Jun 23, 2014, 10:17 pm
Last edit by: Boraxo
US/Canadian-issued ABTC can only be used to access the APEC/Crew/Diplomat lane. It does not replace/waive any visa requirements. Chinese embassy webpages mentioning visa not being required is for ABTC with CHN endorsed on the back. No US/Canadian-issued ABTC will have that endorsement.
The button to renew your US/Canadian ABTC will appear in your profile 30 days before the card expiration date.
Locations confirmed up and running:
AUS
BOS (Logan) only one of the two signature pads was working (late nov 2014)
BOS (Logan) still only 1 signature panel working, and a bit of confusion, but it all worked out (Jan 2015)
CVG (Minneola Pike)
EWR
IAD signature capture working in GE enrollment center; walk-in accepted after appointments accommodated - I was in the office for less than two minutes
IAH (outside security in E, no word on inside security GE office yet)
JFK (walk-in accepted; entrance directly across from Central Diner on arrivals level, T-4)
LAS
LAX
Long Beach, CA (downtown CBP Seaport offices, not LGB airport); posted as No Walk In, but may accommodate just the signature capture
MIA
MCO
ORD
PHX (Terminal 4, behind #6 baggage carousel)
SEA (Nexus office)
SFO (walk-in)
TUS (walk-in accepted)
Washington, DC/Reagan Bldg. walked in, only person there, signature captured, walked out, all within 5 minutes
YYZ (Nexus office)
YVR (Nexus office)
Usage Experience Updates:
BKK - 11/11/14 - success, 03/19/17 - success, 05/10/17 - success
CGK - 02/20/15 - denied (exit), 05/10/17 - success (exit), 08/20/17 - success (entry)
CRK - 10/28/16 - success, but only 30 days, not 59 days for no-endorsement US issued ABTC.
CTU - 03/18/16 - denied -(APAC lane has limited hours)
CUN - 12/30/17 & 12/27/19 - success (with family) but difficult to enter express lane due to pushback from line monitor
DMK - 9/20/17 inbound - success, had to go under lane ropes; use Official/Diplomatic, not Crew. No APEC markings.
DPS - 03/08/15 - success but with pushback (exit)
GMP - 09/18/14 - success, 03/18/15 - success (arrival)
HKG - 09/21/14 - success, 02/28/15 - success, 02/29/15 - success (exit), 3/18/17 success, 3/19/17 - success (exit)
HKT - 12/23 - success on entry - sign says +1 allowed and "THA" endorsement required, but didn't even check the back of card. On departure the APEC lane was not staffed
HND - 07/30/14, 03/30/23 - success - lane in clearly marked
ICN - 09/13/14 - success, 03/24/25 - success (departure)
KUL - 03/10/16 - success
MEX - 06/28/15 - success, 7/11/17 - success
MNL - 11/27/2015 - success (T1) (business visa not necessary for U.S. citizens) 59 days (depends on agent training. Most give 59, some give only 30, (Oct 2018))
NRT - 12/1/2014 - success both inbound and outbound immigration (visa not needed); 9/25/17 - inbound success
PEK - 07/25/14 - success (T3)
POM - 11/01/15 - denied, PNG immigration has a sign saying "only endorsed ABTC cards"
PVG - 07/24/14 - success (T2)
PVR - 11/2018, 4/2021 success (with family),4/2023 fail
SGN - 09/04/2014 - success (visa on arrival), 02/15/2017 - denied (visa on arrival)
SHA - 11/10/2014 - success
SJD - 6/2017 & 6/2018 - success (with family)
SIN - 2/3/2016 - denied, 5/3/2017 - success; 9/16/17 - success at APEC lane
TPE - 07/24/14 - success (T2), 9/30 - success (T1), 10/12 - Denied (T2), 02/24/2015 - success (T1), 5/11 & 5/13 - success (T1)
YUL - 11/2014 - success inbound (repeatedly into 2016 via dip line)
YVR - 06/2015 - success inbound
YYZ - 07/2016 - Success inbound
SCL - 04/02/2017 - Success inbound
LIM - 12/04/2017 - Success inbound
China land crossings from HK:
Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau, Huanggang, Shenzhen Bay - 09/29/14 reported - success
China Train crossings from HK:
Dongguan and Guangzhou - 09/29/14 reported - success
Hung Hom (Hong Kong's International Train Station) - 04/30/15 - success in both directions
China Seaports from HK/Macau:
Shekou, Zhongshan, Zhuhai and Baoan and and Macau/China ferry terminal in Hong Kong - 09/29/14 reported - success
[On all above China-HK crossings look, to use ABTC to enter/exit China, look for the "Special" counters]
For CGK: Go to line marked 3 on left side just before main immigration hall. If you get to line in main hall you've gone too far. Do not use crew line.
