Travel in Business Hassle-free | APEC Business Travel Card

The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) facilitates short-term business travel within the APEC region (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) for eligible business travellers.

 

What are the Benefits of the APEC Business Travel Card?

  • Visa-Free Travel: Cardholders can travel throughout a list of Asia-Pacific regions without needing a visa. 

  • Priority Entry and Exit: Access to fast-track immigration queues at participating ports of entry. 

  • Five-Year Validity: The card is valid for five years, allowing for extensive visa-free travel during this period. 

 

What is the Application Process? 

  1. Single Application: Travelers must submit a single application to the Australian Government's Department of Home Affairs. 

  2. Assessment: The application is assessed based on relevant criteria. 

  3. Nominations: Applicants can nominate up to five priority APEC economies for consideration. 

  4. Pre-Clearance: Each nominated economy will grant pre-clearance if the applicant meets their criteria. 

  5. Interim Card: Once all economies have made their decisions, applicants receive an interim card indicating the economies they can travel to without a visa. 

  6. Full ABTC Card: After processing by all nominated economies, a full ABTC card will be issued. 

Who is Eligibility for an APEC Business Travel Card? 

To qualify for the APEC Business Travel Card, applicants must: 

  • Hold a passport from an APEC economy. 

  • Engage in regular business travel within the APEC region. 

  • Have no criminal convictions. 

  • Must be in one of the following positions: 

  • CEO, CFO, or regional/country head of a registered business entity. 

  • Owner or director of a registered business entity. 

  • Board member of a registered business entity. 

  • CEO or CFO of an Australian-based business peak body. 

  • Vice President, Executive, Director, Senior Manager, or similar position. 

  • An employee of a registered business entity nominated by the organization's CEO, CFO, or equivalent. 

  • A senior government official. 

  • Ensure that their business entity or Australian-based business body is engaged in international trade or investment between APEC economies. 

 

Which are the Participating Economies? 

The following 19 APEC economies are fully participating members: 

  • Australia 

  • Brunei Darussalam 

  • Chile 

  • China 

  • Chinese Taipei 

  • Hong Kong 

  • Indonesia 

  • Japan 

  • Korea 

  • Malaysia 

  • Mexico 

  • New Zealand 

  • Papua New Guinea 

  • Peru 

  • The Philippines 

  • Russia (Physical ABTC only) 

  • Singapore 

  • Thailand 

  • Vietnam 

How Can Agape Henry Crux Help 

The APEC Business Travel Card offers significant advantages for business travellers in the Asia-Pacific region, streamlining travel and enhancing business opportunities.

At Agape Henry Crux, if you have any issues with your visa coming into Australia, our Accredited Specialist Immigration Lawyers and our team of immigration lawyers and migration agents specialise in handling highly complex matters.  You may schedule an appointment with one of our lawyers or agents to seek professional advice by calling 02-8310 5230 or email us at info@ahclawyers.com.  

We speak fluent English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay. If this isn’t your language, we can also help you arrange an interpreter.  

This article/presentation (“publication”) does not deal extensively with important topics or changes in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you find this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances, please contact our office.  

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