APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) and Virtual ABTC for New Zealanders
If you are a New Zealander and have an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC), you can visit participating APEC economies at short notice to carry out trade and investment activities. You can only travel to the economies listed on your card, that have pre-cleared you for business travel there.
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Cost
From
NZD $150
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Processing time
Within
6 months (including obtaining entry pre-clearance)
To apply you must:
- be a citizen of New Zealand and have a current New Zealand passport
- travel frequently, on short notice and for short-term stays, to participating Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies for trade and investment activities
- have no criminal convictions
- meet the other requirements of travelling on an APEC Business Travel Card.
This ABTC lets you:
- travel to participating APEC economies for trade and investment activities without first applying for visas
- use dedicated APEC immigration clearance lanes on arrival and departure
- travel in and out of an economy many times.
You can only get an electronic ABTC, called a Virtual ABTC. Physical cards, including replacement cards and passport updates, are no longer given.
Russia does not accept Virtual ABTCs. Travellers must get a visa before they travel there.
The United States (US) and Canada are only transitional members of the ABTC scheme. They do not give pre-clearance to any APEC applicants but provide fast track immigration processing at major international airports — applicants are required to have a visa, or travel or entry document to enter the US and Canada.
How long you can stay in participating economies
With a Virtual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC), you can visit participating APEC economies multiple times for short-term business travel. The length of stay depends on the economy.
What you pay
It costs NZD $150 to apply for an APEC Business Travel Card.
Who can apply
To get an APEC Business Travel Card, you must:
- be a citizen of New Zealand and have a current New Zealand passport
- genuinely need to visit participating APEC economies frequently for short-term business-related travel
- have no criminal convictions
- be given pre-clearance from APEC economies you are travelling to.
New Zealand citizenship and passport
You must be a New Zealand citizen and have a current New Zealand passport to apply for a Virtual APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC).
Genuine business plans
You must have plans to frequently visit APEC economies to trade goods, provide services and make investments, on short-term visits.
You cannot get an ABTC and will need a visa, if you:
- are not travelling frequently within the APEC region
- want to include your partner and dependent children
- will be doing paid work
- want to go on a working holiday
- are a professional athlete, news correspondent, entertainer, musician, artist or in other similar jobs.
Supporting documents can include:
- a supporting letter from your employer
- evidence of your position within your business, or as a sole trader
- an invoice from overseas suppliers
- contracts and agreements
- invitations to overseas trade shows, fairs or exhibitions
- any other third-party documents identifying you, your business and your need to travel for business-related purposes.
Criminal record check
You must get a criminal record check from the Ministry of Justice that is less than 6 months old at the time Immigration New Zealand receives your application.
Criminal record check — Ministry of Justice
If you have a criminal conviction, you will not be eligible for an ABTC.
Convictions concealed under the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004 do not need to be disclosed when you apply for an ABTC and will not affect your eligibility. These convictions will not be disclosed to other participating economies.
Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004 — New Zealand Legislation
Note
The Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act 2004 does not apply when you fill out forms while travelling overseas. You will need to declare these convictions on your arrival cards overseas. If you do not meet that economy’s entry requirements, you may be refused entry.
You will need to check the entry requirements with that economy’s embassy or consulate before you travel.
Pre-clearance from APEC economies
You must be pre-cleared to visit participating APEC economies.
Members of APEC are:
Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, People's Republic of China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, The Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, The United States, Viet Nam.
Alert
Russia does not accept Virtual ABTCs. Travellers must get a visa before they travel there.
Once Immigration New Zealand has approved your application through our ABTC Portal, we release it for the other APEC economies to decide on their entry pre-clearance — there is no timeframe for this process. The economies you are pre-cleared for will appear on your ABTC — you can only travel to the economies that give you pre-clearance.
Documents you need
When you apply
When you apply, you will need to provide:
- a copy of your valid New Zealand passport's biographic page — this needs to be a clear copy of the passport page that includes your photo and personal details
- 1 acceptable digital photo
- documents to show you travel frequently to APEC economies for trade and investment activities
- evidence of your position within your business or as a sole trader
- a criminal record check.
