Business travel card eases trade transactions

PhilExport’s One Stop Export Documentation Center (OSEDC) has announced the availability of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) to member exporters.

The card aims to promote and facilitate business and investment within the region as well as help reduce the time and cost of business travelers in meeting the visa and entry requirements to APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) member economies.

Currently, it gives accredited businesspersons pre-cleared status to the participating economies like Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, People’s Republic of China, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

OSEDC manager Dianne DV. Masalunga in a letter to PhilExport-Cebu members stated that card holders of ABTC shall enjoy multiple entries to participating economies, faster immigration processing on arrival via access to fast track entry and exit through special APEC lanes at major ports, and expedite visa interview scheduling at US Embassies and Consulates in APEC economies.

Only those exporters who are members of PhilExport can avail of this privilege, she said.

The APEC Business Travel Card was developed in response to the need of business people to gain facilitated and streamlined entry to the economies of the Asia Pacific region.

The Philippines takes prides in being one of the pioneers, along with Australia, and Korea, of the ABTC scheme, which was conceived in 1996 in response to the clamors for enhanced business mobility, including facilitated port entries and exits for bona fide business people in the APEC region.

At present, the Philippines is one of the sixteen members of the ABTC scheme.

Issued only to bona fide business persons, the ABTC works like a visa with validity of three years or upon the expiry date of the holder’s passport.

An ABTC holder, however, is still required to carry his or her valid passport.

The application, together with its supporting documents, may be filed either with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) or PhilExport.

If the application and its supporting documents are found in order, it will be endorsed by the sponsoring business organizations to ABTC-Philippines (Visa Division-DFA). A processing fee is charged by PCCI, or PhilExport for ABTC applications.