Visas
For visits to Macau
Australian passport holders do not require a visa for short-term visits (up to 30 days) for business or tourism purposes. For stays of longer than 30 days, Australian passport holders should apply for a visa before travelling to Macau. Visa applications may be submitted to the Chinese Embassy directly or through a local sponsor to the Macau Immigration Department.
The same visa free policy applies for Australians visiting Hong Kong. Australian passport holders that wish to travel to Hong Kong from Macau do not need to obtain a visa in advance.
By law, entering into employment (paid or unpaid) while on a 30 day stay is an offence. Australian visitors that wish to change their visit status or conditions should contact the immigration Department for procedures and the required documentation.
For visits to China
All visitors, including Australians, intending to visit China via Macau require a visa. There are several ways to obtain a Chinese visa:
- Before departure at one of the Chinese Consulate-General offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth.
- If time is tight, Australians can apply for a Chinese visa at the Visa Office of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affair while in Macau. A visa will be issued in 3 days. In urgent cases, the visa can be granted the next day for a special fee.
- If the visit period in China is less than 7 days, Australian passport holders can apply for a short-trip visa at the Chinese border immigration Gongbei checkpoint. The only restriction for this category of visa is that Australian visitors have to exit from the same checkpoint where the visa is granted. Holders of other normal visa categories can exit at any port/checkpoint.
For further information please contact your nearest Chinese Embassy or Consulate prior to arrival.