Just one point to caution the OP - there is no 72 hour tourist visa - there is a 72 hour TRANSIT visa which has very specific requirements and is highly complex and the OP should carefully review the thread on that subject in the China travel forum. Using the APEC card to enter on a transit visa without any legitimate business purpose could be problematic, however the transit visa counter is often the same as the APEC counter, or at least the wait time is similar to be processed.

Thanks for the correction!

And to be truly pedantic, it's Transit WithOut Visa - TWOV: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chin...er-thread.html

I was recently in BKK and there was a premium lane pass handed to me together with the landing card. I was wondering whether that is the same entry as the ABTC entrance?

Yes, those passes use the same fast track queues as the ABTC card. You have three choices:

– The dedicated fast track lane located between the two main immigration halls, or;

– The fast track lanes located inside the main immigration halls. Those are located on the far right side as you walk in.

Ive used the ABTC in China probably going on a hundred times over the past several years and while they're usually a bit free and easy with the one person restriction (I've often brought a single friend or co-worker with me, although the rules specifically state it's just for the holder) as well as with the purpose of the visit (I only have a tourist visa and always check "visit" on my entry cards), they are NEVER free and easy with the visa requirement. You don't have to get the visa from the US, you can get it almost anywhere they have a consulate, but you must have one. That said, if you're a US citizen, you can get a 10 year multiple entry tourist visa for the same price that the former 1-2 year visas were.
I'm also a bit concerned with all the issues that Trump has been stirring up with China, so at some point they might decide to start hassling US travelers but so far the most serious issues have only been with "newbies" that hadn't encountered the transitional card with no visas on the back. They suddenly become confused, but a call to a supervisor sorts this out.

I think the inclusion of endorsements would actually make things worse, as I could see more places/officers trying to kick you out of the queue if you don't have their countries endorsement.

APEC card is now virtually useless at DMK arrivals.

To 'promote' tourism from China, they turned 50% of their previously 'Foreigner' immigration queues into 'China Passport Only' lanes. That shouldn't have been an issue for us with APEC...wrong.

Now that the China-only queues are directly next to APEC/Diplomat/Priority counter, they are filtering all babies, and their extended families now into it. On Friday, a typical 5min wait took me 35... as there were 7 babies, and 20 or so family members in the queue when I arrived. The entire time I stood and waited, a dedicated immigration officer was spending her time finding the families from the China queues and bringing them in.

By the time I cleared the line was twice as long as when I arrived, so an hour for anyone arriving at the back...

And the regular queues are even longer.

TIT.

APEC and Renewed Passport (US)
 

I just received a renewed passport.

I have updated my passport information on TTP website. I also noticed a place to request a new APEC card, which I did.

I actually only recently received my initial APEC card and, obviously, it has my old PP number.

I have travel to HKG in a couple days and will not likely receive my new APEC card before traveling. Will I be able to use the existing card if I have both passports with me? TIA

Depends on HK immigration officer.

I entered HK with an expired card that I didn't realize had been expired - my experience was the same regardless and pretty much identical every time. HK immigration person who looks completely disinterested picks up the card, gives it a cursory glance, rolls their eyes, hands it back, throws the entry receipt into my passport, rolls their eyes, hands it back, looks at their watch/ceiling/floor/computer/colleague, I leave.

Now when I went to register for E-gate, that inspector had a careful look, saw it was expired and told me so, and I had to use my airline status to get E-gate instead.

Thanks - I'll check into E-Gate. I'm usually through HK 2 or 3 times each year. It happens that this will be my third entry in 12 months and I am AA CK, so I qualify via status, also. I wasn't aware about the status qualification.

Just in case you didn't already know, the E-Gate office is just after the immigration officer booths. After you get stamped in, they will direct you to the room. It only takes about five minutes and hopefully there won't be many in front of you. The officer will place a barcode sticker on the back of your passport. Next time in, you just insert your passport into the reader, do a scan of your fingerprints, the gate opens and you're in. There is never a queue and the other plus is you don't get a space wasting stamp in your passport.