Sample of an Australian APEC Business Travel Card issued in 2019
The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) is a travel document issued to business travelers who are citizens of APEC participating economies. It is valid for five years. The card waives the need for a visa when visiting other APEC participating economies, provided the bearer has obtained the corresponding pre-clearance during the application process.
In 2021, the Virtual APEC Business Travel Card (VABTC) was introduced, offering the same benefits via a mobile application.[1] Virtual cards are intended to replace physical cards entirely, although each participating economy will decide their own timeline for doing so.[2] As of 2023, all APEC economies except Russia now accept the VABTC for entry.[2]
Participating APEC economies and application process
Full members of the scheme
Transitional members (Canada, United States)
19 of 21 APEC economies are full participating economies in the APEC Business Travel Card program:[3]
Russia began full participation on 1 June 2013.[4][5]
Citizens of these economies can apply for an APEC Business Travel Cards through their economies' government. The general requirement is that applicants be business people who need to travel frequently for short-term visits within the APEC region. However, the criteria for approval vary by economy. For example, Hong Kong accepts applications from all permanent resident bona fide business people. In contrast, Australia limits participation to representatives of businesses involved in international trade or investment between APEC economies, those who have received an Export Market Development Grant from Austrade in the past five years, are listed on the current Forbes Global 2000, or meet similar criteria.[6]
After submitting an application, the applicant's name is sent to other participating economies for entry pre-clearance. Once approved, the names of these economies can be printed on the back of the card. It can take three to four months for all member economies to respond. Applicants may choose to have their card issued without waiting for delayed responses from some governments, but this means they won't have travel privileges in those economies.[7] Since September 2015, the card has been valid for five years (previously three years). After five years, a new application is required. If the passport is renewed during this period, the card must be reissued with the updated passport number. As of February 2014, about 500,000 ABTCs were in active use.[7]
Canada and the United States are transitional members. This status allows them to issue APEC Business Travel Cards to their citizens and nationals. This grants their cardholders access to expedited visa appointments and immigration clearance in other participating economies. However, these cardholders do not receive additional visa-free travel privileges. Canada and the United States are also not required to grant visa-free status to APEC cardholders from other economies.[8][9] The U.S. began accepting applications for ABTCs in June 2014, while Canada announced in October 2013 that it would begin a limited-participation trial programme.
A citizen of a third-party country, including the United States and Canada, who is also a permanent resident of Hong Kong, can apply for an APEC card through the Hong Kong Immigration Department. This exception is not available in any other member economy.
Apart from the name of the member economy, no national signs are present on the card. On the back of the card, the member economies for which clearance has been approved are shown. The Machine-readable strip starts with "CP", followed by the abbreviation of the issuing economy. The abbreviations are in conformation with the 3-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country codes. Although Taiwan is a member economy under the name Chinese Taipei, the abbreviation TWN is used here.
Use
The card must be used in conjunction with a passport[10] and has the following advantages:[11]
No need to apply for a visa or entry permit, as the card is treated as such (except by transitional members)
Multiple short term entry for a maximum stay of between 59 days to 90 days[12]
Expedited border crossing in all member economies, including transitional members
Expedited scheduling of visa interview (U.S.)
Card is valid for five years
Costs vary by participating country
Processing time: 2–3 months, and up to one year in some cases. Previously, APEC offers a fast-track option for interim card issuance covering up to five "priority economies" of an applicant's preference.[13] With the virtual ABTC, preclearances become available in the app as soon as they are granted.[14]
The Visa free arrangement does not apply to Chinese citizens of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for entry into the mainland China. These citizens should continue to use the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents for such entry. It also does not apply to ABTC holders of Hong Kong for entry to Taiwan.
Country-specific information
Australia
As Australia is a full participating member of the scheme, Australian citizens who are frequent bona fide business travellers can apply for a card through the Department of Home Affairs (Australia) online.[15] Foreign holders of the card can visit Australia visa-free for 90 days, and special fast-track lanes are available for them at Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney airports.
