Crossing from Hong Kong to Macau on a foreign passport is a two-checkpoint day, and the documents question is decided before you leave home. Most foreign passport holders enter Macau visa-free for a stay measured in weeks; six nationalities need a Macau visa arranged in advance. This guide sets out what each traveller carries, what happens at the HZMB Macao Port, and how the two territories' stays are counted separately.
- Most foreign passports: Macau visa-free entry, allowance counted in weeks.
- Six passports need an advance Macau visa: Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam.
- Macau's stay and Hong Kong's stay are counted separately.
- Every traveller needs their own passport, children included.
- Car passengers may clear on foot at either checkpoint — officers decide on the day.
The rule that matters first: the six-visa list
Nationals of most countries enter Macau without a visa for a stay that runs into weeks — the standard tourist allowance is up to 30 days, with some nationalities receiving shorter or longer periods under Macau immigration's published schedule. The list that changes a day trip: passport holders of Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam need a Macau visa (or a pre-arrival entry permit) arranged before travel, even for a single day.
There is no way to improvise this at the bridge: the visa is a consular matter settled with Macau immigration authorities before you travel. If anyone in your group holds one of these six passports, the visa is the first task, not the booking.
Verify before you book. Macau's visa-free schedule is published by the Immigration Department of Macau (the Public Security Police's immigration service) and updated periodically; nationality terms differ. Check the official schedule for every passport in the group, and check passport validity — the six-month rule that airlines apply is the safe standard to assume.
What happens at each checkpoint
Leaving Hong Kong at the HZMB Hong Kong Port. Hong Kong immigration checks you out — this consumes the balance of your Hong Kong stay. You then board the shuttle bus or your booked car onto the bridge itself, about 40 minutes of water.
Entering Macau at the HZMB Macao Port. Macau immigration checks you in with the passport and, where required, the visa. The counters run continuously — the port is a 24-hour crossing — and queues at mid-morning and weekend peaks are the main variable. Keep the entry slip you receive: you may be asked for it when leaving.
Returning to Hong Kong. A fresh Hong Kong entry, consuming a new allowance. This is the detail most visitors miss: Hong Kong's immigration counts visits, and a Macau day trip followed by a Hong Kong re-entry starts a new Hong Kong stay. If you are near the end of a long Hong Kong visit, confirm your re-entry terms before you plan the Macau leg.
In a booked car. Mayline's cross-boundary cars hold the government quota for the bridge. Whether passengers stay in the car or clear on foot is decided by officers on the day, on either leg; you walk the checkpoint hall with your passports and rejoin the same car after. Never plan on staying seated through the checkpoint.
The document checklist
- Passport, every traveller. Children and infants need their own; passports in the car travel with their owners, not in the luggage.
- Visa, for the six nationalities listed above. Arranged in advance with Macau immigration, not at the border.
- Onward plans if asked. Macau immigration can ask for the return or onward ticket; a same-day return to Hong Kong satisfies it for day trippers.
- Accommodation address if staying overnight. Standard immigration information, worth knowing before the counter.
- The Macau entry slip. Kept until you leave Macau.
What you do not need
- A Hong Kong visa change. Your Hong Kong status is unaffected until you re-enter.
- A mainland China permit. The bridge to Macau is not the mainland; the Zhuhai leg is a separate journey with its own rules.
- Vaccination or health paperwork for a standard visit. Requirements change in outbreaks; check the official notices if travelling during one.
- Cash bonds or letters for tourist stays. Not a standard requirement for visa-free nationalities.
Booking the crossing
| Crossing option | Price (2026) | Document notes |
|---|---|---|
| HZMB shuttle bus | HK$65 per person daytime; HK$70 night | Self-service checkpoints; 24 hours |
| Booked whole car, Hong Kong to Macau | from HK$1,888 (airport route) daytime; Tsim Sha Tsui from HK$1,968; Central from HK$2,068 | Daytime, non-holiday, 2 passengers, no extra stops; price locked at booking |
| Ferry | Sailing-dependent | Terminal immigration instead of the bridge port |
Car fares are whole-car in HKD, locked at booking, tolls and border fees included; your instant quote is final. Driver name, phone and plate appear on the My order page no later than 1 hour before pick-up.
Common mistakes at the border
- Discovering the six-visa list at the checkpoint. The day ends there; the visa is arranged weeks ahead.
- Assuming children ride on parents' documents. Every traveller, every age, needs their own passport.
- Planning a Macau trip at the end of a long Hong Kong stay. The re-entry is a fresh Hong Kong allowance — confirm your terms first.
- Leaving the passport in the car boot at the checkpoint. It travels in your pocket; the queue may be on foot.
FAQ
Do I need a visa for Macau as a foreign passport holder visiting from Hong Kong?
Most nationalities enter visa-free for a stay measured in weeks (commonly up to 30 days). Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam passports need a Macau visa arranged in advance, even for one day.
Does a Macau day trip affect my Hong Kong stay?
Yes. Returning to Hong Kong is a fresh entry that starts a new Hong Kong allowance. If you are deep into a long Hong Kong visit, confirm your re-entry terms first.
What documents do children need to cross to Macau?
Their own passport, every time. Visas apply to children as they do to adults on the six listed nationalities.
Do I clear immigration on foot if I travel by car?
Sometimes. Officers decide on the day whether car passengers clear on foot or remain in the vehicle; you rejoin the same car after the checkpoint.
Is the HZMB crossing open all night?
Yes, the bridge shuttle and both ports run 24 hours. The night shuttle fare is HK$70 per person.
Where do I verify my nationality's visa-free terms?
On Macau immigration's official schedule, published by the Public Security Police's immigration service. Terms differ by nationality and are updated — check before booking.
Check passports, then book the car
Whole-car door-to-door crossing, price locked at booking. Your instant quote is final.
Related guides
- Best ways to get from Hong Kong to Macau in 2026
- Hong Kong Airport to Macau: arrival steps
- Macau one-day itinerary from Hong Kong
- Macau money and payments for overseas visitors
One last thing: the HZMB Macao Port's counters never close — a 02:00 crossing clears in minutes, which is why late-night returns are calmer than mid-morning ones.
Your instant quote is at mayline.com.hk.