You do not need to send us a physical copy. You must send us a high-quality scan of your passport. Provide a scanned copy of your current and recent passports, including: File formats for uploading documents and photos If you are including your partner or dependent children in your application, you must send us high-quality scans of their passports too. If you are applying for a: You must upload a high-quality scan of your current passport or travel document information page when you start your application. This is the page with your photo, name, date of birth and document details like passport number, expiry and issuing authority. Make sure your scan also includes the MRZ code — the string of characters on the bottom of the information page of your passport. If you are including a partner or dependent children in your application, you will also need to upload a high-quality scan of their passport information page. Immigration Online will read the identity and document details in your scanned copy and fill in these fields for you on the form. Check the details in the form are correct and fix any mistakes. If all the information is correct you do not need to do anything and can continue with your application. If Immigration Online could not upload your document, rescan your document and try again. Make sure the document: You can upload any other pages with visa records, entry and exit stamps in the 'Identity evidence' fields in the 'Supporting documents' section of your application form. If you are applying for another type of visa online, we will email you if we need your physical passport to confirm your identity. You may not need to send us your passport if you are: If you renew your passport before you travel, you must transfer your eVisa or the visa label to your new passport. Transferring a visa to a new passport You may not be able to come to New Zealand if your visa and passport do not match in our system. If we need to see your physical passport to confirm your identity, we will: Most people do not need to provide their physical passport. If you are not sure if you need to send your passport, check the final page of your completed visa application in your Immigration Online account. Warning If you do not send your passport within the time we specify, we may delay processing your application or decline it. If you are applying from outside New Zealand, send your passport to your nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC) or Immigration New Zealand (INZ) office. We must receive it within 20 working days from when we ask for it. Most people use a courier or postal tracking service to send us their passports. Offices outside of New Zealand (Visa Application Centres) Postal addresses for sending paper documents We will contact you with instructions about where and how to send your passport if you: Check our postal addresses page for where to send your passport in New Zealand. Use a signature-required courier service so it arrives quickly. Postal addresses for sending paper documents You may have to pay a fee to send your passport to a VAC. You can find the handling fee on the website of your nearest VAC. Fill in the filters and select the tab called ‘Passport handling for online application’. VFS Global for individuals — VFS Global If you sent your passport to a VAC, they contact you with the tracking details after they send your passport back to you. If you have any questions or concerns about the return of your passport, contact the VAC directly. Note The VAC may not send your passport back to you until after we have made a decision about your visa application. If you sent your passport to an INZ office, you receive a tracking number after we send it back to you. Contact the courier company if you have any questions about delivery. For any other questions or concerns, contact us. If you need your passport urgently, contact the INZ officer processing your application. When you contact them, include:
Providing your passport for an online application
How to provide a digital copy of your passport or send us your original passport so we can verify your identity.
If you are applying for a visitor, student or work visa
Resident and transit visas
You must upload a high-quality scan of your passport or travel document when you apply online. You do not need to send us a physical copy.Upload the passport or travel document information page
File formats for uploading documents and photosUpload other passport or travel document pages
Other online applications
Transfer a visa to a new passport
Providing your physical passport
Sending your passport from outside New Zealand
Countries that cannot use a VAC
Sending your passport in New Zealand
Sending your passport to a VAC
Getting your passport returned from a VAC or INZ office
Urgent return of passports
If your photo does not meet all of our requirements we will ask you for a new photo. If you are applying for a visa, we will stop processing your application until we receive an acceptable photo. If you are requesting an NZeTA, your request may be delayed or refused. Use the photo examples on this page to check your photo is correct and meets our requirements. Alert Do not use the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs website or other online tools to check your photo as those tools are for passport photos only. Your photo is more likely to be accepted if you use a professional photographer or business that takes passport photos. Give the photographer our instructions to make sure you get a photo that meets our requirements.
The photo you submit with a paper application must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. Further instructions are on the paper application forms. Note You can only apply for an NZeTA online. The photo you submit with an online application must be: Alert We are unlikely to accept your photo if it is not the right size. If you request an NZeTA using the web app, you can either upload an existing photo or take one using your device's camera. If you use the mobile app, you can only take a photo using your device's camera. Your photo must be: If you take a photo with your device, the camera must have a minimum resolution of 540 x 720 pixels. Large photos will be automatically formatted. If there is an issue with your photo you will receive an error message when you submit your visa or NZeTA photo online. To help you, we have provided a list of online errors and how to fix them. Your photo must: It may be easier to remove them.
Visa and NZeTA photos
Your photo must be less than 6 months old and clearly identify you. It must also meet all of our technical requirements.
Meeting our photo requirements
Visa and NZeTA photos are not passport photos
Using a professional photographer
Paper applications for visas
Online applications for visas
Online requests for NZeTAs
Online photo error messages
Taking your visa photo
Be in portrait, not landscape
Be of you, not a photo of a photo or your travel document
Have even lighting with minimal shadowing
Be in colour, showing natural skin tones
Be in focus, not blurry
Not contain red-eye
Be an original photo, not changed by photo-editing software
Not be a selfie
Be taken 1.5 metres from the face
Be taken against a plain, light-coloured — but not white — background with no patterns or objects
Only contain plain clothing patterns
Be of one person
We need to clearly see your face
Face the camera and keep your head straight
Keep your eyes open and mouth closed
Do not smile or frown
Show your face clearly and that long hair is tucked behind your ears
Position yourself in the middle of the photo
Remove sunglasses and hats
If you wear prescription glasses
Make sure your eyes show clearly through the lenses, with no reflected light
If you wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons
Make sure that your face and hairline can be seen in the photo
How to get an APEC Business Travel Card
Follow these steps to get an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC).