Locations confirmed up and running:
AUS
BOS (Logan) only one of the two signature pads was working (late nov 2014)
BOS (Logan) still only 1 signature panel working, and a bit of confusion, but it all worked out (Jan 2015)
CVG (Minneola Pike)
EWR
IAD signature capture working in GE enrollment center; walk-in accepted after appointments accommodated - I was in the office for less than two minutes
IAH (outside security in E, no word on inside security GE office yet)
JFK (walk-in accepted; entrance directly across from Central Diner on arrivals level, T-4)
LAS
LAX
Long Beach, CA (downtown CBP Seaport offices, not LGB airport); posted as No Walk In, but may accommodate just the signature capture
MIA
MCO
ORD
PHX (Terminal 4, behind #6 baggage carousel)
SEA (Nexus office)
SFO (walk-in)
TUS (walk-in accepted)
Washington, DC/Reagan Bldg. walked in, only person there, signature captured, walked out, all within 5 minutes
YYZ (Nexus office)
YVR (Nexus office)
Usage Experience Updates:
BKK - 11/11/14 - success, 03/19/17 - success, 05/10/17 - success
CGK - 02/20/15 - denied (exit), 05/10/17 - success (exit), 08/20/17 - success (entry)
CRK - 10/28/16 - success, but only 30 days, not 59 days for no-endorsement US issued ABTC.
CTU - 03/18/16 - denied -(APAC lane has limited hours)
CUN - 12/30/17 & 12/27/19 - success (with family) but difficult to enter express lane due to pushback from line monitor
DMK - 9/20/17 inbound - success, had to go under lane ropes; use Official/Diplomatic, not Crew. No APEC markings.
DPS - 03/08/15 - success but with pushback (exit)
GMP - 09/18/14 - success, 03/18/15 - success (arrival)
HKG - 09/21/14 - success, 02/28/15 - success, 02/29/15 - success (exit), 3/18/17 success, 3/19/17 - success (exit)
HKT - 12/23 - success on entry - sign says +1 allowed and "THA" endorsement required, but didn't even check the back of card. On departure the APEC lane was not staffed
HND - 07/30/14, 03/30/23 - success - lane in clearly marked
ICN - 09/13/14 - success, 03/24/25 - success (departure)
KUL - 03/10/16 - success
MEX - 06/28/15 - success, 7/11/17 - success
MNL - 11/27/2015 - success (T1) (business visa not necessary for U.S. citizens) 59 days (depends on agent training. Most give 59, some give only 30, (Oct 2018))
NRT - 12/1/2014 - success both inbound and outbound immigration (visa not needed); 9/25/17 - inbound success
PEK - 07/25/14 - success (T3)
POM - 11/01/15 - denied, PNG immigration has a sign saying "only endorsed ABTC cards"
PVG - 07/24/14 - success (T2)
PVR - 11/2018, 4/2021 success (with family),4/2023 fail
SGN - 09/04/2014 - success (visa on arrival), 02/15/2017 - denied (visa on arrival)
SHA - 11/10/2014 - success
SJD - 6/2017 & 6/2018 - success (with family)
SIN - 2/3/2016 - denied, 5/3/2017 - success; 9/16/17 - success at APEC lane
TPE - 07/24/14 - success (T2), 9/30 - success (T1), 10/12 - Denied (T2), 02/24/2015 - success (T1), 5/11 & 5/13 - success (T1)
YUL - 11/2014 - success inbound (repeatedly into 2016 via dip line)
YVR - 06/2015 - success inbound
YYZ - 07/2016 - Success inbound
SCL - 04/02/2017 - Success inbound
LIM - 12/04/2017 - Success inbound
China land crossings from HK:
Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau, Huanggang, Shenzhen Bay - 09/29/14 reported - success
China Train crossings from HK:
Dongguan and Guangzhou - 09/29/14 reported - success
Hung Hom (Hong Kong's International Train Station) - 04/30/15 - success in both directions
China Seaports from HK/Macau:
Shekou, Zhongshan, Zhuhai and Baoan and and Macau/China ferry terminal in Hong Kong - 09/29/14 reported - success
[On all above China-HK crossings look, to use ABTC to enter/exit China, look for the "Special" counters]
For CGK: Go to line marked 3 on left side just before main immigration hall. If you get to line in main hall you've gone too far. Do not use crew line.
US/Canadian Issued APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC): Updates, Experiences, Q&A
Jan 1, 2017, 2:07 am
#1097
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 217
ABTC card with spouse has been successful for me at BKK, DPS, and ICN.
