Yes. According to the laws in Macao, marriage is contracted by two persons of the opposite sex for the purpose of establishing conjugal relation and constituting a family in the form of having a life together. However, if the marriage is not really having a life together under conjugal relation and status but entered into just for the reason of assisting the husband/wife to obtain local resident status so as to be entitled to enjoy the local welfare and rights (e.g.: to get the right of abode or to work by means of bogus marriage), such marriage without genuine relationship is a bogus marriage. The persons involved will have to bear criminal responsibility.
According to Article 78 of Law No. 16/2021, persons who have a bogus marriage, de facto marriage, adoption or employment contract for the determining motivation of obtaining Residence Authorization or Authorization to Stay of the Macao Special Administrative Region for themselves or others and make relevant applications to the authorities of the Macao Special Administrative Region will be imprisoned for two to eight years. |
