What is an APEC card? Requirements and Procedures

The APEC Business Travel Card offers visa exemptions for business travelers within the APEC region.

In this guide, Thao & Co. outlines everything you need to know about the APEC card, including:

1. ● Benefits
2. ● Requirements
3. ● Application process and fees

What is the APEC Business Travel Card?

The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) is a special travel document issued to business professionals traveling between member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

APEC is an intergovernmental organization of 21 member economies that promotes free trade and investment across the Asia-Pacific region. The ABTC streamlines travel for businesspeople, facilitating trade and economic cooperation among APEC members.

With the APEC Business Travel Card, cardholders can enter and exit APEC member economies without the need for a visa. This saves time and effort on visa applications for business purposes.

The ABTC comes in two formats: a physical card and a virtual card. Both offer the same benefit of visa exemption for business travelers.

How long is an APEC card valid?

Currently, an APEC card is valid for 5 years from the date of issue, an increase from the previous 3-year validity period. You cannot renew your APEC card after expiration, but you can apply for a new one. This ensures your card remains up-to-date and compliant with the latest legal requirements.

Check out: Vietnam Work Visas

Where to apply for an APEC card?

In Vietnam, you can apply for the APEC Business Travel Card by submitting your application to the Immigration Department or the Ministry of Public Security at the following addresses: 

1. 📍 44-46 Tran Phu Street, Dien Bien Ward, Ba Dinh District, Ha Noi
2. 📍 333-335-337 Nguyen Trai Street, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. 

Alternatively, you can apply online via the National Public Service Portal or the Ministry of Public Security Service Portal for added convenience.

What are the benefits of an APEC card?

Holding an APEC card comes with several key benefits, including:

1. ✅ Visa exemptions: APEC cardholders can travel visa-free to participating APEC member countries.
2. ✅ Unlimited entries: You can enter and exit these countries as often as needed.
3. ✅ Priority at airports: APEC cardholders enjoy priority immigration processing at international airports.
4. ✅ Extended stays: You’re allowed to stay for 60 to 90 days per visit, making it ideal for extended business activities.
5. ✅ Simplified visa processes: It can also make obtaining visas for non-APEC countries like the UK, US, and Canada easier.

Which countries exempt visas for the APEC cardholders?

The APEC card provides visa-free access to 19 member economies, with the exceptions of the US and Canada. The full list of countries is shown in the table below:

Countries	Duration of stay
Australia – AUS	90 days
Chile – CHL	90 days
New Zealand – NZL	90 days
Japan – JPN	90 days
Korea – KOR	90 days
Chinese Taipei – TWN	90 days
Thailand – THA	90 days
Brunei Daussalam – BRN	90 days
Peru – PER	90 days
Mexico – MEX	90 days
China – CHN	60 days
Hong Kong – HKG: 60 days	60 days
Malaysia – MYS: 60 days	60 days
Indonesia – IDN: 60 days	60 days
Singapore – SGP: 60 days	60 days
Papua New Guinea – PNG: 60 days	60 days
Vietnam – VNM: 60 days	60 days
Philippines – PHL: 59 days	59 days
Russia – RUS: 14 – 90 days	14 – 90 days

Who is eligible for an APEC Business card?

The following conditions must be met to apply for an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC):

1. For agencies and organizations

Regular participation in APEC-related conferences, workshops, meetings, or activities promoting economic cooperation and development.

2. For enterprises

1. ● The business must have been in operation for at least 12 months.
2. ● Compliance with relevant laws on taxes, trade, customs, labor, and social insurance.
3. ● Active business contracts or agreements with APEC member countries.
4. ● Regularly assign employees to engage in business negotiations, investments, or trade within APEC economies.

3. For businesspeople

1. ● Be a citizen of the country issuing the APEC card
2. ● Reside in that country
3. ● Be over 18 years old
4. ● Have held a senior management position at their current company for at least 12 months
5. ● No travel restrictions

These are the basic eligibility requirements for agencies, organizations, companies, and businesspeople before applying for an APEC card.

