Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card
Fact Sheet
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) provides expedited border clearance for business people travelling to participating APEC economies.
Those economies that are full ABTC member economies provide qualified business travellers with immigration pre-clearance and facilitated entry to participating member economies for a single fee paid to their home economy. The ABTC is valid for a maximum of five years. Membership allows card holders multiple short-term entries into participating economies, and speeds border processing by providing fast-track entry using special APEC lines at major airports.
Both Canada and the United States are transitional members of the ABTC process. The two countries facilitate travel for ABTC holders. Foreign ABTC members must present all required travel documents, including passports, visas and permits for entry into Canada.
What is the Canadian ABTC Pilot?
The Canadian ABTC pilot was launched on June 16, 2014. It allows Canadian business travellers who are ABTC members to use special fast-track APEC lines at major airports. Canadian ABTC holders can also benefit from faster border clearance using trusted traveller kiosks when returning to Canada.
Canadian ABTC holders must obtain and present all required documentation, such as passports, visas and permits, when entering participating foreign APEC economies.
The ABTC is valid for five years, unless the cardholder’s passport and/or NEXUS card expires within the five-year period. If one of these documents expires within this time period, the ABTC will also expire. Members should check the expiry dates on all of their documents. In addition, the ABTC membership will no longer be valid if the card holder’s NEXUS membership is revoked.
Canadian business travellers
Canadian citizens who are NEXUS members who conduct regular business in the APEC region are now eligible to apply for the ABTC. Enquiries regarding the Canadian ABTC pilot should be directed to the CBSA (abtc-cvaa@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).
Enquiries regarding the NEXUS program, go to www.NEXUS.gc.ca.
For general information on the ABTC, visit the ABTC Web site.
Foreign cardholders
Currently, 19 of the 21 participating APEC economies issue ABTCs to their qualifying citizens. These foreign ABTC holders are able to enter Canada using the special service line at Canada’s eight major international airports in the following cities: Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Halifax.
When using the special service line to enter Canada, foreign ABTC holders will continue to be required to show the following travel documents to border services officers:
- a valid ABTC;
- a valid passport; and
- a visa if they are from one of these economies: Chile, China, Chinese Taipei (unless holding an ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes the personal identification number of the individual), Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.
- Work permits may also be required depending on the nature of the business to be conducted in Canada.
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