Macau publishes its entry rules on two government sites, the general government portal and the Public Security Police Force’s site.
Passport validity and length of stay
The government portal says a travel document “should be valid for at least 90 days beyond the period of intended stay in the Macao Special Administrative Region.” Its stay-length table lists the allowance for “holders of a valid passport or travel document” at “a maximum of 30 days.”
The page does not break that figure down by nationality and never names the United States. We can confirm the 30-day ceiling exists. We cannot confirm in writing that it is the figure for an American passport, and neither source says outright that a US passport falls under the visa-exempt category. Check your own nationality with a Macau government source before you fly.
Onward ticket
“Visitors are required to possess a valid onward or return ticket unless they can prove that they reside on the Mainland of China or in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.” If you live anywhere else, carry the ticket.
Proof of funds
The portal states that “persons who intend to stay in Macao for no more than seven days are required to prove that they have at least MOP5,000 as their means of subsistence during their stay in Macao.” Claims elsewhere say this scales up for longer stays. The portal is silent on that, so the seven-day figure is the only one we print.
Six nationalities that need a visa before they fly
Since 1 July 2010: “visitors from Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are required to apply for a Macao visa in advance through a Chinese embassy or consulate.” If you hold one of those passports, the visa-exempt stay above does not apply to you.
Where a visa on arrival is issued, the police force’s fee schedule lists it as “MOP200 (one-off), MOP300 (multiple)” per individual.
Transiting through the airport
The police force’s guidance on airport transit is dense legal language, quoted here as written:
Persons transiting in the Macao Special Administrative Region via the Macao International Airport, not including the particular persons or groups, or nationals or citizens of particular countries or regions who are not allowed to be granted Authorization to Enter and Stay but are required to possess a visa or Prior Authorization to Enter according to the decision made in the written instructions of the Chief Executive
Read as written, transit passengers generally do not need an entry visa. The exception is a nationality the Chief Executive has separately restricted, which does need one.
Overstaying
“An overstayer will be fined MOP500 to 800 per overdue day. The fine should not exceed MOP15000.”
Past immigration you are also in Macau customs, which allows 19 cigarettes and bans e-cigarettes outright. What Macao Customs lets you bring in has the detail.