How to get APEC Business Travel card?

The process involves 2 main phrases: Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get APEC card.

1. Procedure for obtaining an approval letter on ABTC eligibility

Step 1: Application preparation

You’ll need to gather the following documents:

1. ● Company’s request form (CV01)
2. ● Joint venture contracts, business cooperation agreements, or import/export documents (such as letters of credit, bills of lading, customs declarations, and invoices) from the last 2 years with APEC member countries.
3. ● Notarized translations of contracts (if they’re in a foreign language)
4. ● Business registration certificate or investment registration certificate.
5. ● Original passport and 3 recent notarized copies
6. ● Appointment decisions or minutes of appointment meetings over 1 year
7. ● Social insurance certificate in the most recent year
8. ● An indefinite-term labor contract or proof of holding your position for more than 1 year.
9. ● Approved financial statements from the most recent year

Civil servants must submit the following documents:

1. ● An approval letter on ABTC eligibility from your ministry, department, division, or branch
2. ● A decision assigning you to participate in APEC activities
3. ● Your passport (for the ABTC application)

⚠️ Note: Be sure to submit notarized copies of all required documents.

Step 2: Application submission

Once your application is ready, submit it to one of the following locations, depending on your business type:

1. 📍Department of Planning and Investment or Department of Foreign Affairs: For standard businesses.
2. 📍 Management Board of Industrial Zones: For businesses in industrial and export processing zones.
3. 📍 Management Board of High-Tech Parks or Urban Areas: For businesses in these specialized zones.

After obtaining your approval letter for ABTC eligibility, you can move on to the next step.

2. Procedure for obtaining the official APEC card

Step 1: Prepare your application

To apply for an APEC business travel card, you need to submit:

1. ● ABTC application form (X05), confirmed by your company.
2. ● Two recent passport-sized photos (3×4 cm, white background, no glasses). Attach one to the application form and keep the other separately.
3. ● The approval letter confirming your ABTC eligibility from the relevant authorities.

Step 2: Submit your application

You can submit your application at the Immigration Department or the Ministry of Public Security in one of these cities:

1. 📍 Hanoi: 44-46 Tran Phu Street, Ba Dinh District.
2. 📍 Ho Chi Minh City: 333-335-337 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1.
3. 📍 Da Nang: No. 7, Tran Quy Cap Street.

⚠️ You’ll need to present your valid passport when applying. If someone else is submitting on your behalf, they must provide a referral letter and both your identity card and theirs.

Once submitted, your application will be reviewed for validity. Afterward, you’ll need to pay the processing fee and receive a receipt.

Step 3: Receive your result as scheduled

You can collect your APEC card from the same location where you submitted your application. Remember to bring the receipt when you pick up your card.

Processing time typically takes around 31 working days, not including the time spent preparing your documents.

The APEC card cost: latest fees explained

According to Decision No. 50/2006/QD-BTC (dated September 22, 2006), the fee for obtaining an APEC Business Travel Card is clearly set by the government at 1,200,000 VND for both businessmen and civil servants.

⚠️ Note: Once your APEC card expires, it cannot be renewed. You’ll need to submit a new application to get a replacement.

How to choose a reliable APEC card service?

When selecting a service to assist with your APEC card application, it’s crucial to choose a company that is both trustworthy and experienced in the process.

If your application involves foreign documents, you may also need notarized translation services.

At Thao & Co., we specialize in helping clients navigate this process. Our notarized translation services are designed to save you time, ensuring accurate translations with quick delivery.

Expertise in over 50 languages:

Variety of document translation options:

In addition, Thao & Co. offers professional interpretation services to support you with all immigration-related procedures.

Let us handle your translation needs so you can focus on your business.

Key takeaways

The APEC Business Travel Card is a key to optimizing travel time and facilitating international business.

Choosing a reliable company to assist with your application can make the process much smoother.