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
Oct 17, 2017, 10:41 pm
#1306
Moderator, All Nippon Airways and Japan
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: NH SFC (*G), JL JGP (OWE), AS MVP, WOH E, IHG SE
Posts: 3,908
My experiences at SGN as a US citizen using an e-visa:
Arrival: was able to use the ABTC queue without issue. The agent barely glanced at the front of my card.
Departure: was angrily told by the agent that I should not use the ABTC queue, apparently since I was using an e-visa, but given a "one time exception". He looked at the back of my card and I explained that US citizens have no endorsements, but his point seemed to be more about the e-visa.
Arrival: was able to use the ABTC queue without issue. The agent barely glanced at the front of my card.
Departure: was angrily told by the agent that I should not use the ABTC queue, apparently since I was using an e-visa, but given a "one time exception". He looked at the back of my card and I explained that US citizens have no endorsements, but his point seemed to be more about the e-visa.
Oct 18, 2017, 12:25 pm
#1307
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA 1MM (*A Gold), SPG Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Plat, Avis Chairman
Posts: 5
APEC card interview - what should I do to prepare?
Hi everyone. Just wondering - I'm already approved on GE. Applied for my APEC card and was provisionally approved. Now I need to schedule my APEC card interview. Any ideas on what CBP asks at the interview? The US CBP website doesn't really say what all I need to bring with me. Assuming same docs as for the GE interview (passport, birth certificate, drivers license, etc.) but does anyone know if I need to bring other documents or be prepared for any sort of questions that are not otherwise asked on the CBP website?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Oct 18, 2017, 6:05 pm
#1309
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 40
Sounds like you got lucky! My ABTC interview was not at all like that. The CBP officer read through all of my letters from foreign business partners and asked about each in detail. It took about 15-20 minutes. I'm not complaining, since the CBP officer wasn't at all unreasonable or rude or anything, but he wasn't about to let anyone just slide by. Bring business documents (one might be enough, two should be OK) to show that why you're qualified, and bring your passport to show evidence of prior business travel, and you should be fine.
Oct 18, 2017, 6:34 pm
#1310
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Accor Plat, Htz PC, Natl ExEm, other random status
Posts: 2,876
Sounds like you got lucky! My ABTC interview was not at all like that. The CBP officer read through all of my letters from foreign business partners and asked about each in detail. It took about 15-20 minutes. I'm not complaining, since the CBP officer wasn't at all unreasonable or rude or anything, but he wasn't about to let anyone just slide by. Bring business documents (one might be enough, two should be OK) to show that why you're qualified, and bring your passport to show evidence of prior business travel, and you should be fine.
Did you already have Global Entry before you requested APEC?
Oct 19, 2017, 10:42 am
#1311
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,152
thinking of applying for the APEC Business Travel Card. Will be in china for 9 days with a mba class Shanghai/Shenzen/HKG. Also have some business relationships there that I can get a letter from.
Q: Do any cards reimburse the fee like they do for GOES card?
Does it truly work well in lieu of visa? (don't want to be stranded at a small chinese airport)
Q: Do any cards reimburse the fee like they do for GOES card?
Does it truly work well in lieu of visa? (don't want to be stranded at a small chinese airport)
Oct 19, 2017, 12:36 pm
#1312
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,689
thinking of applying for the APEC Business Travel Card. Will be in china for 9 days with a mba class Shanghai/Shenzen/HKG. Also have some business relationships there that I can get a letter from.
Q: Do any cards reimburse the fee like they do for GOES card?
Does it truly work well in lieu of visa? (don't want to be stranded at a small chinese airport)
Q: Do any cards reimburse the fee like they do for GOES card?
Does it truly work well in lieu of visa? (don't want to be stranded at a small chinese airport)
APEC travel card is not a visa. It is issued to facilitate travel within the APEC countries.
Do you have a business visa for other APEC countries or are you in just China and HK? What passport do you hold? Your APEC card will be issued associated with your passport, it won't give you additional travel privileges that your main passport entitles you to.
A letter from Chinese businesses would not do you any good towards an APEC travel card unless you are holding a PRC passport.
It give you access to a priority lane at most APEC member countries for entry and exit.
Oct 19, 2017, 12:42 pm
#1313
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,152
This thread is about transiting without a visa through Chinese airports. The mods have been notified.
Do you have a business visa for other APEC countries or are you in just China and HK? What passport do you hold? Your APEC card will be issued associated with your passport, it won't give you additional travel privileges that your main passport entitles you to.
A letter from Chinese businesses would not do you any good towards an APEC travel card unless you are holding a PRC passport.
Do you have a business visa for other APEC countries or are you in just China and HK? What passport do you hold? Your APEC card will be issued associated with your passport, it won't give you additional travel privileges that your main passport entitles you to.
A letter from Chinese businesses would not do you any good towards an APEC travel card unless you are holding a PRC passport.
Just China and HK. US passport
Please move to APEC thread if necessary.
Oct 19, 2017, 2:50 pm
#1314
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,647
Take a look at the wikipost which appears at the top of every page in this thread (you may need to click on the
symbol to make it visible):
Originally Posted by Wikipost
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.
Oct 21, 2017, 8:46 pm
#1315
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,162
For most APEC card holders, no visa would be required.
Oct 21, 2017, 9:33 pm
#1317
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,689
APEC is not a VISA
APEC is a card to get you through the fast lane.
It is not a VISA.
If your passport requires a visa for entry you would still need that, especially for countries that requires visa for US and/or Canadian passports.
It is not a VISA.
If your passport requires a visa for entry you would still need that, especially for countries that requires visa for US and/or Canadian passports.
Oct 22, 2017, 12:40 am
#1318
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,162
For citizens from any of the full ABTC member countries (US/Canada are transitional members), an ABTC is basically a visa-equivalent for any of the countries that the holder has been pre-approved for. ie, those countries that are listed on the back of the card.
As an Australian Citizen with an APEC BTC, I am can entry any of the countries listed on my card (which is all of the non-transitional member countries) without a visa - even for countries that would otherwise need a visa (eg, China). I can also use the "fast lane" in any of the APEC countries (plus the transitional member countries), but that's really just intended as a secondary-benefit of the card.
Oct 22, 2017, 6:20 am
#1319
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,639
I’m guessing tentseller is describing ABTC within the scope of this thread (USA/CAN issued cards). The last sentence about passport does throw it off because you are required to have a matching USA/CAN passport for a USA/CAN issued ABTC.
Oct 22, 2017, 10:01 am
#1320
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,647