APEC Business Travel Card

[apecapec]

Nope. i received my interim card in October but still waiting for Korea, Vietnam and brunei for the full approvals

I'm not alone. Thanks for your reply.

 

[jmillard]

I applied for new card Oct 20. My current card expires End April this year
I have approval for the following countries which have been listed for some time (months .)
Australia, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand
Still missing the others, so may need to obtain an interim card

 

[seanQLD]

The 3 that have stopped all approvals are Brunei, Vietnam and South Korea.
All others are still approving, even now during COVID

 

[jmillard]

OK, things have changed!

I sent off an email requesting an interim card and received this response -

For Australian citizens: from 1 March 2021 onwards Australia will issue the Virtual ABTC (VABTC) a digital version of the card accessible through a cardholder’s smart device. Physical cards will no longer be issued after this date.

Australian ABTC holders will be able to use the VABTC in place of any physical card they were previously issued. A physical card issued before 1 March 2021 can still be used until it expires, even if the holder has downloaded and registered their VABTC.

Australian citizens

• who have a physical card issued before 1 March 2021

or

• who have received initial ‘AUS’ approval and are waiting for other economy pre-clearances

are now able to log into the VABTC. The log in process requires your Application ID in addition to other personal details – your Application ID was provided on confirmation of your card application and is different from your ABTC card number. Please check the original acknowledgement email. If you applied online through ImmiAccount you can also log into ImmiAccount to find your Application ID. (We understand that the Virtual ABTC is currently geo-blocked outside APEC economies on the relevant App Stores.)

So, I did all that and now have my new (interim) card on my phone

Simples!

 

[seanQLD]

so i got to log in and download the Virtual Card now ?

@jmillard What is the actual LINK to download the virtual card ??

ahh.... you got to download an app first:

Approved cardholders will receive a notification email with their Application ID. Then, using Google PlayStore or the Apple App Store, search for the ‘APEC Business Travel Card’, or ‘ABTC’, and install the application.

UPDATE : yay ! ... now I have my "virtual card" on my iphone

 

[Daver6]

How long till Executive Traveller have an article on this? I give it a couple of days.

 

[Daver6]

OK, things have changed!

I sent off an email requesting an interim card and received this response -

For Australian citizens: from 1 March 2021 onwards Australia will issue the Virtual ABTC (VABTC) a digital version of the card accessible through a cardholder’s smart device. Physical cards will no longer be issued after this date.

Australian ABTC holders will be able to use the VABTC in place of any physical card they were previously issued. A physical card issued before 1 March 2021 can still be used until it expires, even if the holder has downloaded and registered their VABTC.

Australian citizens

• who have a physical card issued before 1 March 2021

or

• who have received initial ‘AUS’ approval and are waiting for other economy pre-clearances

are now able to log into the VABTC. The log in process requires your Application ID in addition to other personal details – your Application ID was provided on confirmation of your card application and is different from your ABTC card number. Please check the original acknowledgement email. If you applied online through ImmiAccount you can also log into ImmiAccount to find your Application ID. (We understand that the Virtual ABTC is currently geo-blocked outside APEC economies on the relevant App Stores.)

So, I did all that and now have my new (interim) card on my phone

Simples!

Was painless to add to the app. One thing that makes little sense. In Australia and many other countries, there are signs prohibiting the use of mobile phones in the immigration and border control area. Before you suggest it might be fine to use at the counter, in Australia I've been asked to show my ABTC card just to enter the correct line on departure.

Seems like they didn't really think this one through properly.

 

[dairyfloss]

Was painless to add to the app. One thing that makes little sense. In Australia and many other countries, there are signs prohibiting the use of mobile phones in the immigration and border control area. Before you suggest it might be fine to use at the counter, in Australia I've been asked to show my ABTC card just to enter the correct line on departure.

Seems like they didn't really think this one through properly.

With IATA now rolling out the Travel Pass for digital test results, vaccination certificates, and the like, I expect there will need to be a rethink more from the airports and immigration bodies on what is acceptable, and for what reason. They could allow mobiles, so long as people were not talking on them, or taking pictures, for example

Cheers,
Matt

 

[alanhk]

Does anyone have any recent experience of how long it takes to get approved for an APEC card? I put in my application in the last couple of days of March, and a couple business days later I received an email for me to provide some additional documents. Haven't heard back since then. Is this normal? I would've thought the APEC processing office would have nothing to do at the moment!

 

[mushez]

Does anyone have any recent experience of how long it takes to get approved for an APEC card? I put in my application in the last couple of days of March, and a couple business days later I received an email for me to provide some additional documents. Haven't heard back since then. Is this normal? I would've thought the APEC processing office would have nothing to do at the moment!

I put my application in to NZ for a renewal back in February - and still waiting.

They told me 6 months is the norm for processing them currently as all the countries are taking ages to approve your application.

With APEC, when you apply, your details are sent along with police files etc to each APEC country, and they consider you one by one and reply if they approve you or not. Hence why on the cards each approved country is listed one by one on the back.

 

[Laf2610]

Does anyone have any recent experience of how long it takes to get approved for an APEC card? I put in my application in the last couple of days of March, and a couple business days later I received an email for me to provide some additional documents. Haven't heard back since then. Is this normal? I would've thought the APEC processing office would have nothing to do at the moment!

I applied for mine last July and received the approval about 6 weeks later.. took another 3 months to get the interim approvals (png, singapore)

 

[alanhk]

Ok thanks! I saw some reports here of getting approved by Australia in a few days only, but good to know it's not just me! Sounds like a very long wait before I can get China on the card...

 

[Laf2610]

Ok thanks! I saw some reports here of getting approved by Australia in a few days only, but good to know it's not just me! Sounds like a very long wait before I can get China on the card...

