Starting from July, arbitrary system beneficiaries of the Social Security System can pay contributions in a more flexible and fast way through a variety of electronic means that include online banking accounts and self-service machine “BOC EXPRESS”.

Starting from July, apart from the Social Security Fund (FSS) Building, Northern District Public Services Centre of Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), Islands District Public Services Centre of IACM or 4 designated banks (including Bank of China Limited Macau Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Macau) Limited, Banco Comercial de Macau S.A., or Tai Fung Bank Limited), enrolled arbitrary system beneficiaries can also make FSS contribution payments through autopay or online banking services of the 4 aforementioned banks and the self-service machines “BOC EXPRESS” installed in the BOC 24-hour self-service banking centres, in order to save queuing time for payment. If the application for autopay service is submitted and approved before the contribution month, the bank will automatically deduct the contributions on the last working day of the contribution month. Beneficiaries using online banking services or “BOC EXPRESS” can make payment at any time during the contribution month.

The FSS reminds arbitrary system beneficiaries to pay attention to the transaction cut-off time of the online banking and that of the “BOC EXPRESS” services, in order to avoid late payment of contributions. It is stated in the law that overdue contributions will not be accepted, except that late payment interest is paid together with the contributions overdue, within two months after the statutory deadline. The monthly interest rate for late payment is three per cent of the overdue contributions. Any fraction of a month is also counted as full. An interest of 50 patacas shall be levied if the amount calculated is less than 50 patacas.

In order to conserve resources, beneficiaries who use autopay service to make contributions will not receive confirmation notice of payment if the transaction is successful. However, if the transaction is unsuccessful, they will receive notification in writing within the month that immediately follows the contribution month. Beneficiaries, who make the payment of contributions through online banking or the “BOC EXPRESS”, can print the record of online transaction, if necessary, or keep the transaction receipt. Beneficiaries can also check the recent record of their contributions from the 15th of the month that immediately follows the contribution month, through the FSS website at www.fss.gov.mo, or through the interactive voice response hotline 2823 8238.