ABTC / APEC Business Travel Card — U.S. Policy Discussion
 

Obama's done something for us!!!. Edited to add, it turns out he hasn't done much at all. See DHS comments below.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulli...caspoliticians

Does anyone know how to sign up for one?

No idea, but that's fantastic news. Thought it would take another ten years.

Great news. ^^

I doubt that implementation for US citizens (to get the APEC BTC status using US citizenship affiliation) is currently available but I would love to be surprised if implementation was quicker than expected after he has signed the legislation allowing for such. :)

I would be curious to know if US citizens could use it to access the APEC BTC expedited CBP lines at US ports of entry too. That could speed up things too.

This could really come in handy for those of us that fly a lot around Asia. Please keep updating this thread as more info comes in....and especially for anybody who tries to get one.

You have to be a member of a TTP first.
Full details of the law here...

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/.../~c1128dwB3J::

From the auto-responder for the US governmental entity overseeing the program:

Thank you for your interest in the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC). Recently passed legislation now authorizes the United States to issue the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) to eligible U.S. citizens. The cards would allow U.S. ABTC holders to receive expedited scheduling of visa interviews and access to fast-track immigration lanes at airports in APEC's 21 economies.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is working to implement the program as soon as possible. Once the ABTC production commences in the United States, information will be available at [email protected] and http://www.businessmobility.org/travel/index.asp.

Regards,
APEC Program
Office of International Affairs
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Fax: 202-344-3549
Email: [email protected]

Can you post a working link?

What is TTP? Is there a site?

It's unfortunate that they are putting this into the hands of DHS/CBP too. I'd prefer to see Global Entry and the APEC BTC put in the hands of the US State Department or US Commerce Department.

I might have found it. Try

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-1...12s1487enr.pdf

I don't know how to read this document though - can't tell if this is an enacted law or not.

As for what TTP means, according to the document it means 'Trusted Traveler Program'. I assume it's the programs that pre-screen folks for automated entry at US gateways using biometrics. The relevance is that per my reading of the act (see the pdf), signing up for the American version of the APEC Travel Card first requires successful acceptance into the US TTP.

The bill was enacted. It is basically up to Homeland Security to make up the rules and procedures. I assume they were not caught flat footed, and that they are already working on this; however there does not appear to be anything on the DHS site.

There is some info on the APEC site
http://www.apec.org/Press/News-Relea...1112_ABTC.aspx

...and what was the third one? Umm... the third one... oops! :D

It's unfortunate that US DHS/CBP is getting to control this thing for US citizens, as I'd prefer US State or even US Commerce have it within their domain instead of DHS (with DHS pushed to the side).

It is my understanding that there is currently no possibility of getting the ABTC in the US on the basis of being a US citizen; and so the thread title is a bit off for now since some US citizens will be able to get it only later or if such persons happen to be a dual citizen of an APEC country or special affiliate that will give them a ABTC on the basis of a non-US passport.

... even Treasury or Transportation or .... anything in the US but DHS. Even outsource it to China as a consolation prize to the PRC after they got (an) upset in Bali.

I can't wait to see how TSA -- which is part of DHS too -- handles these. :D

I admit it: I'm baffled. Why would this be a US security issue for US citizens? The entire point of the APEC card for a US citizen is to gain expedited entry into OTHER countries in the covered region. Ostensibly for business/economic purposes.

Is the issue that the US citizen applicant needs to be "vetted" and USDHS is the appointed agent for doing the vetting, on behalf of the other APEC countries--who will then presumably take USDHS approval and issuance of the APEC card as de facto evidence that said approved US citizen is OK to admit under APEC?

I presume that acceptance in to Global Entry, NEXUS, and/or SENTRI all qualify as TTP's.

DHS likes having as much power over people as it can possibly get and being able to blacklist otherwise free US citizens is something with which DHS power-trippers are entirely comfortable doing. I wouldn't be shocked if T S A wants its fingers in the pot too even as CBP is getting primary dibs at this.

Yes, that is what I've been told by those who were in Bali and meeting up with or part of HRC and BHO's delegation or are on their staff.