The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has digitalized the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) and started accepting applications from April 1.
The ABTC allows short-term business travelers from participating Asia-Pacific countries/regions to undergo immigration inspection without a visa and to use a dedicated lane during immigration inspection. Japan has been implementing and issuing this system since 2003.
With the new system, applications are made through input on a dedicated website and file attachment; a fee payment requires the mailing of revenue stamps. After domestic approval is completed, the card is issued immediately and displayed in real-time on the app after approval by each country/region. There is no worry about losing the card. Depending on the conditions, online applications for reissuance due to a change in passport number are also possible. The fee for a new application has been reduced from 13,100 yen to 13,000 yen. It is also possible to switch from a plastic ABTC to a virtual ABTC.
However, the virtual ABTC cannot be used for travel to Russia at this moment. In addition, the United States and Canada are provisional members and require a visa. In Japan, 1,395 cards were issued in fiscal year 2021, 9,687 cards in 2022, and 25,429 cards up to February in the fiscal year 2023.
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