APEC Business Travel Card

[dairyfloss]

I finally received a response from the department, 8 weeks later, to my request for clarification. Hopefully below will be of some help, if you were (like me) a little unsure of how to translate the requirements from the form:

Dear dairyfloss,

Thank-you for your email and I apologise for the late response. Firstly we appreciate your attention to detail and are delighted that you noticed a change in our form. The reason for the change is explained below.

Previously the Australia APEC Business Travel Card Section assessed the Frequent Travel Criteria differently. For every exit and entry from the applicants residential economy counted as one (1) Trip. For example if the applicant exited Australia, travelled to China, Japan & South Korea and re-enter Australia, this was counted as one (1) Trip.

However the Frequent Travel Criteria has changed and now it is from the applicants residential economy to each individual participating APEC economy and return to the residential economy. For example if the applicant exited Australia, travelled to China, Japan & South Korea and re-enter Australia, this is now counted as three (3) Trips.

If you have made a minimum of 4 trips in the last twelve months to any APEC Economies, you should meet this Criteria however this will be determined finally by the Decision Officer upon assessment.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Kefci2000]

Just sent off first application with 4 visits to 2 countries, so will soon find out

I just rec'd an email to say I had been successful in my application but actual country by country approval could take 2-6 month. So almost 3 months for Australian approval.

 

[hummel]

I just rec'd an email to say I had been successful in my application but actual country by country approval could take 2-6 month. So almost 3 months for Australian approval.

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This has been a right royal pain in the butt for me. Twice now APEC office have lost paperwork and I've had to resubmit each time delaying. It's been 8 months since I submitted - All I wanted it was so I didn't need to get a China Visa every year!

 

[hummel]

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This has been a right royal pain in the butt for me. Twice now APEC office have lost paperwork and I've had to resubmit each time delaying. It's been 8 months since I submitted - All I wanted it was so I didn't need to get a China Visa every year!

Update: Application finally approved last week.

No China yet but a TH/PH approved this week which was good. I expect CN will take months at best. Just wondering if it's worth getting an interim card or just waiting for CN to approve from their end.

 

[Kefci2000]

Just got advised card had been printed and sent.

Approved countries
Brunei Darussalam
Chile
Hong Kong, China
Malaysia
New Zealand
Singapore
Thailand

Plus US and Canada as affiliates

 

[Kefci2000]

Just got advised card had been printed and sent.

Approved countries
Brunei Darussalam
Chile
Hong Kong, China
Malaysia
New Zealand
Singapore
Thailand

Plus US and Canada as affiliates

Card arrived today, but it only has 2 years expiry.... I thought they were moving to 5 years expiry??

Ah just clicked, my passport expires in 2 years :-(

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Card arrived today, but it only has 2 years expiry.... I thought they were moving to 5 years expiry??

Ah just clicked, my passport expires in 2 years :-(

the application says if your passport expires they will issue a new card. perhaps email and ask for clarification?

my passport expires in 18 months and i need a new apec card

 

[TonyHancock]

As another reference point I sent my application off three weeks ago. Last week received an acknowledgement of receipt and advice that processing currently takes 8-10 weeks for the Australian approval. :shock:

This is looking, at best, like a 4-6 month process all up.

I don't think I can face travel to china without an APEC card - I have been spoiled for the last three years.

How I wish I had got my application in earlier.

 

[hummel]

As another reference point I sent my application off three weeks ago. Last week received an acknowledgement of receipt and advice that processing currently takes 8-10 weeks for the Australian approval. :shock:

This is looking, at best, like a 4-6 month process all up.

I don't think I can face travel to china without an APEC card - I have been spoiled for the last three years.

How I wish I had got my application in earlier.

When I originally applied in March (I think) I was hoping to have it for my annual China visa for June.. I think I'll be lucky if it get's me to June 2016.

All I want is no lines at CAN airport!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Mine expires 03/11/2017 - might be time to start application process now. But I can never remember these lengthy delays in past - are you guys experiencing these long delays first time applicants?

 

[hummel]

Mine expires 03/11/2017 - might be time to start application process now. But I can never remember these lengthy delays in past - are you guys experiencing these long delays first time applicants?

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I was first time applicant FWIW - Only knew about thanks to a post from yourself CE! Wonder why I've wasted a day at the China Visa Office each year for the last four!

 

[Kefci2000]

I just checked my credit card statement, and although I applied in August, they charged me early Sept as I did not sign one of the forms correctly

That makes it 2-3 months to get card from initial application

 

[TonyHancock]

Mine expires 03/11/2017 - might be time to start application process now. But I can never remember these lengthy delays in past - are you guys experiencing these long delays first time applicants?

Re-application for me.

 

[TonyHancock]

As an update I am now 17 weeks into my reapplication and no word on the Australian approval. The email from ABTC suggested 8-10 weeks for this process with a further 2-5 months for the full card from Australian acceptance. :shock:

My first application was approved at the Australian end in three weeks.

 

[cmon0005]

As an update I am now 17 weeks into my reapplication and no word on the Australian approval. The email from ABTC suggested 8-10 weeks for this process with a further 2-5 months for the full card from Australian acceptance. :shock:

My first application was approved at the Australian end in three weeks.

They obviously DKWYA anymore

 

[dairyfloss]

As an update I am now 17 weeks into my reapplication and no word on the Australian approval. The email from ABTC suggested 8-10 weeks for this process with a further 2-5 months for the full card from Australian acceptance. :shock:

My first application was approved at the Australian end in three weeks.

Ouch! I'm [just] 5 weeks into the process on my renewal (prior 3 year ABTC expires June) and was looking forward to hearing about the Aussie approval around the 8-10 week mark... maybe not!

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[dairyfloss]

As an update I am now 17 weeks into my reapplication and no word on the Australian approval. The email from ABTC suggested 8-10 weeks for this process with a further 2-5 months for the full card from Australian acceptance. :shock:

My first application was approved at the Australian end in three weeks.

Did you hear anything back, yet, TonyHancock? I'm just at the 10 week point today... which is what they set as the expectation on receipt of my [renewal] application

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[TonyHancock]

Did you hear anything back yet, TonyHancock? I'm just at the 10 week point today... which is what they set as the expectation on receipt of my [renewal] application

Cheers,
Matt.

Yep finally got my Australian approval. Just on 17 weeks. (I emailed twice just to ask if everything had been received etc, first time I got a generic email response advising 12 weeks for Australian approval, the second time I received notification of approval within 24 hours of the email.)

 

[dairyfloss]

Yep finally got my Australian approval. Just on 17 weeks. (I emailed twice just to ask if everything had been received etc, first time I got a generic email response advising 12 weeks for Australian approval, the second time I received notification of approval within 24 hours of the email.)

Happy to hear it, the time taken, aside! Hopefully the individual economies will progress things faster than Border have done! I've just sent a follow-up, this morning.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[dairyfloss]

I've just sent a follow-up, this morning.

Three weeks after the follow-up, I've had a response to say my ABTC application is still awaiting assessment, and that they are currently assessing applications that were lodged in mid-November 2016. I sent mine in mid-December 2016. Let's see if I can beat your 17 weeks, TonyHancock!

Cheers,
Matt.