Guide: Applying For APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)
Tired of queueing at immigration? Consider applying for an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) to skip queues when you travel. ABTC cardholders get priority lanes at immigration counters at many countries including. If you travel more than a couple of times a year, it may be worth the cost and effort to get your own ABTC to save time waiting in line at immigration.
Benefits of Applying For ABTC
With an ABTC, you are able to join priority lanes during immigration at many airports. At busier airports, this can save you a lot of time clearing the customs.
The full list of countries that support ABTC:
- Australia
- Brunei Darussalam
- Canada (transitional member; fast-track immigration at select airports)
- Chile
- China (including Hong Kong, China)
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Russian Federation
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- United States of America (transitional member; fast-track immigration at select airports)
- Vietnam
Beyond priority lines, there are other benefits depending on which country you visit. Participating countries (aside from transitional members) offer visa-free stays between 59 to 90 days, and places like Bali allow you to get visitor tax exemption if you have an ABTC.
Who can apply for ABTC?
According to Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)’s website, one needs to hold a valid passport from an APEC economy and have no criminal conviction. ICA states that Singapore citizens may apply for the card if they are:
- A bona fide business person representing an economically active business entity; or
- A member of a professional body (for example, a doctor, lawyer or accountant); or
- A public officer representing a ministry, government department, economic agency or statutory board, travelling in official capacity.
As a “Business Travel Card”, ABTC is meant to facilitate the movement of business travellers across APEC member economies. In practice, many trips are a mix between work and pleasure, and there is no specification on what constitutes business activity.
If you own a business, you can sign off on your own supporting document for the application. Otherwise, your company’s management or HR department should be able to do so.
Cost of Application and Validity
The cost of application is S$100 and it is non-refundable regardless of the outcome of your application.
Each ABTC is valid for a period of 5 years or until your passport expires, whichever is earlier. This means that if your passport has fewer than 5 years until its validity, your ABTC will be valid until it expires, after which you have to re-apply for a new ABTC which again costs S$100.
While you can pay the S$100 fee with a credit card, it is coded as Merchant Category Code 9399 which is excluded by many cards. The best card to use should either be Chocolate Card for 2 Max Miles per dollar or American Express cards like Amex True Cashback for 1.5% cashback, Amex Ascend or Amex Platinum Charge for miles.
How to Apply
You can apply for the ABTC online here. To apply, you will need the following:
- Passport-sized photograph
- Scanned signature image file in JPEG format, dimension of 250 x 220 pixels
- Supporting document
- Valid Singapore passport
The supporting document should be one of the following:
- Scanned copy of a letter of authorisation or support from the organisation — sample supporting document. If the letter of support is self-signed, please provide a scanned copy of your ACRA Business Profile
- For members of professional bodies who are applying for the ABTC in their personal capacity, a letter stating the reason for application, along with proof of membership from the professional body must be provided
If you own or are a director of your own business, you can sign off on your own letter with documentary proof (e.g. ACRA report showing ownership). Otherwise, a member of the company’s senior management or HR department is required to sign off on the letter.
Waiting Time
ICA states that the waiting time can be up to 4 months. Personally, this is my own application experience:
- Applied 29th October 2024
- By 26th December 2024, I noticed that all member economies have approved my application and wrote in to ICA (ICA_ABTC@ica.gov.sg). ICA replied saying that they will issue me my card which should reach me within 7 working days
- I received my card on 8th January 2025
You can check the approval status of each country here.
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Seth Wee was a licensed financial adviser representative from 2009 to 2025, with over 16 years of experience in Singapore’s financial advisory industry.
He started Sethisfy.com in 2019 to share practical insights on credit cards, banking products, and miles strategies, helping readers identify financial products that deliver the best value. Seth has been featured in CNA, Channel 8, Today, and a host of other publications. In 2025, he was also part of a panel at CPF’s Ready For Life festival.
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