APEC Business Travel Card

[Foreigner]

Assuming you've applied to Australia like I did, you'll get an email once the application has been approved by them. It will have an application number and information to download the ABCT app.

From that point you'll start to get approvals from each country which can be checked online on the ABTC Pre-approval Status checker, the App will begin populating these approvals too as they come in so you can travel on it without all countries.

Here's the approximate dates that I saw each approval come through as I checked every week or so because I had travel to Thailand and Vietnam already booked.

Applied 20 Mar.
Approval from Australia on 29 Mar.
Brunei, Indonesia 30 Mar.
New Zealand, Singapore 3 Apr.
Thailand, Peru, Philippines 7 Apr.
South Korea, Chile, China, Russia 12 Apr.
Hong Kong, Mexico 21 Apr.
Taiwan 28 Apr.
Papua New Guinea 4 May.
Malaysia 15 May.
Japan, Vietnam 15 June.

For me it was about 2.5 months for all countries if you are approve for all. The letter from Australian Dept of Home Affairs has the statement "Australia has no influence over processing times and your application may not receive pre-clearance from every economy." so your success for all countries can depend on the strength of your application submission. I went to some length with my application to cover the required criteria in full.

So just under two weeks to get Australia to approve. I applied today. $200 application fee.

 

[anyonebutqantas]

I've been waiting on 2 months for a reply on mine.

 

[marks]

I've been waiting on 2 months for a reply on mine.

Same...
Did my security report have video of a recent pub visit during a footy match?

 

[simon123]

Have you heard back from them yet or still waiting?

Same...
Did my security report have video of a recent pub visit during a footy match?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Entry to PVG Sun Jul 23 and virtual APEC Card still baffles Immig Officials - outbound PEK Jul 29 just a breeze

 

[marks]

Have you heard back from them yet or still waiting?

Nothing yet.

 

[Foreigner]

In 2015, it took around a week to get approval (see OP). It's two weeks since I lodged. Need AU approval to kick-start the process

 

[marks]

Sent an email tonight to the [email protected] address and got a huge FAQ as an auto reply. I was chasing an update to an application which I put in 2.5 months ago.
Just some quick snippets below. Interesting that they won't respond unless you add more personal details.

Please read this auto response carefully as your email will NOT be responded in the following circumstances:

​

· Your query is answered through the information below;

· Your query relates to any other visa applications;

· You are requesting acknowledgment of documents;

· You are requesting pre-lodgement migration information;

· You have not provided enough personal identifiers such as: your full name, date of birth, passport number and visa application reference number with your enquiry.

· Your email is not in the English language.

11. How do I check the status of my application?​

Please note that the status of your application cannot be viewed in ImmiAccount.



Once your ABTC application has been approved you will receive an APEC Business Travel Card Approval Notification email.



The approval notification will be sent to the email address you used and nominated when you lodged your ABTC application via ImmiAccount.



Please remember to check your junk mail/spam folder of your mailbox.



If more than three months have passed since you lodged/submitted your ABTC application and you have not received the approval notification or any correspondence from the Department – please send an enquiry to us at [email protected].

 

[Flashback]

Sent an email tonight to the [email protected] address and got a huge FAQ as an auto reply. I was chasing an update to an application which I put in 2.5 months ago.
Just some quick snippets below. Interesting that they won't respond unless you add more personal details.

Please read this auto response carefully as your email will NOT be responded in the following circumstances:

​

· Your query is answered through the information below;

· Your query relates to any other visa applications;

· You are requesting acknowledgment of documents;

· You are requesting pre-lodgement migration information;

· You have not provided enough personal identifiers such as: your full name, date of birth, passport number and visa application reference number with your enquiry.

· Your email is not in the English language.

11. How do I check the status of my application?​

Please note that the status of your application cannot be viewed in ImmiAccount.



Once your ABTC application has been approved you will receive an APEC Business Travel Card Approval Notification email.



The approval notification will be sent to the email address you used and nominated when you lodged your ABTC application via ImmiAccount.



Please remember to check your junk mail/spam folder of your mailbox.



If more than three months have passed since you lodged/submitted your ABTC application and you have not received the approval notification or any correspondence from the Department – please send an enquiry to us at [email protected].

One of the single biggest failures of the systems, no status provided online. It's the same for passport renewals too. Pretty poor, really!

 

[dajop]

Looking at my records, I paid the application fee on 10 Feb (this year) and received an approval notification with application number on 2 March. This was for a renewal, but I'm not sure if that makes any difference. 3.5 months later, I have all countries except Vietnam. Guess which country I am travelling to next week?

So almost 6 months on now and still no Vietnam. They don't like me! With the status checker you can also check others as well (no personal information), the application numbers around mine have no Vietnam either. Go for an application number 30 higher and those around that do. Oh well.

 

[marks]

So almost 6 months on now and still no Vietnam. They don't like me! With the status checker you can also check others as well (no personal information), the application numbers around mine have no Vietnam either. Go for an application number 30 higher and those around that do. Oh well.

But you have an APEC card to use, just not all the Visa approvals? I don't even have the card yet.

 

[marks]

@dajop Just noticed this in the FAQ.
Please note, Vietnam temporarily suspended processing pre-clearances in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam have since resumed processing applications for pre-clearance, however, there may be some delay in your application being processed. Unfortunately, we do not have any jurisdiction over these processing times.

 

[Foreigner]

Please note that the status of your application cannot be viewed in ImmiAccount.

This is the frustrating part of the process. I’ve been wasting my time checking website for updates

 

[dajop]

But you have an APEC card to use, just not all the Visa approvals? I don't even have the card yet.

My partner's application was held up, it took some effort to find out why. Turned out problem was he didn't provide enough ID for police check, only had passport and drivers license, so had to provide more documentation. Once that was solved it processed much quicker. (Applied a few months before me, received his initial approval card about a month before me). He got Vietnam about 3 months ago, it was last but only two months later than the second last country.

 

[pauldab]

My partner's application was held up, it took some effort to find out why. Turned out problem was he didn't provide enough ID for police check, only had passport and drivers license, so had to provide more documentation.

This is important to point out, there is explicit instructions on both the information page ( when you expand the steps section) and in the application itself.
People have better success when reading every step and clearly demonstrating they have made attempts to fulfil the requirements.

 

[Lemon_Party]

Datapoint - applied early May and received approval from AU today. Now to wait for individual country responses...

 

[marks]

Heard from a Fed Gov HR friend that they are waiting months extra for AFP reports on hiring. And they get priority.
I was trying to avoid applying for a China visa with the APEC card. Thought I'd have plenty of runway. Looks like I'll run out of time.

 

[soliloguy]

Has SYD stopped facilitating priority security access for ABTC holders again? Tried using it late last week and got bounced to the back of the general security line (only to see them allow other pax to use crew lane barely 5 minutes later).

 

[Daver6]

Has SYD stopped facilitating priority security access for ABTC holders again? Tried using it late last week and got bounced to the back of the general security line (only to see them allow other pax to use crew lane barely 5 minutes later).

Ughhh! Not this excrement again from SYD airport That's truly infuriating that the staff on the ground haven't been trained properly. You should raise a complaint with the airport.

 

[pauldab]

Has it ever been a thing in MEL for express lane? I tried once just after getting the card and was ok, then next time denied. Haven’t bothered trying again since as the general lane at my other times has been quick.