What Is the APEC Business Travel Card Used For?

By Anna Duncan

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card is a travel document issued by participating members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. The card facilitates business travel to and within APEC member countries for business people who meet certain criteria. The card can be used for multiple trips within a five-year period, and it grants its holder expedited visa processing, customs and immigration clearance, as well as access to dedicated airport arrival and departure lanes.

The card is typically issued to business people who are citizens of one APEC member economy but work in another. It is also available to business executives and self-employed workers who regularly travel among APEC member economies. Candidates must be able to prove they are qualified business people with significant international contacts, and that they have traveled extensively in the past three years.

To apply for an APEC Business Travel Card, applicants must submit an application form along with supporting documents such as passport copies, visa copies and a letter of recommendation from their employer or other relevant authority. The amount of time it takes for an application to be processed varies from country to country, but generally it takes around two months. After it has been approved, the card will be mailed to the applicant.

Benefits

The primary benefit of having an APEC Business Travel Card is that it simplifies the process of obtaining visas when travelling between APEC member countries. Other benefits include priority processing at customs and immigration lanes in airports, expedited clearance through security checkpoints at airports, access to dedicated airport arrival and departure lanes, access to pre-approved visas upon arrival at some destinations, reduced paperwork requirements when travelling between countries and shorter processing times.

Conclusion

The APEC Business Travel Card provides numerous benefits for qualified business travelers who frequently visit or work in APEC member countries. It simplifies the process of obtaining visas when travelling between these countries by providing expedited visa processing, customs clearance and access to dedicated airport arrival/departure lanes. In short, it makes international travel easier for frequent business travelers.