Your complete guide to the APEC Business Travel Card

Be careful if you are applying for an APEC card for visa free travel to Vietnam. I've had my card since February and Vietnam has still not processed/updated my status. I was told that Vietnam stopped reviewing applications during Covid and have only recently started to assess applications. Assume there is quite a back log.

Does the APEC Business Travel Card permit you to bring family members / companions through the diplomatic queue? Or does each person need a card?

sssshhhhhhhh!  The first rule of APEC card is dont talk about APEC card!!  The only "best tips on travelling" that I dont give as I (selfishly) want to make the APEC queues as short as possible in Oz, Japan, Korea, Thailand and more! 

Tim is correct. These APEC Cards are tremendous. I have managed to get a few friends through in different cities, always looking very business like, of course. They were cracking down on the pre-requisites a few years back and making it harder for people to get them. To renew your Card you have to prove that you made 4 trips to those countries listed in the last 12 months. I dont know what will happen to me as mine runs out in 6 months and because of Covid, I have not travelled. I sometimes use my physical card as an identity document as it has my face on it, so well worthwhile having one. Not sure about the virtual ones.

Just be aware China has said it will not recognize virtual cards and you'll need to apply for a visa to enter China.  I've not been able to confirm if physical cards will be accepted.

Has anybody tried their luck at DPS using card while going in as tourist and what was the outcome?  

We will be travelling to Bali this August. I have an APEC card and will use this at DPS.

M<y wife does not have the card but will travel with me.

Can she use the same entry lane with me?

Does she need to apply for an Indonesian visa before arrival?

I have had 3 APEC cards. They are truly great, save a huge amount of time and energy in preparation for travel and when actually travelling. My advice (if it’s worth anything) don’t try to get anyone through the APEC line with you if they don’t have a card. I have seen plenty of travelling companions turned around during my travels so respect the APEC BTC rules and those of the country you are visiting. 

I am on a virtual card now. The Interim card as described in the story is not quite right now. With the old physical card you could have an interim card sent when your 5 priority economies had approved you. Now with the virtual card, each economy appears on the app when approved and this is totally random and can’t be sped up. Most came through in 3 to 4 weeks. Vietnam still not approved after 4 months.

Never been brave enough to try using my APEC card for visa free entry to Vietnam for what is obviously a holiday (based in HKG so fly in Friday night and fly out Sunday night for a short weekend away). Has anyone ever been questioned ' challenged for using it for non business travel?

A couple of comments:

1. NZ citizens with a registered business in Australia are highly likely to find that they are eligible for an ABTC. 

2. Upon arrival in Asia the immigration officers generally anticipate an ABTC being presented by a male in professional dress. Don’t even think of wearing shorts or thongs or, for women, what they would consider “revealing” attire.

3. More than that, forget about taking your spouse or friends or kids in the ABTC queue. They will get redirected to the back of the general queue and you might too.

The ABTC line is for businessmen and businesswomen travelling on business. You can (mis)use it for leisure travel, but at least make sure that you go though the motions of looking like you’re travelling for business purposes!

I’m in the process of applying for this card and trying to get just a simple dot pointed list of what documents I need to provide. Does anyone have a list of these? (Executive Traveller this would be a great type of thing to include in these articles in the future :) )

I much preferred having a physical card to having it virtually on my phone. Some places don't want you using phones in immigration.

any word on when Australia will be included in the US Global Entry list?

Quick note to Executive Traveller.

APEC members are referred to as Member Economies, never as countries. It may seem like semantics but it is an important distinction that anyone working with APEC will understand and relates to the international status of some members 

The article says you can go through the same line as air crew. I usually find this is not the case and indeed crew will have a separate line to ABTC holders. In general card holders will be turned away from crew lines. 

This is often the case with diplomatic passport holders as well, who more often than not have their own line. It is sometimes the same as the ABTC line but worth checking at the airport as you can be turned away from these channels as well. Having said that I entered Vietnam last week via the diplomatic channel as it was dual purpose on that occasion.

It is always best to look for, or ask someone, where is the ABTC line and enter via the dedicated lane.

I realise this is for Asia Pacific countries, but does it have any value for leaving/entering Australia when travelling to/from EU/UK?

No. There isn’t any benefit for non-APEC economies

Great card to have especially if you are unfortunate to have to do an International transfer at Sydney Airport, can save half hour using Apec line. Never in my life after maybe 20 times have I been asked to show card / and or digital card. Straight through. Never been asked to present card at KLIA, Jakarta, HKIA or Haneda.

Quick question guys,

1. How many "trips to participating economies" are needed to qualify (prior to applying)? Somewhere it says 4, somewhere 5 within preceding 12 months.
2. What is the definition of a trip? Does it mean return trips from your home country? Meaning if I do an AU - ID - VN - MY - SG - AU, is that 1 trip? or 4 trips as I visited 4 "participating economies" while on the trip? (prob a stupid question but had to ask)
3. Does/has anyone applied to it as a "startup" for which only 1 trip has been taken so far (although it covered 4 countries mentioned in the Q above) but will have more over the next 12 months. The article above says (as does the home affairs site) they assess a startup a bit less harshly. For a consulting/advisory business with a biz plan, financial plan, ABR, would it qualify even without the requisite number of trips?
4. I also have a 1-yr old startup I co-founded incorporated in the US, as well as I'm a CxO of a 3-yr old company domiciled in one of the eligible economies. Would it be better to apply via those as opposed to this consultancy I'm starting here in Aus?
   
   Sorry for so many questions but answers to any of them will be great help. I have blasted an email to home affairs as well on 3 email addresses I could find but have 0 hope of getting a satisfactory response from them, if at all.

Thanks in advance