APEC business travel card extended to 5 years

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APEC business travel card extended to 5 years
The extension takes effect on September 1 and allows businesspeople 5-year, short-stay, multiple-entry to participating APEC member economies

MANILA, Philippines – The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) business travel card is valid from the original 3 to 5 years effective September 1, the APEC Business Mobility Group announced Tuesday, July 28.

The APEC business travel card was launched by APEC economies in 1997 and has seen significant growth in recent years. The number of active card users in 2015 up to June 30 increased by more than 15% to over 190,000, compared to around 164,000 in mid-2014. 

Through a single application, the APEC business travel card will offer businesspeople 5-year, short-stay, multiple-entry to participating APEC member economies and priority lane access at key immigration checkpoints in member economy airports.

Under the agreement, applications lodged on or before August 31, 2015 are to be granted an APEC business travel card valid for 3 years.

Applications lodged on or after September 1 are to be granted a card valid for 5 years.

The APEC business travel card reduces the cost of cardholders’ business travel between APEC economies by 38%, according to APEC Policy Support Unit research.

The card was specifically found to cut application fees by 27.8%, application time costs by 43.3%, and immigration processing time costs by 52.4%.

The extension announcement follows an agreement reached by all 21 APEC member economies after the last meeting of the APEC Business Mobility Group in Subic Bay, Philippines in January 2015.

“This announcement is a landmark step in the Business Mobility Group’s efforts to improve the user experience for APEC Business Travel Card holders,” said David Ness, convenor of the APEC Business Mobility Group.

The extension of validity was a key recommendation in the end-to-end review of the APEC business travel card, commissioned by the APEC Business Mobility Group.

The report acknowledged that the implementation of the extension of validity would significantly improve the user experience for cardholders, reducing the need to apply for a new card as frequently. In turn, the extension will create additional efficiencies for users and economies through a reduction in processing times, printing, and distribution costs.

“We look forward to progressing future enhancements to the APEC Business Travel Card scheme to further strengthen people-to-people connectivity in the APEC business community,” he added.

Answers to frequently asked questions about the card can be found here.

To apply for an APEC business travel card, click here.  – Rappler.com

Business travelers concept image from Shutterstock

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