APEC Business Travel Card

[mandja]

are you looking on the ABTC app on your phone? It will show the economies already approved and ready for travel.

there was a place on your application to add priority economies.

from my application SIN, THA, IND were all completed within a month. VN is still to be added.

I can stop panicking now.
I can now see 2 countries magicly added (IDN and BRN). Presumably others coming soonish.

Post automatically merged: Nov 11, 2022

One more dumb question on this.
If I present myself at the APEC queue, but with wife in tow, I assume that she can go thru with me and that she won't need to queue elsewhere? (she has no APEC card).

 

[dajop]

If I present myself at the APEC queue, but with wife in tow, I assume that she can go thru with me and that she won't need to queue elsewhere? (she has no APEC card).

Depends on the country. Some will allow travel companions, some spouses, some won't entertain anyone else. Also some don't allow you to use APEC queue if not travelling for business, having a wife in tow may indicate some form of leisure trip also. And it can vary depending on who is in charge on any particular day.

 

[albatross710]

I can stop panicking now.
I can now see 2 countries magicly added (IDN and BRN). Presumably others coming soonish.

Post automatically merged: Nov 11, 2022

One more dumb question on this.
If I present myself at the APEC queue, but with wife in tow, I assume that she can go thru with me and that she won't need to queue elsewhere? (she has no APEC card).

My experience with wife in tow.

Bali, Indonesia in August 2022. I was allowed 60 day entry without paying. Wife was directed back to the payments.

USA. Both used the air crew channel at LAX.

Philippines. Both used APEC channel. I got 60 day entry, she 30.

My latest travels are the priority handling isn't reliable but the waived charges are more valuable.

 

[Danger]

I don't suppose anyone has experience applying for the card on the basis of being a board member of an Australian charity undertaking work (i.e. providing funding) in some of the APEC countries?

 

[mandja]

I applied using my board membership of a trade body (chamber) but had to demonstrate that we got an EMDG

 

[HarryTheFlyer]

Newly minted ABTC holder here.

Applied on 4/11/22.
Received request for additional information on 8/11/22, response provided the same day.
Virtual card approved on 28/12/22.
Seems pretty quick compared to the previous posters.

Economies on the card so far:
AUS
BRN
IND
THA
None of these were on my priority economies.

Will get to give the card a whirl in three weeks time in the USA, Canada and potentially Singapore if we decide to visit the Jewel. Will let people know if I have any issues brining MrHarry down the APEC lines.

 

[seanQLD]

Brunei was one of the last approved for me. Interesting ! But so much faster than a couple years ago.

 

[dairyfloss]

Newly minted ABTC holder here.

Applied on 4/11/22.
Received request for additional information on 8/11/22, response provided the same day.
Virtual card approved on 28/12/22.
Seems pretty quick compared to the previous posters.

Economies on the card so far:
AUS
BRN
IND
THA
None of these were on my priority economies.

Will get to give the card a whirl in three weeks time in the USA, Canada and potentially Singapore if we decide to visit the Jewel. Will let people know if I have any issues brining MrHarry down the APEC lines.

I wouldn’t try bringing the spouse with you in the crew lanes in the USA, unless you are genuinely there on business… I’ve had embarrassingly large and loud knock backs from the yanks trying that on in the past!

 

[HarryTheFlyer]

I wouldn’t try bringing the spouse with you in the crew lanes in the USA, unless you are genuinely there on business… I’ve had embarrassingly large and loud knock backs from the yanks trying that on in the past!

Nice edit! I’ll definitely be sure not to take the wife down the crew lanes!

Singapore is transit, USA is mostly business, but some leisure, and Canada is leisure. Let’s see how we go!

 

[Daver6]

Anyone experience on how long a renewal takes?

 

[dairyfloss]

Nice edit! I’ll definitely be sure not to take the wife down the crew lanes!

Singapore is transit, USA is mostly business, but some leisure, and Canada is leisure. Let’s see how we go!

If you’re actually on business, you should be fine… I wasn’t, and was too used to the more relaxed Asian & Australasian immigration staff who rarely seemed to care; so long as they could sight the card.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Daver6]

Anyone experience on how long a renewal takes?

Well I'll answer my own question. Submitted my renewal application the week prior to Xmas. Had it approved overnight. It looks like they still need to go through and get approval now for individual counties. My old card hasn't expired yet and it still shows in the app.

 

[albatross710]

Just as an update. 6 months now since my card was renewed. Just two countries waiting for approval PNG and Vietnam. (I don't have travels planned to those economies.) Interesting that it's taking so long. Card status : Interim.

 

[Electraglide]

Sorry to highjack the thread, however I contacted the Department to enquire as to whether they would consider extending the validity of the APEC cards due to many folks inability to travel for the past 2 years. Their response, in part, read:

"If we receive further similar requests from other ABTC holders seeking an extension, we will see they are passed on to the APEC Secretariat for consideration on the BMG agenda for the next meeting scheduled to occur between 7-21 August 2022."

If anyone wants to jump on board with this initiative, please do so!

Cheers

Update on the above... original expiry date was Sept 2022... just checked the digital card and can see expiry has been extended (without notice) to April 2024!!

 

[dajop]

So my partner applied, was asked for more information, responded with that specific information (additional identity documents, it seems passport and d/l wasn't enough ??, received an autoreply reciept of information and then radio silence. Has contacted them twice in the three months since and radio silence. Application numbers either side have begun processing ages ago (you can see countries issued, no names or anything).

Next step is phone contact, but can't event find a number,

 

[albatross710]

Next step is phone contact, but can't event find a number,

I've always had success with [email protected] with the application reference in the subject. that being said, if they don't need anything they don't seem to reply.

 

[dairyfloss]

Update on the above... original expiry date was Sept 2022... just checked the digital card and can see expiry has been extended (without notice) to April 2024!!

Wow! I had asked them very early on in pandemic - like April 2020, I think - if this might occur, as I was worried back then about losing what looked to be a number of months of use from the card. Little did we know how long this would go on for...

Travel requirements and routines have changed for me since, but the ABTC could still be of use if they were to extend mine from last year's expiry into 2024, like you received. I've sent them a note via their DHA web form. No harm in trying!

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Daver6]

Mine expires next month. I've already applied and been approved for my renewal. No change in the app.

In some positive news. SYD airport have sorted their issues out and understand that you can use crew lanes now.

 

[dajop]

I've always had success with [email protected] with the application reference in the subject. that being said, if they don't need anything they don't seem to reply.

Have emailed three times, zero reply, no progress on application, no indication that is has been denied. Radio silence. No way to contact by phone. Money paid - no action. Worse service than Qantas and Telstra combined.

 

[kyanar]

Interesting note - I discovered a handy table on the APEC website which shows which economies allow you to use your ABTC to enter for tourism, and which don't require you to enter on the passport which your ABTC was issued for:

https://www.apec.org/docs/default-source/groups/abtc/0-abtc-economy-entry-information-table-(as-of-18-oct-2022)852440b8682b4b84b94ccbe4745b0dbc.pdf?sfvrsn=260f0b80_2

Not sure what it means by "effect if visa applied for" though (or why they'd cancel a card as a result!)