VisaRadar is an independent information service, not an official body or a visa agency. Every published requirement cites its official source and verification date. See methodology

Independent information service.

Entry requirements

What you need to enter China with a Macanese passport

Macanese citizens do not need a visa to travel to China: a passport is enough.

Entry cost
Free
Minimum passport validity
No minimum: it just has to be valid

Verified practical details

You don't need a visa to enter China, but here are some practical details worth knowing before you travel:

Hong Kong and Macao: different entry rules

Hong Kong and Macao run their own immigration control and their own list of exemptions, so a Chinese visa does not get you into either. Hong Kong's Immigration Department requires a visa or entry permit from anyone without right of abode there who wants to stay longer than their visa-free period allows. Going back to the mainland from either counts as a fresh entry into China and needs a Chinese visa again.

Source: immd.gov.hk, "Immigration Guidelines for Entry to the HKSAR"; gov.mo, servicio PS-1474 (comprobado 18/09/2026)

Authorisation system

E-Arrival Card: not a visa

Since 20 November 2025 the arrival card can be filled in online before travelling, on the National Immigration Administration (NIA) website, in its official "NIA 12367" app or in its WeChat and Alipay mini-programs. It can also be submitted by scanning the official QR code with a phone. Anyone unable to do it in advance can fill it in on arrival using the devices provided at the border checkpoint, and the paper card is still available. It is free, and the NIA warns about fraudulent websites that charge for it. On 12 July 2024 a pilot port e-visa was launched for foreigners invited by companies in Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area; the inviting party applies online. According to the NIA list of unilateral visa exemptions, updated on 17 February 2026, ordinary passport holders from 50 countries can enter visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, visits to relatives and friends, exchanges or transit.

Apply on the official site →

Fee

Depends on the visa type if the passport's country of origin isn't on the 30-day exemption list; specific fee not verified.

Processing time

For extension, replacement and reissuance of visas and stay permits applied for inside China, the processing period is no more than 7 working days from the date the application is accepted.

Health insurance

Not mandatory for this destination.

When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓

Transit rules

China runs a visa-free transit of up to 240 hours (10 days) for nationals of a group of countries that the National Immigration Administration widens from time to time. To use it you need an ordinary passport and an onward ticket to a third country or region with a confirmed date and seat, and you must enter through one of the 65 designated ports, spread across 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. During those ten days you may travel, do business, and make visits including to family, but working, studying or reporting news still require prior approval and the matching visa. One duty that is easy to miss: if you are not staying in a hotel (which registers you itself), you or your host must register your accommodation with the police within 24 hours of arrival, in person or through the NIA's online channels. Failing to do so draws a warning and a fine of up to CNY 2,000.

Official portal: https://en.nia.gov.cn. Destination data verified on 10 August 2026. Sources: National Immigration Administration, en.nia.gov.cn: online arrival card and its being free (notice of 5 December 2025), list of 50 countries with a 30-day visa exemption (17 February 2026) and the Exit and Entry Administration Law, arts. 62, 78 and 81 (illegal stay); government portal, english.www.gov.cn (Lin-gang port e-visa, 13 July 2024, announced by the NIA); General Administration of Customs, online.customs.gov.cn (service guide 000629014002 on baggage, as a PDF, with the declaration thresholds for alcohol, tobacco and cash); gov.cn, 2004 interim measures on foreign currency cash (USD 5,000); People's Bank of China, pbc.gov.cn, announcement 2004 No. 18 (CNY 20,000 limit) (checked 29 September 2026).

Travel insurance for China

It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.

See IATI's international site →

IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?

If your country isn't listed, try IATI's international site.

This is an affiliate link: if you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Things to see and do in China

Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Seeing the featured activities here needs advertising cookies. In the meantime, you can open them directly:

Browse activities on GetYourGuide →

This is an affiliate link: if you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

This pair in context

In the other direction, citizens of China need a visa to enter Macao. See the China → Macao page.

Of the 7 passports from Eastern Asia that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to China 6 enter visa-free and 1 need a visa. Same result as Macao: Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia, South Korea and Taiwan.

With a passport from Macao, in the rest of Eastern Asia you can enter Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia and South Korea visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Taiwan; you need a visa for North Korea.

A passport from Macao ranks 62 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 129 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.

Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.

Frequently asked questions

Do Macanese citizens need a visa for China?

No. You can enter China with just your passport.

How long does it take to get the entry permit?

For extension, replacement and reissuance of visas and stay permits applied for inside China, the processing period is no more than 7 working days from the date the application is accepted.

What currency is used in China?

Chinese Yuan (CNY).

What do Macanese passport holders need for the countries near China?

With a passport from Macao, in the rest of Eastern Asia you can enter Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia and South Korea visa-free; you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Taiwan; you need a visa for North Korea.

Related pages

See China requirements for other passports →

See entry requirements to Macao for other passports →

Every visa-free country for Macanese passport holders →

Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.