By the time my priority countries had been approved I had 10 others. China was 1 of the 1st for me.. since October I’ve been waiting on Korea, Vietnam but I think it’ll be a while for those yet

 

[mushez]

Ok thanks! I saw some reports here of getting approved by Australia in a few days only, but good to know it's not just me! Sounds like a very long wait before I can get China on the card...

You hope to go to China shortly? Or in time?

I hope/planning to go to China March 2022. And be there for 3-4 months if allowed more than 90 days of a visa.

Current rules to go to China:
1- You need a visa issued after March 2020, all visas prior to are void, APEC from what I read doesn't give you visa entry either - need a per entry specific visa. The visa views the importance of you in needing to travel to and enter China.
2- Need to quarantine and pay 500 RMB per day 14 days +. Currently Shanghai is 14+7 (21 days), every where else is 14+7+7 or 14+14 (28 days).
3- Need to be vaccinated with a Chinese Manufactured vaccine, twice, 7 days apart and 7 days prior to entry. They will not accept any vaccine other than Chinese designed and manufactured vaccines.


I am expecting to have to travel to Singapore to get a Chinese Manufactued Vacine there, doing 14 odd days there, to get that part sorted - before flying on to Shanghai to do 21-28 days quarantine before finally being able to do what I need to do in China.

 

[Laf2610]

You hope to go to China shortly? Or in time?

I hope/planning to go to China March 2022. And be there for 3-4 months if allowed more than 90 days of a visa.

Current rules to go to China:
1- You need a visa issued after March 2020, all visas prior to are void, APEC from what I read doesn't give you visa entry either - need a per entry specific visa. The visa views the importance of you in needing to travel to and enter China.
2- Need to quarantine and pay 500 RMB per day 14 days +. Currently Shanghai is 14+7 (21 days), every where else is 14+7+7 or 14+14 (28 days).
3- Need to be vaccinated with a Chinese Manufactured vaccine, twice, 7 days apart and 7 days prior to entry. They will not accept any vaccine other than Chinese designed and manufactured vaccines.


I am expecting to have to travel to Singapore to get a Chinese Manufactued Vacine there, doing 14 odd days there, to get that part sorted - before flying on to Shanghai to do 21-28 days quarantine before finally being able to do what I need to do in China.

If you are travelling from Aussie to SG I don’t believe that you will need the 14 days.. my understanding (based on my application) is as green zone we need a negative test 72 hours before arrival and quarantine in sing while waiting for your negative test and then you are good to go.. of course redundant if you aren’t in Aussie or no at the moment

 

[alanhk]

You hope to go to China shortly? Or in time?

Literally ASAP - don't care about costs or quarantine! I'm living in Hong Kong at the moment so it makes things a bit easier.

 

[mushez]

If you are travelling from Aussie to SG I don’t believe that you will need the 14 days.. my understanding (based on my application) is as green zone we need a negative test 72 hours before arrival and quarantine in sing while waiting for your negative test and then you are good to go.. of course redundant if you aren’t in Aussie or no at the moment

Correct, and from NZ there is no need.

However per China rules, you need their vaccine - which you cannot get in NZ or AU. You can get in Singapore.

Hence if you get first jab in Singapore day 0, then second jab day 7, you need to wait until day 14 to be allowed to travel to China.

My post is regarding what I plan to have to do to tick the boxes to enter China - which is 14 days in Singapore to tick the vaccine requirements box, to then go to China and do 21-28 days quarantine.

 

[Laf2610]

Correct, and from NZ there is no need.

However per China rules, you need their vaccine - which you cannot get in NZ or AU. You can get in Singapore.

Hence if you get first jab in Singapore day 0, then second jab day 7, you need to wait until day 14 to be allowed to travel to China.

My post is regarding what I plan to have to do to tick the boxes to enter China - which is 14 days in Singapore to tick the vaccine requirements box, to then go to China and do 21-28 days quarantine.

Yep that makes sense.. that’s the issue moving forward isn’t it..which countries accept which vaccination

 

[hummel]

Has anyone been through the renewal process recently?

My ABTC expires in December this year but trying to get on top of it, however, I am in Vietnam currently and have been since Covid - I can't afford 2 weeks quarantine either end with work etc

I know I can do it online and I just went through the process however will need to get my passport certified etc, the consulate is booked out 3 weeks in advance here in Ho Chi Minh City

Any advice?

 

[mushez]

Has anyone been through the renewal process recently?

My ABTC expires in December this year but trying to get on top of it, however, I am in Vietnam currently and have been since Covid - I can't afford 2 weeks quarantine either end with work etc

I know I can do it online and I just went through the process however will need to get my passport certified etc, the consulate is booked out 3 weeks in advance here in Ho Chi Minh City

Any advice?

Currently going through my APEC card application in NZ - and was told back in February when I applied that 6 months is the norm - and told me they sent me an email last year saying that 6 months was the case, and you should be applying again 6 months before your current APEC card expires.

I just checked my application a few days ago, and had approval from all but 5 countries to date.

However, as I don't plan to travel/use it until I am looking to travel to China in March 2022 - I am not going to ask them to hit issue on interim card as that will start the clock ticking of my 5 years until I need to renew. So as long as I get it issued naturally by November, I will be happy. If it comes before November - such is life. And post November, know I can hit issue interim card then and get it in a few days.

The 5 countries not yet approved are ones I have no plans to travel to - Vietnam is one of the 5 that haven't yet approved my application - but I have approval from China & Singapore, which are the two I was hoping to have.

It isn't going to be a fast process post application until you have a new APEC card in your hand. Interim card for Vietnam for you may be another story though.