Macau vs Hong Kong 2026: Arrival Cards, Visas and Entry Rules Compared

The Short Answer: No Arrival Cards — Two Different Systems

Neither Macau nor Hong Kong asks travelers to fill in an arrival card in 2026. But that is where the similarity ends. Macau went stamp-free on July 10, 2013: when you enter, border police print your entry declaration slip automatically, and you fill out nothing. Hong Kong went one step further on October 16, 2024, abolishing all arrival and departure cards outright — immigration simply works from the Advance Passenger Information (API) your airline transmits. Both processes are free. Any website charging for a 'Macau arrival card' or 'Hong Kong arrival card' service is a scam, because no such service exists in either city.

What You Actually Get at the Border

In Macau you receive a computer-printed Entry Declaration Form — locals and frequent travelers call it the 'little slip' — showing your name, document number, entry date, permitted stay and an anti-counterfeit QR code. Keep it: hotels often ask to see it at check-in, and police checks may too. Lost it? Don't panic — departure does not require it, and you can get a free reprint at any border checkpoint or the Immigration Department at Pac On in Taipa. In Hong Kong there is nothing to keep at all: your airline sends your details ahead, you present your passport at an e-Channel gate or immigration desk, and you walk into the city.

Visa Rules Compared: Who Enters Visa-Free

Macau is generous: most nationalities enter visa-free for 30 or 90 days depending on their passport. Chinese passport holders transiting Macau to a third country can stay 7 days visa-free with a valid onward ticket. Hong Kong is similarly open — 90 days for US, UK, Australian, Singaporean and EU passport holders, with some nationalities getting even longer — but Indian nationals must complete the free PAR pre-arrival registration first (valid 6 months, multiple entries), or airlines may refuse boarding. Transit passengers in Hong Kong also get 7 days visa-free with an onward ticket to a third country. Always check your specific nationality on official sources before booking, because the two cities' lists do not match exactly.

Mainland Chinese Travelers: The EEP Rules

If you depart from mainland China, your passport is not the right document for either city — both require the Exit-Entry Permit (往来港澳通行证), and the endorsements are separate. A Hong Kong endorsement does not open Macau, and a Macau endorsement does not open Hong Kong. Check that your permit and the correct endorsement are valid before you travel. Neither city requires an arrival card on top of the EEP — but without the right endorsement you will not board or cross.

Cash Rules: The 120,000 Parallel

Both cities police large movements of cash and bearer negotiable instruments with strikingly similar thresholds. In Macau, go through the red channel if you carry MOP 120,000 or more in cash or bearer negotiable instruments, restricted goods, or items over personal-use limits (value above MOP 5,000). In Hong Kong, since July 2018, travelers arriving with more than HK$120,000 in currency or bearer negotiable instruments must make a written declaration at the red channel — the same system, a different currency. Ordinary luggage and holiday spending money go through the green channel in both cities.

Scams to Watch: If It Asks for Money, It Is Not Official

Because 'Macau arrival card' and 'Hong Kong arrival card' still generate steady search traffic, scam sites sell 'online submission' services that do not exist. Macau has never had an online arrival card, and Hong Kong abolished the paper one in 2024. The official sources are free: gov.mo for Macau and immd.gov.hk for Hong Kong. If a website asks for payment, close the tab — the real entry process in both cities costs nothing and takes seconds.