The APEC Business Travel Card

The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC): Eligibility, Benefits and How to Apply

The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) lets eligible business travellers move through the Asia-Pacific region on a single application, instead of applying for a visa in every country they visit for work. For Australian executives and staff who travel regularly across the region, it is one of the simplest ways to cut down on travel admin and border delays.

Australia has issued only the Virtual ABTC (vABTC) since March 2021. There is no physical card. Once approved, the card lives on the holder’s smart device and is checked electronically at the border.

What the Card Does

A successful applicant receives a card valid for 5 years. It gives:

• Pre-cleared entry to other fully participating APEC economies, for business stays of up to 59 to 90 days per visit, depending on the destination
• Fast-tracked immigration processing through dedicated APEC lanes at major international airports across the region
• One application covering multiple economies, rather than separate visa applications for each

Participating APEC Economies

Nineteen APEC economies are full participants, meaning they offer visa-free, pre-cleared entry to cardholders: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam.

Canada and the United States are transitional members. Cardholders get fast-tracked airport processing in both countries, but not visa-free entry or pre-clearance, so a separate visa or entry authorisation (such as an ESTA or eTA) is still required.

One recent change worth knowing: since April 2023, Russia no longer accepts the Virtual ABTC for entry. Cardholders wanting to travel to Russia are instead offered a temporary 5-year multiple-entry visa in its place.

Who Is Eligible

To apply as an Australian citizen, the applicant must travel frequently to APEC economies for business, have no criminal convictions, and hold one of the following:

• CEO, CFO or regional/country head of a registered business
• Owner, director or board member of a registered business
• Vice President, executive, director, senior manager or an equivalent role
• An employee formally nominated by one of the above
• A senior government official at Australian Public Service SES level or above

The applicant’s business also needs to show genuine engagement in trade or investment between APEC economies. This is assessed automatically for businesses that are Export Market Development Grant recipients (within the last 5 years), Australian Export Awards finalists (within the last 5 years), listed on the Forbes Global 2000, or accredited Trusted Traders. Other businesses, including start-ups, can qualify by providing evidence of trading goods or services, or investing, across APEC economies.

How to Apply

Applications are lodged online through ImmiAccount, with supporting identity documents and evidence of both the applicant’s role and the business’s APEC trade or investment activity. The current government application fee is $200 AUD for Australian passport holders.

Processing times vary, so it’s worth applying well ahead of any planned travel rather than leaving it until a trip is booked. Roam Migration Law can review eligibility, prepare the supporting evidence and manage the applic