U.S. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Travel Card Program FAQs

The U.S. APEC Business Travel Card Program is a voluntary program to  facilitate  travel for U.S. citizens engaged in verified business in the APEC region and U.S. government officials engaged in APEC business. Participants must also be members of a CBP trusted traveler program.  The U.S. APEC Business Travel Card will enable access to fast-track immigration lanes at airports in foreign APEC member economies. 

APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, is an economic forum whose primary goal is to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.  The United States is one of 21 APEC member economies, which include:  Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam.

The U.S. APEC Business Travel Card will enable access to a dedicated fast-track lane for expedited immigration processing at participating foreign APEC member airports.  For a complete list of APEC Business Travel Card participating airports, visit www.apec.org/Groups/Committee-on-Trade-and-Investment/Business-Mobility-Group/ABTC.

U.S. APEC Business Travel Card holders may also use the available Global Entry processing technology at participating airports upon their U.S. return.  View the list of airports with Global Entry.   

To be eligible for the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card Program, you must meet three criteria:

• you must be a U.S. citizen;
• you must be an existing member in good standing or be approved for membership in a CBP trusted traveler program (SENTRI, NEXUS, or Global Entry) during the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card application process, , meaning they will go through a thorough vetting process including a review of all relevant national security and criminal databases prior to enrollment;
• you must be either a verified business person, or a U.S. government official, who is actively engaged in APEC business.

A “verified business person” engaged in APEC business  means a person engaged in the trade of goods, the provision of services or the conduct of investment activities in the APEC region.  Professional athletes, news correspondents, entertainers, musicians, artists or persons engaged in similar occupations are not considered to be verified business travelers engaged in business in the APEC region when they are traveling in such a capacity. 

A “U.S. government official” means a U.S. government official performing U.S. government activities that support the work of APEC.

The application fee for the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card is $70.  The fee is non-refundable.  This fee is in addition to the fee for the selected CBP Trusted Traveler Program.

• For example, a new applicant applying for the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card with their Global Entry application would pay an application fee of $170.  This breaks down to $70 for the APEC Business Travel Card application and $100 for the Global Entry application.

Apply for a CBP trusted traveler program on the Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) website, https://ttp.dhs.gov.  You also must schedule an enrollment center interview via your TTP dashboard during the application process.  For more information about Global Entry, NEXUS and SENTRI go to the Trusted Traveler Programs page.

You must apply on the Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) website, https://ttp.dhs.gov.  This is the same website that is used to apply for CBP’s trusted traveler programs.  Check the box in TTP for the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card. Then schedule a visit to any CBP trusted traveler enrollment center for an interview (if you are not already a CBP trusted traveler) and for electronic signature collection. 

However, if you are already a CBP trusted traveler, you can visit any CBP trusted traveler enrollment center for your interview/signature collection without an appointment.

All applicants for a U.S. APEC Business Travel Card must be existing members in good standing of a CBP trusted traveler program or apply and be approved for membership in a CBP trusted traveler program during the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card application process.  An applicant for the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card may be a member of any of three CBP Trusted Traveler Programs: Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI, meaning they will go through a thorough vetting process including a review of all relevant national security and criminal databases prior to enrollment.  An individual may apply either for a CBP trusted traveler program in advance or when applying for the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card. 

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. 

• If you apply for the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card program and the CBP Trusted Traveler Program concurrently, then you have to visit the enrollment center only once for the CBP trusted traveler interview and for signature collection.  If you first apply for a CBP trusted traveler program, you will need two trips to an enrollment center, once for the interview and again for signature collection.

• If you apply for the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card and the CBP Trusted Traveler Program concurrently, you will be required to pay the applicable fees for both programs when you submit the applications.  All application fees are non-refundable.  Since membership to a CBP trusted traveler program is a prerequisite for membership in the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card program, if you are denied CBP trusted traveler program membership, you would be also be denied a U.S. APEC Business Travel Card and no refunds are available.  This could be avoided if you applied first for a CBP trusted traveler program.

