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
Aug 30, 2015, 3:00 am
#751
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,691
No issues using the diplomatic line at SVO yesterday. Similar to my experience at DME several months ago, except this time the agent didn't ask his colleague why the back of the card was blank 
Aug 31, 2015, 11:31 am
#752
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Lafayette, LA
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, BA Gold, UA Gold MM, DL SM MM, Hyatt Glob, HH Diam, Marriott Ti/LT Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 274
Three experiences with the card in the last few days:
(1) Coming into Jakarta late Friday night. I had not intended to use the ABTC, since my plan was to get a free visa on arrival which is only for tourism. But I apparently took a wrong turn -- I was the second passenger off the plane and I followed the first passenger until I found myself at a row of counters all but one of which said "Indonesia." So I went to the remaining counter, which had a list of various VIP categories including "APEC". I told the immigration inspector I was looking for the Visa on Arrival line; he told me it was in another room. I said, "I do have an APEC card, but I wasn't intending to use it because this is a tourist visit." He brightened up and said if I had an APEC card I could use this line. But then he looked at the back of my card, puzzled over it, discussed it with his colleague, and told me it wasn't good for Indonesia. He added, however, that "I will help you out by giving you a free visa." He stamped a visa into my passport and wrote "tourism only" over it.
(2) Leaving Jakarta today, I also hadn't intended to use the APEC immigration line, but there was nobody in it so I walked up and handed the inspector my passport, my boarding pass, and the card. The inspector glanced at the front of the card, did not look at the back, and stamped an exit notation into my passport right over the "tourism only" visa.
(3) Arriving in Bangkok today I went to the "Premium Lane" which indicates that it is for certain categories of passengers including APEC. I laid my card on the counter along with my boarding pass, but I handed the inspector only my passport and arrival card. She stamped me in without seeming to notice the APEC card.
(1) Coming into Jakarta late Friday night. I had not intended to use the ABTC, since my plan was to get a free visa on arrival which is only for tourism. But I apparently took a wrong turn -- I was the second passenger off the plane and I followed the first passenger until I found myself at a row of counters all but one of which said "Indonesia." So I went to the remaining counter, which had a list of various VIP categories including "APEC". I told the immigration inspector I was looking for the Visa on Arrival line; he told me it was in another room. I said, "I do have an APEC card, but I wasn't intending to use it because this is a tourist visit." He brightened up and said if I had an APEC card I could use this line. But then he looked at the back of my card, puzzled over it, discussed it with his colleague, and told me it wasn't good for Indonesia. He added, however, that "I will help you out by giving you a free visa." He stamped a visa into my passport and wrote "tourism only" over it.
(2) Leaving Jakarta today, I also hadn't intended to use the APEC immigration line, but there was nobody in it so I walked up and handed the inspector my passport, my boarding pass, and the card. The inspector glanced at the front of the card, did not look at the back, and stamped an exit notation into my passport right over the "tourism only" visa.
(3) Arriving in Bangkok today I went to the "Premium Lane" which indicates that it is for certain categories of passengers including APEC. I laid my card on the counter along with my boarding pass, but I handed the inspector only my passport and arrival card. She stamped me in without seeming to notice the APEC card.
Sep 2, 2015, 9:10 am
#753
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: DL Skymiles Gold, PAL Mabuhay Miles
Posts: 12
Interesting experience a couple of weeks ago in MNL. Arriving from BKK, I used the APEC line. The inspector looked at my card (not the back), and on my visa (for those of you who know Philippine passport stamps), in the "Date Until" box, where they usually write the date 30 days out from my entry, he just wrote "APEC." I'm leaving again within the 30 days, so I'm only curious for curiosity's sake; anyone have an idea what this might mean? Did he accidentally give me the 60 day APEC visa that pre-cleared ABTC holders from other countries get?
Sep 2, 2015, 4:21 pm
#754
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 464
Unless there has been a recent unannounced change, you got lucky. They've been doing "30 day unless you already have a pre-existing visa" for a few months, now.
Sep 3, 2015, 5:33 am
#755
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: DL Skymiles Gold, PAL Mabuhay Miles
Posts: 12
What confused me was that he didn't write the date 59 days from arrival; he just wrote "APEC." I'm kind of glad I'm leaving before the 30-day mark; I would not look forward to a discussion with an IO leaving MNL after 50+ days with only an "APEC" stamp in my passport when US cardholders aren't entitled to 59 days, and there's no date on the stamp for me to back up my claim to a 59-day visa.
Sep 4, 2015, 1:40 am
#758
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 217
I know, I have about 5 of those 30-day stamps in my passport over the last 6-8 months. Some of the IOs say it directly to me, that they can only give me 30-days, some of them just write the date on the stamp. (Yes, I have US-issued ABTC.)
What confused me was that he didn't write the date 59 days from arrival; he just wrote "APEC." I'm kind of glad I'm leaving before the 30-day mark; I would not look forward to a discussion with an IO leaving MNL after 50+ days with only an "APEC" stamp in my passport when US cardholders aren't entitled to 59 days, and there's no date on the stamp for me to back up my claim to a 59-day visa.
What confused me was that he didn't write the date 59 days from arrival; he just wrote "APEC." I'm kind of glad I'm leaving before the 30-day mark; I would not look forward to a discussion with an IO leaving MNL after 50+ days with only an "APEC" stamp in my passport when US cardholders aren't entitled to 59 days, and there's no date on the stamp for me to back up my claim to a 59-day visa.
Sep 7, 2015, 11:53 pm
#759
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 50
Did you get a business visa or just used the tourist one to get in with the ABTC?
Sep 8, 2015, 2:54 am
#761
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Asia-Pacific
Programs: AA PPRO, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 121
Didn't see KIX on the list. To use ABTC at KIX, flash it to the guys in the immigration office on the right side of the immigration hall, and one of them will come out and open up a lane just for you. Immigration queues at KIX this year have gotten to be ridiculous.
Sep 8, 2015, 12:51 pm
#762
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 222
^^ this is useful. Did not remember if I have seen one in FUK, but I will exercise Kaix suggested and give it a try on my next visit.
Sep 12, 2015, 6:45 am
#764
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 31
That's right. Just submit the application and pay through GOES and walk-in to the GE enrollment office to sign for the card. I just got my card this week and signed last week. GOES will set you an appointment, but CBP seems to prefer you do this as a walk-in since it only take a couple of minutes and they can then free up an appointment slot for GE interviews.
Sep 12, 2015, 10:59 pm
#765
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 50
That's right. Just submit the application and pay through GOES and walk-in to the GE enrollment office to sign for the card. I just got my card this week and signed last week. GOES will set you an appointment, but CBP seems to prefer you do this as a walk-in since it only take a couple of minutes and they can then free up an appointment slot for GE interviews.