APEC Business Travel Card

[dajop]

One good thing (from a receiving the card perspective) is that the cards are no longer physical, you receive new card electronically via the app.

 

[hummel]

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.

I emailed the ABTC office for some clarification on my question a week ago. However, did not receive anything back so who knows...

Guess I'll just submit what I can and see what happens. As the previous post suggested, virtual does make it a lot easier in issuance.

 

[hummel]

Following up on the above.

I received notice that it was approved last week through the Australian govt. It was quicker than I expected to be fair.

Obviously need to wait for the rest of the countries to add me but already have AUS, NZD, PHL, SIN and CHL - Not the countries I want just now but positive movement.

 

[mushez]

Following up on the above.

I received notice that it was approved last week through the Australian govt. It was quicker than I expected to be fair.

Obviously need to wait for the rest of the countries to add me but already have AUS, NZD, PHL, SIN and CHL - Not the countries I want just now but positive movement.

Had a look today, my application is pending approval from 4 countries:

Brunei
Mexico
Papua New Guinea
Vietnam

All 15 other countries have approved it and I could get temp card issued for them today - but that starts the clock on my card's life - and as I don't plan to travel until March 2022 - there is no point in doing that at this time and just sit back and do so closer to March 2022.

I am exactly 6 months since my application today.

 

[mushez]

8 months since application, and waiting on 2 countries to approve the application.

Papua New Guinea
Vietnam

Had a look today, my application is pending approval from 4 countries:

Brunei
Mexico
Papua New Guinea
Vietnam

All 15 other countries have approved it and I could get temp card issued for them today - but that starts the clock on my card's life - and as I don't plan to travel until March 2022 - there is no point in doing that at this time and just sit back and do so closer to March 2022.

I am exactly 6 months since my application today.

 

[rallymini]

8 months since application, and waiting on 2 countries to approve the application.

Papua New Guinea
Vietnam

I applied in Feb 2020 and still waiting for Vietnam!!

 

[seanQLD]

8 months since application, and waiting on 2 countries to approve the application.

Papua New Guinea
Vietnam

I have all except Vietnam. My Interim was APPROVED like 17 months ago - April/May 2020.. I have all but 3 countries on my physical interim card (which I got in July 2020). The electronic card (app) updates automatically. The last few, which are now approved for me. were Brunei and Korea... Brunei came in the last month. So, at this time Vietnam is the only holdout. They are obviously just not processing approvals for over a year.

I have been outside Australia since October 2020. The rest of the world is opening up much faster than Australia.

 

[hedge]

I note in the application that the ABF reserves the right to contact your employer. Did anyone have ABF contact their employer? Mine is rather large and I am sure that they would not be able to find the right person...but there is no field to put a contact person from your company in the form?

 

[mushez]

10 months on, and still no change. Waiting on Vietnam & PNG still to round off my APEC card.

Have downloaded App on phone and seems my NZ APEC card started ticking from 2 August last year and has 2026 expiry so I am out of here unless asked for further updates - as I don't have plans to travel to PNG or Vietnam currently.

 

[jules.]

Does anyone know how quickly your replacement card is issued (or how quickly the app updates) once you update your passport number on the Immigration website?

 

[albatross710]

Does anyone know how quickly your replacement card is issued (or how quickly the app updates) once you update your passport number on the Immigration website?

I think very quickly.

Within a week of updating my Au passport when entering Indonesia I used my original physical card (old passport number) and obtained the ABTC entry without issue.


Question: Has anyone renewed an ABTC recently without demonstrating recent APEC travel? My ABTC is due for renewal but I cannot demonstrate any travel of the past 12 months.

 

[Cozdog]

Has anybody gotten approval from Vietnam yet? Noticed its open for tourism now but I've been waiting for Vietnam approval since July 2020, its the only one that hasn't approved.

 

[hummel]

Has anybody gotten approval from Vietnam yet? Noticed its open for tourism now but I've been waiting for Vietnam approval since July 2020, its the only one that hasn't approved.

Not I, and others I know have still not approved.

I'm in VN now and not sure why it's taking so long - They did do a big clean up of Visa's etc but surely approving APEC would be a very simple process.

 

[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

 

[Daver6]

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

How did you contact them?

 

[Electraglide]

How did you contact them?

[email protected]

 

[Daver6]

[email protected]

Added my email to the list. Hopefully a few others do the same.

 

[Daver6]

Received what surely is a canned response. I can't see an extension happening based on this

Thank you for your further enquiry.



Recognising the impacts of COVID-19, we note that in the previous two years international travel was affected by a number of restrictions but was not completely banned. A number of the 21 APEC economies, including Australia, introduced border entry requirements relating to international travel, however, many of the 340,000+ APEC Business Travel Card holders continued to travel and take advantage of the scheme during this time, including Australian ABTC holders.



No automatic extension facility exists in any of the member economies that I have been made aware of. The validity of the five-year timeframe of the ABTC was decided and agreed by the 21 APEC member economies. Any changes to this component requires consensus agreement by the member economies in the relevant APEC sub-fora group, which in this case is the Business Mobility Group and then requires subsequent endorsement by the parent group – the APEC Committee on Trade and Investment.



Advice from the processing and administration section is that a new card application would be required in your case.



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.

 

[dairyfloss]

I sent something asking about the likelihood of extensions once the writing was clearly on the wall that it was to be a long pause for many, in terms of international travel. I got no response. I can’t see them changing anything.

Perhaps a simplified renewal process for those impacted (anyone with an active ABTC through 2020-22) would be a way to support the program?

My card expires in July. At this point, I’m not sure I’ll bother with renewing.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Electraglide]

I sent something asking about the likelihood of extensions once the writing was clearly on the wall that it was to be a long pause for many, in terms of international travel. I got no response. I can’t see them changing anything.

Perhaps a simplified renewal process for those impacted (anyone with an active ABTC through 2020-22) would be a way to support the program?

My card expires in July. At this point, I’m not sure I’ll bother with renewing.

Cheers,
Matt.

I was thinking that same thing about not renewing when mine expires in September…