Right of Abode in the Macao SAR

The Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode is an effective document that confirms the status of a permanent resident of the Macao SAR.

After successful verification of your eligibility, you will be issued the Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode. After that, you can lodge the application for the Macao SAR Permanent Resident Identity Card with the aforesaid certificate.

b. Chinese nationals who have ordinarily resided in Macao for a continuous period of not less than 7 years before or after the establishment of the Macao SAR;

e. Persons of both Chinese and Portuguese descent who have ordinarily resided in Macao for a continuous period of not less than 7 years before or after the establishment of the Macao SAR;

12. Can a holder of a Non-resident Worker’s Identification Card get a Macao Resident Identity Card after working for 7 years? According to the law, holders of a Non-resident Worker’s Identification Card (Non-resident Worker’s Card in short) are only ‘staying’ but not ‘residing’ in Macao while they are working as a non-resident worker. Therefore, they will not be granted a Macao Resident Identity Card even after they have worked in Macao for 7 years.

If one of your parents was a permanent resident of Macao at the time of your birth, or if you have ordinarily resided in Macao for 7 consecutive years or above, you are eligible to lodge an application for a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in the Macao SAR to verify your right of abode in Macao.

Failure to renew the Residence Authorization within the above period will result in its extinguishment as the Residence Authorization expires and becomes invalid.

In addition, you will be deprived of the successive time counted for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident status.

The application can be submitted in person at DSI or by post;

Fees and Payment Methods Free of charge

The application for the Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode will take 30 working days for examinations after the day on which this bureau has received all required documents from the applicant (exclusive of the day of receipt of documents).

There is an effective date on the Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode showing when the certificate comes into effect. Only on that date or after, can the holder of the certificate exercise his/her right of abode in the Macao SAR.

Applicants are advised to collect the “Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode” within six months from the date of issuance, and lodge the application of the Macao SAR Resident Identity card as soon as possible.

Persons mentioned in items d., e. and f. must declare to take Macao as a place of permanent residence before the issuance of the Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in Macao when their right of abode in the Macao SAR has been confirmed.

Following persons who claim that they have the right of abode in the Macao SAR but they do not possess a valid Macao Resident Identity Card or Macao SAR Resident Identity Card

Responsible Department: Identification Services Bureau

d. Persons of both Chinese and Portuguese descent born in Macao before or after the establishment of the Macao SAR who take Macao as a place of permanent residence