Official fees & timelines
Macao Official Fees and Timelines
There is no single "migration procedure" in Macao. Residence authorisation, Talent Recruitment, Major Investment, non-resident workers and non-local students are handled by different authorities, each publishing its own fees and timelines. This page organises the published figures by route and clearly flags what the government has not published. Where anything changes, the official source prevails.
Routes at a glance
| Route | Official fee | Official timeline | Conditions / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residence authorisation (Other Persons) — Unitary Police Service 澳門政府：居留許可（其他人士申請） | MOP 20,000; issuance MOP 200 | Not published ("depends on the specific circumstances of each case") | Means of subsistence, guarantee documents, criminal record, Macao address, etc. |
| Residence authorisation renewal 澳門政府：居留許可（其他人士申請） | Free if on time; MOP 2,000 (first 30 days late) / MOP 5,000 (next 30 days) | Within 120 days before expiry, in the first 60 days | Late renewal may cause the permit to lose effect |
| Resident identity card after approval 澳門政府：居留許可常見問題 | Late-application fine MOP 300–500 (plus MOP 50 per day, capped at MOP 15,000) | Within 90 days of the Residence Permit Certificate | Apply to the Identification Services Bureau |
| Talent Recruitment — Talent Development Committee 人才發展委員會：人才引進制度常見問題 | Free (official FAQ: "no fee payable") | 90 days (suspended while documents are requested) | Three programmes; Outstanding Talent 200 points, Advanced Professional Talent 150 points plus local employment |
| Major Investment / Major Investment Plan — IPIM IPIM：重大投資審批分析要素 | Free | 45 working days (suspension possible under AR 3/2005) | Assessment factor 6 expressly requires investment of no less than MOP 15 million |
| Property-based investment residence 澳門政府：臨時居留許可申請（重大投資） | — | — | New applications suspended since 4 April 2007 (AR 7/2007) |
| Specialised non-resident worker employment permission — DSAL 澳門政府：專業外地僱員（勞工事務局） | Free | Written enquiries answered within 5 working days (service pledge) | Employer-led; documents due within 15 days |
| Non-resident worker identity card (blue card) 澳門政府：外地僱員身份認別證 | MOP 100 (replacement MOP 200, renewal MOP 100) | About 45 days depending on category | Validity matches the employment permission |
| Non-resident worker levy — Social Security Fund 社保基金：外地僱員聘用費 | MOP 200 per worker per month (MOP 100 manufacturing; domestic work exempt) | Quarterly | Paid by the employer; late payment fined MOP 300–1,000 |
| Non-local student special stay permit 澳門政府：外地學生逗留特別許可 | Free | First application 30 days; personal renewal 15 working days | Submit online first, then complete in person |
All amounts in Macao patacas (MOP). Each item follows the current official service page. Last reviewed: 13 September 2026.
Clarification 1: Chinese nationals are exempt from the MOP 20,000 residence fee
The official fee table exempts several categories from the MOP 20,000 application charge — Chinese nationals among them. The other exemption categories are detailed on the Residence Permit Fees page.
Clarification 2: Talent Recruitment applications are free, with a 90-day statutory review
The Talent Development Committee's official FAQ states that no fee is payable. Under Article 26 of Administrative Regulation 19/2023, the review takes 90 days, suspended while documents are requested. Any paid "agency fee" is not an official charge.
Clarification 3: "Buy property, get residency" ended on 4 April 2007
Property-based investment residence has been closed to new applications since 4 April 2007 (AR 7/2007); only renewals, family members and pre-existing applications continue. The current investment route is Major Investment / Major Investment Plan — threshold explained on its page.
Published vs not published
Searches for "Macao immigration fees" or "how long does approval take" often mix official figures with market guesswork. Here are the two categories, kept apart:
Officially published
- Residence fee MOP 20,000, issuance MOP 200, and six exemption categories
- Talent Recruitment: free application and 90-day statutory review
- Major Investment: free application, 45 working days, investment of no less than MOP 15 million
- Blue card MOP 100, worker levy MOP 200/month, student stay free of charge
Not published by the government
- A standard processing time for residence authorisation (officially "depends on the specific circumstances of each case")
- Approval rates or success chances for any route
- Case-level durations; any "usually X months" figure is not an official number
Official sources
Verify against the original official pages
Figures compiled from official pages. Last reviewed: 13 September 2026. Where official pages change, the official source prevails.