APEC Business Travel Card question

APEC business travel card question

I have applied for this card as I seem to fit the eligibility requirements, and I am wondering, I sent in the forms a week ago, how long should I expect to wait? I have a China trip coming up and I'll need to start getting a visa if I won't have the card. Has anyone been through this process before?

You can check the status of your application online:

http://www.businessmobility.org/key/CardStatus.asp

I don't have a number yet. Going to email them to get one but I wonder if anyone has recently been through it and knows a timeframe 

You should get a number pretty soon.

After that it's 1-2months for most countries but some take 3-4.

On my first card (many moons ago) China was the slowest by some margin, whereas last time China was quick and Singapore slowest.

If you need to go, get the visa 

I'm thinking of getting the APEC card soon too. So if I gave it 6 months, that should be a very liberal timeframe? I don't need to surrender my passport in the meantime and will be able to apply for visas while waiting for the process to be completed?

I finalised the ABTC process this year (2015). Personally, my timeline was as follows:

• 27 March 2015 - Submitted ABTC Application Form
• 9 April 2015 - Approval Notification from Dept of IoBP
• 19 June 2015 - Completion Letter & ABTC Card

Thus the entire process, from start to finish, was just under three months.

As mentioned by other contributors, the longest stage is the approvals from foreign countries. I did not compulsively check my card application status, so I don't know which party was dragging their feet...

I was approved for all regions, however to my understanding is that at a certain point you may opt to cut loose any countries moving too slowly, and just take an ABTC card for the ones who have already given you the green light. (For example, if Indonesia is taking forever to approve you, and you don't plan to travel regularly there, you can scrap them and take your card without them).

In terms of disruption, The RealBabushka, there is no requirement to surrender passports, nor any other impediment to Visa applications, etc.

Thank you Jay!

Thanks for all the information everyone. I need to get to China and HK in the next month so I think I better get a visa for China 

i make my renewal of APEC card on 22 Feb 2018 But did not get any reply except invoice for payment.