The signing ceremony of “Agreement between the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Mutual Exemption of Visa Requirements” was held on 9^th April in the Macao SAR. The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Mr. Cheong Weng Chon, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Shakhrat Nuryshev, signed the Agreement on behalf of their respective governments.

Guests attending of the ceremony included Mr. Lin Ruhai, Director of the Consular Affairs Department of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR; Mr. Lam Chi Long, Chief of Office of Secretariat for Administration and Justice; Mr. Chao Wai Ieng, Director of the Identification Services Bureau; and Mr. Leong Heng Hong, Acting Director of the Public Security Police Force. Representatives of the Republic of Kazakhstan included Mr. Almas Seitakynov, Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong.

After the above-mentioned Agreement enters into force, residents of the Macao SAR holding a valid Macao SAR Passport will be exempted from visa requirements when entering the Republic of Kazakhstan for a stay of maximum 14 days. Also, holders of a valid passport of the Republic of Kazakhstan will be exempted from visa requirements when entering Macao for a stay for maximum 14 days. By then, there will be a total of 146 countries or territories that have agreed to grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to the Macao SAR Passport holders.