APEC Business Travel Card

[seanQLD]

I wouldn't be worried about how long it takes. You're not going to be able to make much use of it in the next few months anyway. Seems a strange time to apply for something you can't actually use.

Actually, it seems the perfect time to apply for something that will take 2-3 months before approved and in place.... Eventually , my guess is July/August, business travel will resume. Hopefully my ABTC will be in place by then. If I waited till Aug to apply, the card wouldn’t be in place until Oct/Nov.

 

[seanQLD]

At the moment you almost need to apply for some states individually, WA, QLD, TAS and NT all have restrictions on entry.

Oh, and unless you're a citizen or PR then you're not allowed to even come to Australia.

Am a citizen ... Just grounded and in lockdown (in Brisbane) like everyone else

 

[dairyfloss]

I'm eagerly awaiting my APEC ABTC 'status extension' for an additional 12 months................. unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[seanQLD]

I'm eagerly awaiting my APEC ABTC 'status extension' for an additional 12 months................. unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures

Cheers,
Matt.

I believe ABTC "extensions" are always approved and processed significantly faster than "new applications".

 

[dairyfloss]

I believe ABTC "extensions" are always approved and processed significantly faster than "new applications".

Mine actually took quite a lot longer, from memory about double the time (6 mths vs. 3 mths). I was just being cheeky anyway... Very little chance that the Govt(s) give us some extra time to travel on current cards, even if they have taken away the option for now

 

[seanQLD]

I submitted my first application online ( IMMI ) on 20 March 2020.... amid all the Covid19 lockdowns. ..
Anyway, now 13 April, have heard nothing... no approvals, nothing from Australia... I have no idea what to expect as far as wait-time for approval... but based on what I read in here I did think that Australia would have given their approval by 1 month... so hopefully something within the next week.... Obviously everything is slowed up by Covid19 lockdowns etc....

UPDATE ... now is 29 April ... coming up to 6 weeks... Still nothing from Australia (i.e. the first hurdle). Hoping it is processed soon, so it can be referenced to strengthened my case as an exemption to restrictions... as my business is export focussed. Waiting game at this stage

 

[dairyfloss]

UPDATE ... now is 29 April ... coming up to 6 weeks... Still nothing from Australia (i.e. the first hurdle). Hoping it is processed soon, so it can be referenced to strengthened my case as an exemption to restrictions... as my business is export focussed. Waiting game at this stage

Though I hope you'll have more luck... my last application in 2017 took 14 weeks from submission, to the approval in Australia... and then it was another 9 weeks from that point until all the economies had ticked the boxes for me to get the card.

 

[seanQLD]

Though I hope you'll have more luck... my last application in 2017 took 14 weeks from submission, to the approval in Australia... and then it was another 9 weeks from that point until all the economies had ticked the boxes for me to get the card.

Thanks for the info.... Good to know... It is a LONG TERM thing, so I just hope they process it somewhere between now (6) and your experience (14) .. I will update when I have more info

 

[dairyfloss]

Thanks for the info.... Good to know... It is a LONG TERM thing, so I just hope they process it somewhere between now (6) and your experience (14) .. I will update when I have more info

Thankfully, your 5 year validity commences from when the first card is issued, and so wait until the last economy has approved, if you don't need to travel on it right away, or are travelling to locations where the benefit is minimal and limited to a marginally better fast track arrival experience (e.g. Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong).

Note: in a slowing or near post COVID-19 travel environment, it might become more useful in these marginal places, as well... that remains to be seen, and depends on whether APEC card holders will get priority in whatever screening is done for the virus, as well. This is likely to be something that occurs prior to immigration; possibly (probably?) even before entering the terminal.

 

[seanQLD]

Now is 7 weeks since online application via immi ... and still zero activity on their side..

 

[seanQLD]

Some movement within the ABTC processing at last..... 8 weeks since applying online via IMMI account. Received an email saying the processing "has progressed" and is now at the "Criminal Record Check" step.... The email was padded out by a bunch of typical disclaimers, plus some covid specific info including that I should "expect further delays" due to covid .... I am happy there has been some movement... Now further patience is required.

 

[rallymini]

I applied for mine on March 24 - Approval finally came through on the 12th of May.
Now the waiting game of getting all the approvals...
I'm positive that there will be some economies that have stopped processing altogether during this time so I'm not holding my breath for speedy approvals.

As of today, 10 days from Australian approval I have received:
Australia
Chile
China
New Zealand
Philippines
Singapore (I live in Singapore and have an employment pass so I'm not surprised this was one of the quickest)

 

[seanQLD]

I applied for mine on March 24 - Approval finally came through on the 12th of May.
Now the waiting game of getting all the approvals...
I'm positive that there will be some economies that have stopped processing altogether during this time so I'm not holding my breath for speedy approvals.

As of today, 10 days from Australian approval I have received:
Australia
Chile
China
New Zealand
Philippines
Singapore (I live in Singapore and have an employment pass so I'm not surprised this was one of the quickest)

That is AWESOME !!! Thanks for the info
I applied March 20, so mine must be close... how were you notified of the Australian approval ? Immi ? email ? Aust. post ?

 

[rallymini]

I got notification via an email.

 

[seanQLD]

thanks... so I applied 4 days before.... and still have not received approval 10 days after. Obviously it is not a FIFO queue system, hahahaha ! But good news is they are being processed and approved. There's obviously no rush at this point in time, but I do hope mine comes along soon My next scheduled flight is Aug 04 and I am still hopeful that one goes ahead

 

[seanQLD]

I got notification via an email.

Did you already receive the Interim card ? I only requested one country (PH) for the interim card... And I see from your list that they have continued to process, and they do it quickly....

 

[rallymini]

Yes, I was starting to think they had stopped processing in Aus since it seemed to be taking so long. It was a big relief when that email came through!
Definitely not rushing here either, I don't think I'll get to put the card to use for at least 3-4 months as a best case scenario...
I'm living in Singapore and desperately hoping I will be able to visit my family and friends in Melbourne at Xmas time!

 

[rallymini]

Did you already receive the Interim card ? I only requested one country (PH) for the interim card... And I see from your list that they have continued to process, and they do it quickly....

Not yet, I have Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand on my list for the interim card.
Pre-COVID I visit each of these once per month!

 

[seanQLD]

i received my email approval ( australia ) today
To recap: it was submitted online by Immi account, on 20 March.... that was 75 days ( 2 months plus 2 weeks )

 

[rallymini]

i received my email approval ( australia ) today
To recap: it was submitted online by Immi account, on 20 March.... that was 75 days ( 2 months plus 2 weeks )

Awesome! Hopefully you won't have too many holdups for the rest of the approvals!

For your info, my approvals at the moment (3 weeks since Aus approval) are:
Australia
Chile
China
Hong Kong, China*
New Zealand
Peru*
Philippines
Russia*
Singapore

*New additions from last week