Prior to December 13, 2016 ABTC cards were issued with a validity of 3 years or until the expiration date of the card holder’s passport whichever occurred first.  However, U.S. issued APEC Business Travel Cards approved on or after December 13, 2016 are now valid for five years from the date of issuance, or until the expiration date of the card holder’s passport, whichever comes first. This change in validity does not apply to current U.S. APEC Business Travel Card holders, whose cards remain valid only until the date printed on their card.

To renew the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card, submit a new U.S. APEC Business Travel Card application, pay the program fee, and meet all the eligibility criteria, including maintaining active membership in one of the CBP Trusted Traveler Programs (Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI).

Yes. CBP may revoke your U.S. APEC Business Travel Card if you fail to renew or maintain your CBP trusted traveler program membership. 

Yes, once CBP determines you are eligible to participate in the APEC program you must provide an electronic signature that will be printed on the APEC Business Travel Card. You can complete the interview/signature collection process via Enrollment on Arrival when returning to the U.S. from an international flight or at any CBP Trusted Traveler enrollment center, no appointment necessary.   

No. Interviews and signature collection for the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card must be done at a CBP trusted traveler enrollment center and none are located outside of the United States and Canada. See a list of all CBP enrollment centers for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI. Alternatively, you can complete the signature collection process via Enrollment on Arrival when returning to the U.S. from an international flight.

If you are accepted into the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card Program, CBP will update your TTP account to reflect the acceptance and will mail the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card to the mailing address that you provided on your application.  CBP will mail the card to U.S. or international addresses, but not to post office boxes. 

No.  Foreign APEC member economies will not recognize the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card in lieu of a visa. The U.S. is a transitional member of APEC and does not reciprocate with other economies regarding full pre-clearance benefits to applicants.  As such, no countries are listed on the back of U.S. APEC Business Travel Cards and card holders are required to present any travel or identity documentation, such as a passport and visa (where applicable), required by the foreign APEC member economy.  If a U.S. APEC Business Travel Card holder does not conform to the foreign economy’s visa, passport or entry requirements, the card holder may be directed to a non-expedited lane or refused entry.  Check the entry requirements of the destination APEC member economy before travel. 

No. The APEC Business Travel Card is for members who travel frequently on short-term visits within the APEC region to fulfill business commitments. To use the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card, you must be traveling solely for business purposes to the foreign APEC economy.  

No. The U.S. APEC Business Travel Card is not transferable and applicable only to the card holder. Access to APEC lanes will not be extended to anyone traveling with the U.S. APEC Business Travel Card holder.

A U.S. APEC Business Travel Card membership may be suspended or revoked if CBP determines that:

• the individual provided false information in the application and/or during the application process;

• the individual failed to follow the program’s terms, conditions and requirements;

• the individual has been arrested or convicted of a crime or otherwise no longer meets the program eligibility criteria.

CBP can also revoke membership if the card holder is no longer a member of a CBP trusted traveler program.  A U.S. APEC Business Travel Card applicant or card holder who is denied, suspended, or removed will not receive an application fee refund.

No.  You would still be considered a full participant in the CBP trusted traveler program for the remaining period of your membership.

In the event you are denied or revoked from the Trusted Traveler Programs, you will be provided information in writing detailing the reason for this action. If you believe the decision was based upon inaccurate or incomplete information, you may request reconsideration through the Trusted Traveler Programs website.

Reconsideration Requests and attachments to the Ombudsman should be in English and must include the following details:

• Date of denial and denial reason(s) from the letter;
• Summary of information to further clarify a record or explain an incident or arrest;
• Court disposition documentation in PDF format for all arrests or convictions, even if expunged; and/or
• Other supporting documentation you feel may influence the Ombudsman's decision. Supported formats: PDF, DOCX, DOC, PNG, JPEG, and GIF.