| Macao Special Administrative Region passport | |
The front cover of the Macao SAR ePassport issued since September 2009
|
|
| Issued by | Macao |
| Type of document | Passport |
| Eligibility requirements | Chinese citizens who are permanent residents of the Macao SAR |
| Expiration | 10 years after acquisition for adults aged 16 or over, 5 for children |
The Macao Special Administrative Region passport (Chinese: 澳門特別行政區護照) is an international travel document that is issued to permanent residents of Macao who are citizens of the People's Republic of China. In accordance with the Macau Basic Law, since the transfer of sovereignty on 20 December 1999, the passport has been issued by the Identification Services Bureau of the Macau Government under the prerogative of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. The official languages of Macao are Portuguese and Chinese; consequently, all the passport's text is in Chinese (traditional characters) and Portuguese, as well as in English.
Contents |
According to the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China and the Explanations of some questions by the Standing Committee of the PRC National People's Congress concerning the implementation of the Nationality Law in the Macau SAR, any Macau SAR permanent resident holding Chinese nationality can apply for the Macau SAR passport. At the same time, they may possess a Portuguese passport, or other foreign passport, as a travel document, if eligible for one.
The latest version of the passport - which is an ePassport - was first issued by the Direcção dos Serviços de Identificação at the start of September 2009, instead of the previous machine-readable type.
The colour of the Macau SAR passport cover is bottle green, with the National Emblem of the People's Republic of China emblazoned in the centre of the front cover. It is inscribed with the titles of the PRC and the SAR in Traditional Chinese '中華人民共和國澳門特別行政區護照', Portuguese 'REGIÃO ADMINISTRATIVA ESPECIAL DE MACAU，REPÚBLICA POPULAR DA CHINA，PASSAPORTE' and English 'MACAO SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION，PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, PASSPORT'. Each passport consists of 48 numbered pages with a dimension of 125 x 88 mm.
Pages in the passport are special-purpose papers printed with the watermark of Great Wall, Rainbow pattern at the bottom of pages and the embossment of Lotus flower.
Besides personal data, the supplemental page of passport is printed with the picture and fingerprint of that holder.
Macau SAR passports are only issued by the Direcção dos Serviços de Identificação (the Macau SAR Identification Department) in Macau.[1]
Macau SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card, two recent 1½-inch colour photos, the original of Macau SAR Passport (second time) are generally required to submit with an application form.
Qualified applicants can apply in Macau or overseas, if necessary.
The Macao SAR passport is not accepted for travel between Macao and China. Instead, those who are eligible for a Macao SAR passport are also eligible to apply for a 'Home Return Permit' via the Public Security Bureau (PSB) of China's Guangdong Province (represented in Macao by the China Travel Service). The issuing of such a Permit is entirely at the discretion of the PSB, and so the possession of a Macao SAR passport does not necessarily guarantee the issuing of a 'Home Return Permit'.
Holders of the Macao SAR passport enjoy visa-free entry to a large number of countries and territories, including all European Union member states, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and South Africa. With regards to Schengen agreement signatory states, Macao SAR passport holders are also permitted to take up a paid activity (e.g. work) visa-free for a maximum of 90 days within a 180 day period in Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden - though not in Portugal. [2] In Switzerland, another Schengen signatory state, Macao SAR passport holders are able to exercise a "gainful occupation" for a maximum of 8 days during their 90 days visa-exempt stay without the need to apply for a special work visa.[3] However, this 8 day visa exemption excludes gainful occupation in the primary or secondary construction industry, civil engineering, catering and hotel services, industrial and private cleaning industry, surveillance and security services and sex industry. Alternatively, if in possession of a long term residence permit issued by any other Schengen member state, the Macao SAR passport holder can exercise a gainful occupation for up to 3 months visa-free in Switzerland (without the industry-specific restrictions listed in the 8 day visa exemption).
Macao SAR passport holders aged between 18 and 30 are eligible to apply under the Working Holiday Scheme by the New Zealand Government.[4] If successful, a visa is issued which permits the holder to spend up to 12 months in New Zealand with the primary purpose of travelling, but also allowing for supplementary short-term employment or study. The scheme is highly competitive as there is a quota of 1000 visas issued annually to all Chinese nationals from both China and Macao (there is a separate quota system for Hong Kong applicants).
As Chinese citizens, holders of a Macao Special Administrative Region passport are entitled to full consular protection by Chinese foreign missions abroad.
The Identification Services Bureau (DSI) of the Macao SAR Government has been issuing e-passports and e-travel-permits since September 1, 2009. The design of Macao's world culture heritage sites are incorporated and watermarked onto the visa pages of MSAR e-passports. [5]
|
||||||||