Jan 1, 2017, 2:21 am
#1098
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Programs: DL 1MM Platinum, UA 1k, HH Silver, BonVoy Platinum
Posts: 1,146
I used APEC as entry into Manila but it wasn't a great time savings. On the exit however, the APEC line is virtually the same as the line for paying visa overstays or something so it was VERY VERY slow, I lost a lot of time waiting and then went back to the normal line. Once at the window, they could see I guess from the stamp (?) that I had entered via APEC lane and that took an additional few minutes to sort out (over and above the "other" normal line as I watched people pass through). On my next trip I would enter via normal lane if not a big time savings and then choose APEC v normal when arriving at passport control on exit.
Jan 1, 2017, 2:25 am
#1099
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Programs: DL 1MM Platinum, UA 1k, HH Silver, BonVoy Platinum
Posts: 1,146
Oh and I get the lingo now, ABTC, got it. Aside from being the ugliest card in my wallet, it has worked a charm in BKK, HKT, MTY.
I have Global Entry but was exiting at IAH the other day and saw their is a customs exit line for GE and also for APEC. Well, the APEC was closer but I just walked around to GE...but I was wondering if there was a circumstance where one might choose APEC over GE?
I have Global Entry but was exiting at IAH the other day and saw their is a customs exit line for GE and also for APEC. Well, the APEC was closer but I just walked around to GE...but I was wondering if there was a circumstance where one might choose APEC over GE?
Jan 1, 2017, 8:08 pm
#1100
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Newport Beach / San Francisco / Seattle
Programs: UA GS 1MM, Amex Centurion, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 289
Used ABTC entering TPE on 12/31 - 1 person ahead of me in line and was processed within 3 minutes. Huge time savings over the regular line, as usual ^
Jan 2, 2017, 12:05 am
#1101
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 2,068
Indeed.
A colleague tried to use his Singapore-issued ABTC at SFO a few months ago and was accompanied by his infant daughter. He was on a business trip, and had brought his child along out of necessity. Seeing that his daughter does not have an ABTC card, the USCIS officer made him get out of the queue and join the regular non-citizen lanes, which by then were full of several hundred passengers. Two hours later, he finally cleared immigration.
Letter of the law? Yes.
Should the USCIS officer have given him an exception and processed him in the ABTC lane? I would argue yes.
Does USCIS ever fail to make a negative impression on folks entering the US? Sadly, nope.
A colleague tried to use his Singapore-issued ABTC at SFO a few months ago and was accompanied by his infant daughter. He was on a business trip, and had brought his child along out of necessity. Seeing that his daughter does not have an ABTC card, the USCIS officer made him get out of the queue and join the regular non-citizen lanes, which by then were full of several hundred passengers. Two hours later, he finally cleared immigration.
Letter of the law? Yes.
Should the USCIS officer have given him an exception and processed him in the ABTC lane? I would argue yes.
Does USCIS ever fail to make a negative impression on folks entering the US? Sadly, nope.
Jan 2, 2017, 6:33 am
#1102
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,636
Jan 2, 2017, 8:30 am
#1103
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
I think that's too much of a generalization. The only place I consistently get rejected with a guest is Vietnam.
Last edited by PVDtoDEL; Jan 2, 2017 at 10:02 am
Jan 2, 2017, 6:15 pm
#1104
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: asia miles
Posts: 398
I got rejected on arrival at KIX with my 4 years old daughter who was with me even if nobody was waiting at the counter. Was told this is only for people travelling for business. So we wen back to the regular line. On departure no problem at all.
Jan 5, 2017, 7:46 pm
#1106
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: ORD
Posts: 73
And there are no such requirements for a certain number of past or future trips on CBP's website or in the application, just the vague engaged in trade or provision of services in the APEC region except for specific professions, which allows each CBP office to exercise their own judgement as to what that means. So you have an office like ORD playing twenty questions while another office like PDX doesn't ask any.
Today, I received a response today asking for more information to validate my identity (full name, city/state of birth). After I provided that, they replied within a few hours and told me to expect a follow-up. Their direct words were:
We have escalated your concerns to the program manager since ORD was wrong in doing this. We will reach back out to you once the issue has been resolved. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate you flagging this for us.
Guess I will have to try a walk-in on my next trip.
Jan 6, 2017, 11:55 am
#1108
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: YVR
Programs: UA Premier Platinum
Posts: 3,759
So I've renewed my passport 16 months ahead of its expiration because it was full. What happens now with my ABTC card? Do I have to renew it also before it can be used because it shows my old passport number on it?
Jan 8, 2017, 10:14 pm
#1109
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: asia miles
Posts: 398
Some places might alllow you to travel with both your new and old passports and your current APEC card. But as a general rule, you need to get your APEC card reissued with your new passport number. You don't have to submit a new application just request a transfer
Jan 14, 2017, 4:16 pm
#1110
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: UA GS, KE MM, OZ DP, SQ PPS, Ritz Carlton Gold, IHG Aspire
Posts: 65