Macau International Travel Information

Criminal Penalties:You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Drugs: Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Macau are severe.

ID: Police have the right to take you in for questioning if you are not carrying your passport.

Photography: You may be detained if you take pictures of certain buildings (please pay attention to no photography signs in casinos in particular).

DUI: Driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs could land you immediately in jail.

Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. For examples, see our website oncrimes against minors abroadand theDepartment of Justicewebsite.

Arrest Notification:If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Consulate General immediately. Macau authorities regularly notify the Consulate if they know that a U.S. citizen has been detained or arrested. See ourwebpagefor further information.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

Currency:There are no currency restrictions for tourists in Macau. Pataca is the official currency in Macau. Hong Kong currency is commonly used and widely accepted in transactions. Credit cards and ATM network debit cards are widely accepted in Macau. Banks and major hotels accept traveler's checks.

Customs Regulations: Macau customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Macau of items such as firearms, ivory, certain categories of medications, and other goods. Please see theMacau Customs Servicewebsite for further information.

Macau customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning controlled items you might be carrying while transiting or entering Macau. If you bring controlled items into Macau without the necessary Macau documents, you may be prosecuted and the goods may be seized. The penalty for trafficking in dangerous drugs can be life imprisonment and a heavy fine.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of controlled and/or prohibited items:

For more information on bringing controlled items into Macau please contact theMacau Customs Service at +(853) 2855-9944 orinfo@customs.gov.mo.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection encourages the use of an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) carnet for the temporary admission of professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods for exhibitions and fair purposes.

For additional information, please visit theU.S. Council for International Business websiteand the U.S. Customs and Border Protection web page onTraveling with Samples.

Please see ourU.S. Customs Informationsheet for general information.

Importation into the United States of counterfeit items is prohibited by U.S. law. Please see ourU.S. Customs Informationsheet.

Dual Nationality:Dual nationality is not recognized underPRC nationality law. Be mindful of the following special circumstances for dual nationals when traveling in the region.

Enter Macau on your U.S. passportto ensure the U.S. Consulate General can provide consular assistance in case of arrest or other emergency.

Your child will be considered a PRC citizenif one or both of the parents are Chinese nationals regardless of U.S. citizenship.

If traveling onward to mainland China, enter China on your U.S. passport to ensure U.S. consular protection. SeeChina Country Specific Informationfor more information.

For further information on consular protection anddual nationality, please refer to our website.

Faith-Based Travelers:See our following webpages for details:

LGBTI Travelers: There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in Macau. See ourLGBTI Travel Informationpage and section 6 of ourHuman Rights reportfor further details.

Pets:You must have a permit to bring dogs and cats into Macau. Additionalinformation on importing pets is available directly from theMacau Customs Service at +(853) 2855-9944 orinfo@customs.gov.mo.

Typhoons: During the typhoon season (July through September),theMacau Meteorological and Geophysical Bureauissues typhoon warnings an average of six times a year. The Bureau has a good notification and monitoring system. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available from theU.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance:Macau law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities in employment, education, access to health care, or the provision of other state services. The government generally enforces these provisions. The law mandates access to public buildings, usually in the form of a ramp, for persons with physical disabilities. Crosswalks are also required in Macau, and they generally include audible signals for hearing-impaired and raised-treading for visually-impaired pedestrians. Handicap-accessible parking is mandated in publically-owned parking lots. TheSocial Welfare Bureauis primarily responsible for coordinating and funding public assistance programs to persons with disabilities.

For Macau residents who are mobility impaired, theSocial Welfare Bureauoffers free transportation to medical appointments by accessible van through theCaritas Rehabusor theRed Cross Medical Transfer Service. Accessible van rental and Macau tours for the mobility impaired are available throughViagens Acessiveis(tel. +(853) 2840-3315, email:barrierfreemacau@gmail.com.

Students:See ourStudents Abroadpage andFBI travel tips.

Women Travelers: See our travel tips forWomen Travelers.

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Macau International Travel Information