
It is worth noting that such attempts to increase the length of residence in Macau are suppressed by the employees of the migration service. This is evidenced by the reviews of tourists. Offenders often find themselves denied entry.
When you need a visa
If citizens of the Russian Federation travel to Macau to work, study or long-term residence, it is necessary to issue an appropriate long-term visa. You need to prepare the necessary documents depending on the type of visa and apply to the diplomatic mission of China.
The question often arises whether you need a visa to Macau from Hong Kong. It should be noted that visa requirements apply to citizens of a certain state and do not depend on the country of entry.
If the purpose of the visit is a tourist trip and the trip will last no longer than 30 days, then citizens of the Russian Federation can enter the Macau SAR from Hong Kong without a visa.
What is included in the package of papers
The list of documents that must be provided for applying for visas of different categories can be found on the website of the Macau Department of Immigration. The standard package of papers includes:
- application form;
- international passport;
- 2 photos.
Depending on the visa category, you must additionally provide:
- To obtain a student visa - a letter from the educational institution confirming the fact of the applicant's enrollment, booking a ticket for the return flight if the training program lasts less than 6 months, a document confirming the existence of a source of income (certificate of the state of the bank account, on the salary from the place of work).
- If a work visa is issued in Macau - a photocopy of the employment contract or a letter of appointment of the applicant, which must contain information about the position, salary, duration of employment, as well as a permit to work on the island, issued by the relevant authorities of Macau.
- To obtain a visitor visa - an invitation and identity card of a relative, acquaintance in Macau;
- in the case of a transit visa - an air ticket, hotel reservation (a transit visa is not issued if a citizen arrives by plane and plans to leave Macau by bus or ferry).
Visa fees
Information on the cost of visa processing services should be checked with the institution to which the documents are submitted. If you are applying for a Macau visa at a Chinese embassy or consulate, you must pay a consular fee of $ 30. There is an additional charge for urgency - from $ 20 to $ 30.
The processing time depends on whether there is a need to send a request to the Macau Department of Immigration. The visa can be obtained on the day of submission of documents or within 3 weeks.
Where to go
Macau does not have its own diplomatic missions on the territory of other countries, therefore, the embassies and consulates of the People's Republic of China are engaged in the registration of the permit document.
There is no opportunity to obtain an electronic visa, citizens of Russia must apply personally to one of the institutions:
| Diplomatic missions of the PRC | Address |
|---|---|
| In Russian federation | |
| Embassy in Moscow | st. Friendship, 6, Moscow, 115127 |
| Consulate General in St. Petersburg | emb. Griboyedov Canal, 134, St. Petersburg, 190121 |
| Consulate General in Khabarovsk | Sovetskaya st., 1, bldg. 5, Khabarovsk, Khabarovsk Territory, 680028 |
| Consulate General in Vladivostok | st. Krygina, 3, Vladivostok, Primorsky Territory, 690065 |
| Consulate General in Yekaterinburg | st. Tchaikovsky, 45, Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk region, 620142 |
| in Ukraine | |
| Embassy in Kiev | Mykhailo Hrushevskogo street, 32, Kiev, 01901 |
| Consulate General in Odessa | Nakhimov lane, 2, Odessa, 65000 |
| in Georgia | |
| Embassy in Tbilisi | Barnova street, 52, Tbilisi, 380079 |
| in the CIS countries | |
| Embassy in Belarus | st. Berestyanskaya, 22, Minsk |
| Embassy in the Republic of Kazakhstan | Baytasova street, 12, Almaty, 480100 |
| Embassy in the Republic of Armenia | 12 Marshal Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 0019, |
| Embassy in the Republic of Azerbaijan | Khagani street, 67, Baku, 370010 |
| Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic | Mira Avenue, 299/7, Bishkek, 720016 |
| Embassy in the Republic of Moldova | M. Dosoftei street, 124, Chisinau |
| Embassy in the Republic of Tajikistan | Rudaki street, 143, Dushanbe, 734002 |
| Embassy in the Republic of Uzbekistan | Academician Yakhio Gyulomoy Street, 79, Tashkent, 700047 |
On the territory of the Russian Federation in Moscow and Rostov-on-Don there is a Chinese Visa Application Center, the address and phone numbers can be found on the website. You can use the services of the Unified Visa Application Center, whose offices are open in many cities of Russia.
Nationals of which countries can enter Macau without a visa
The list of states whose citizens can visit Macau without first applying for a visa includes the CIS countries. The main condition is that the duration of stay should not exceed 30 days.
Already at the airport, seaport, on the land border, a visa is issued to Macau for citizens of Kazakhstan and a Macau visa for Ukrainians, that is, a visa upon arrival.
Citizens of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan receive an entry permit. The document is issued immediately upon arrival at any of the border checkpoints. You must have a return air ticket, a ferry ticket, present your passport and pay a visa fee, the amount of which is:
- for an adult - 100 patacas ($ 12);
- for children under 12 years old - 50 patakas ($ 6);
- for all family members - 200 patacas ($ 25);
- for a group (from 10 people) - 50 patakas (6 dollars).
Payment is accepted in cash in local currency or Hong Kong dollars. Immigration officers may require you to provide documents confirming the hotel booking, the availability of a certain amount of money.
An entry permit must be presented when passing through passport control.
In March 2021, an Agreement was signed between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the PRC Macao SAR on the mutual abolition of visas. In accordance with the agreement, Belarusians are exempted from the need to obtain visas. In addition, travelers from Belarus, like Russian citizens, do not apply for a visa upon arrival.
What can you bring across the border
You can get information on the peculiarities of customs formalities, as well as on the prohibitions and restrictions on the import of goods, on the official website of the Macau Customs Service.
One person for personal use on the basis of one day of consumption is allowed to import:
- food products (dairy products, eggs (except fresh), natural honey, mushrooms, vegetables, fruits, lard, baby food and liquid milk), the total weight should not exceed 5 kg;
- 19 cigarettes;
- 1 cigar;
- 25 g tobacco leaves;
- 1 liter of alcohol with a strength of more than 30%.
In order to transport animals, birds, reptiles, you must obtain a permit. You will need to issue a special license if you import medicines, chemicals, radios, radars, navigation devices. It is forbidden to import firearms, edged weapons, ammunition, gas sprays, stun guns, drugs.
For what reasons can they refuse
The competent authorities of the Macau SAR of the PRC have the right to refuse entry. Refusal can be received by applicants who:
- provided false information about the purpose of the stay;
- used false documents;
- did not provide the necessary papers confirming the intention to leave the country on time;
- violated the rules of crossing the border, customs regulations, sanitary norms;
- are suspected of committing or preparing a crime;
- sentenced to imprisonment in or outside the Macau SAR;
- exceeded the length of stay on a previous visit.
Conclusions
For a tourist trip to Macau, Russians do not need a visa if the period of stay does not exceed 30 days. If you plan to study, work or long-term residence, you need to take care of issuing a permit.
The application, along with the necessary papers, is submitted to the diplomatic mission of China. If the documents are submitted in full, the visa is issued within a short time.
