China: Macau relaxes COVID-19 testing rules for travelers from mainland effective Sept. 1 /update 53

Event

Authorities in Macau are partially relaxing some COVID-19 travel restrictions. Effective Sept. 1, arrivals from mainland China will be required to present a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken no more than seven days prior to arrival in Macau. Officials in Macau had previously required arrivals from mainland China to present results of tests taken no more than 48 hours before arrival.

Travelers and residents must register their addresses or most frequented locations to receive a health code. Macau still requires COVID-19 testing for people attending social gatherings having more than 400 attendees. Facemasks remain mandatory in casinos, government offices, and on public transport. Thermal scanners are in place at all entry points into Macau and in many other businesses including casinos.

Travel Restrictions
Residents of mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan can still enter the territory if they have not been to other locations in the previous 21 days. Inbound passengers from medium- and high-risk areas of mainland China must quarantine for 14 days at designated hotels. As of early Sept. 1, quarantine requirements are in place for travelers from the following locations:

• Jiangsu Province: Yangzhou

• Yunnan Province: Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture

• Hunan Province: Zhangjiajie

• Hubei Province: Parts of Huanggang, Jingzhou, and Wuhan

• Henan Province: Zhengzhou and parts of Shangqiu City and Kaifeng City

• Shanghai: Parts of Pudong District

Similar controls will likely be imposed on any additional medium and high-risk areas in mainland China. Quarantine requirements may be lifted at short notice, depending on disease activity in the specified locations.

Officials require travelers from Taiwan to take a COVID-19 test within 24 hours prior to departure for Macau and quarantine for 21 days at a government-designated facility. Permitted arrivals from Hong Kong must provide a negative COVID-19 test result obtained within 24 hours prior to arrival, quarantine for 14 days, and undergo an additional seven days of self-health management. Affected people must receive a negative COVID-19 test result the day before the management period ends or depart Macau during the management period.

Returning citizens and permitted travelers from international locations must take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to departure for Macau, quarantine for 21 days at a designated location upon arrival, and undergo self-health management for seven more days. Officials can increase quarantine to 28 days if passengers return a positive serological test result.

Arrivals who have visited Brazil, India, Nepal, Pakistan, or the Philippines within the 28 days prior to arrival in Macau must present three negative PCR COVID-19 test results taken 24 hours apart within the seven days before entry, with the final test being taken within 72 hours prior to boarding flights. These travelers are subject to a 28-day quarantine in designated facilities. Authorities will extend quarantine to 35 days for individuals that have a positive serological test result. Travelers must pay quarantine fees. Locals are exempt from the quarantine fee for their first entry but must pay for subsequent quarantine periods unless traveling for select purposes.

Officials have introduced a closed management system with Hong Kong for cargo crews. The program exempts shipping crew members from quarantine regulations if they undergo COVID-19 testing weekly, maintain adequate health standards, and refrain from disembarking in Hong Kong.

Transport between Macau and Hong Kong remains available only via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Several airlines have suspended flights at Macau International Airport (MFM); further flight cancellations are possible amid low demand. Authorities have also canceled ferry services from Dongguan; ferry service disruptions from Shenzhen and Zhuhai are also possible.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Consider postponing travel to Macau if impacted by travel restrictions. Allow additional time for immigration and health screenings. Delay travel if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny, immigration delays, or mandatory quarantine. Confirm reservations and business appointments.

Resources

Macau Health Bureau (Chinese and Portuguese)
Macau Higher Education Bureau