Eligibility requirements for Australian citizens to get an ABTC include:[6]
You travel frequently to an APEC economy for business purposes
You have not been convicted of a criminal offence
Your business entity is engaged in international trade or investment between APEC economies. This is shown if the business:
has received an Export Market Development Grant from Austrade in the past five years
has been a finalist in the Australian Export Awards in the past five years
is trading goods, services or conducting investment activities between APEC economies
is a start-up operation, there is clear evidence of viability, sound business planning, market research and product/s or services to be traded
Canada
Although Canada is not a full participant of the scheme, card holders are eligible to use special service lanes at major international airports upon arrival in Canada, but are still subject to the regular entry/visa requirements.[16] At the APEC Indonesia 2013 summit, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that his country would begin a pilot scheme allowing Canadian citizen NEXUS members to apply for ABTCs.[10]
In June 2014, the Canada Border Services Agency published a final rule regarding the issuance of ABTCs to Canadian Citizens. Applicants for ABTCs must already be enrolled in the NEXUS program. Applicants can apply through the GOES portal, the same US CBP operated website used for its other trusted traveler schemes.[17][18]
Since Canada is only a transitional member of the ABTC scheme and does not grant any visa waiver to ABTC holders from other economies, Canadian citizens reciprocally do not enjoy any additional visa-free travel through the ABTC scheme. However, they qualify for expedited visa appointment procedures for those economies which require visas for Canadian citizens, and use of specially marked ABTC lanes at airports.[17]
China
The People's Republic of China is accepting virtual ABTCs from 1 May 2023. The 'CHN' notification has been reinstated for ABTC holders who have pre-clearance from China.[19]
Hong Kong
All Hong Kong permanent residents who are bona fide frequent business travellers are eligible to apply for the card through the Immigration Department upon submission of form ID900, regardless of whether they are Chinese citizens, as long as they have never committed a criminal offence and have never been denied entry into another APEC participating economy. The application fee is HKD540.[20]
As Hong Kong is a full participant of the scheme, non-Hong Kong residents who hold an APEC Business Travel Card can enter Hong Kong visa-free for 60 days and are entitled to use special fast-track or resident counters.
Japan
Japan is a full member since 2003 and MOFA issues these cards to businessmen who are Japanese citizens. Popularly it is called as ABTC card. Visa free travel is allowed for either 60 or 90 days depending on the travel destination except for Philippines where the stay is limited to 59 days. Card holders can avail special fast-track lanes to expedite the immigration process. However, as Japanese passport already enjoys several visa-free travel perks, using this card may not always prolong the stay any further (ex: in case of travelling to Chile, South Korea or Taiwan) and rather using this card may reduce the period of stay (e.g. travelling to Peru).
New Zealand
New Zealand citizens can apply for an ABTC if they travel frequently on business and are of a good character through Immigration New Zealand for NZD150.[21]
As New Zealand is a full participant of the scheme, foreign cardholders can enter New Zealand visa-free for up to 90 days.
Russia
Card holders are permitted to stay for business purposes for a maximum of 90 days in each period of 180 days. Travellers holding a virtual ABTC must apply for a special permit granting multiple entry and stay visa to enter the Russian Federation. Those travellers holding a physical ABTC are exempt from the need to apply for a visa.[19]
United States
Although the United States is not a full participant in the scheme, card holders can use special fast-track lanes for aircrew at international airports in the United States, but they are still subject to regular entry/visa requirements.
Applicants for ABTCs must already be enrolled in Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI. As the United States is only a transitional member of the ABTC scheme and does not grant any visa waiver to ABTC holders from other economies, U.S. citizens reciprocally do not enjoy any additional visa-free travel through the ABTC scheme. However, they qualify for expedited visa appointment procedures for those economies which require visas for U.S. citizens, and use of diplomatic or crew lines at airports.[8] Among the 21 ABTC scheme member economies, the visa policies of China, of Russia, and of Vietnam require advance visas for U.S. citizens making short-term business visits, while visa policy of Papua New Guinea issues visas on arrival for a fee. As of 3 January 2017, the fee is $70.[22]
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act (Pub. L.112–54 (text)(PDF)) was passed in November 2011 to authorize the issue of ABTCs to US travellers until September 2018.[23] Implementation began shortly thereafter.[24] In May 2014, the United States Department of Homeland Security published an interim final rule regarding the issuance of ABTCs to U.S. citizens. In June 2014, U.S. Customs and Border Protection began accepting ABTC applications through the GOES portal, the same website used for its other trusted traveler schemes. On November 2, 2017, prior to the September 2018 expiration of the temporary program, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2017 (S. 504) was signed making the APEC Business Travel Card a permanent program.[25]