An application containing all the documents we need will prevent delays with processing.
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Step 1: Gather your documents
Organise proof of identity and citizenship
If you need a new passport, allow yourself enough time to get it.
Organise proof you are travelling frequently for short-term business reasons
Get recent documents that show you are frequently visiting APEC economies to trade goods, provide services and carry out investments activities, on short-term visits.
Organise evidence of your position
Get evidence of your position within your business, or as a sole trader.
Apply for a criminal record check
Request a criminal record check from the Ministry of Justice.
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Step 2: Complete the application form
Complete the application form and attach all supporting documents.
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Step 3: Submit your application and pay the fee
Send your completed application form, supporting documents and application fee to us.
Post your application to:
Immigration New Zealand
APEC Business Travel Card
Auckland Central Area Office
PO Box 76895
Manukau
Auckland 2241
New ZealandEmail your digital photo to:
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Step 4: Wait for our decision
We will email you an acknowledgement letter to advise that we have received your application. This will contain all your personal details for you to check that the information we have on file is correct. We also attach a fee receipt to the email — both will contain your ABTC application number.
Once the application is approved in the ABTC Portal, the system will send an automatic approval letter.
If we approve your application, we will email you instructions on how to download the ABTC app — this is your Virtual APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC). When you log in, your ABTC will be displayed on the opening screen.
An approved application will be released to the other APEC economies to provide pre-clearance.
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Step 5: Wait for pre-clearance from other economies
You can use your application number (a 5-digit number at the top right-hand corner of the acknowledgment letter and in the fee receipt) to monitor and track your application status online.
Application–Check Status–Search — APEC ABTC System
- Select New Zealand in Economy of Application field.
- Enter your application number and select Search.
This online status is updated daily.
Note
You will not be able to track your application status online until New Zealand has approved your application.
The APEC economies that have pre-cleared you for travel will appear on your ABTC in real time and you can make travel arrangements to these economies. Your ABTC must be used with your valid passport.
When you have your APEC Business Travel Card
With your Virtual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC), you can visit the participating APEC economies listed on your ABTC, multiple times for short-term business travel.
If you have a physical card
New Zealand started giving Virtual ABTCs in August 2021. We no longer give physical cards. This includes replacements for lost cards or passport updates.
If you have a physical ABTC and have not heard from Immigration New Zealand about transferring your card to a Virtual ABTC, email us. Provide your full name, date of birth, and a copy of your ABTC or the linked New Zealand passport.
Email: abtc@mbie.govt.nz
Lost or stolen physical cards
Contact the police if your physical ABTC is lost or stolen.
Email us with the relevant information, detailing how and when your card was lost or stolen. We will issue you with a replacement Virtual ABTC. You will need to provide your passport number so we can easily identify you.
Email: abtc@mbie.govt.nz
How long your card is valid for
An ABTC is valid for 5 years. The expiry date on your virtual card will match the expiry date of your passport. If your passport expiry date is less than 5 years away, your clearance will still be valid for 5 years. When you get a new passport, email us a copy of its biometric page and we will update your passport details and ABTC expiry date on the app.
Email: abtc@mbie.govt.nz
If your details are not correct
Email us if there are incorrect details in your application acknowledgement email or on your ABTC.
Email: abtc@mbie.govt.nz
If your details change
If you get a new passport
If you get a new passport, email us a copy of your new passport's biographic page — this needs to be a clear copy of the passport page that includes your photo and personal details.
We will notify you when we have updated the passport details on your ABTC — you will need to log in again using your new passport number to view this update.
Email: abtc@mbie.govt.nz
If your address or email changes
If your contact addresses change, email us to update your personal details.
Email: abtc@mbie.govt.nz
If your name changes
If you change your name, you must submit a new ABTC application. We cannot change your name in the system once we have approved your application. Your passport details on your ABTC and the passport you travel with must match.
When your card expires
When your ABTC expires, you cannot renew it. You must apply for a new ABTC and submit a new application, photograph and supporting documents, which we will assess against eligibility criteria.
Note
Immigration New Zealand can only accept an application for a new ABTC within 6 months of your current card's expiry date. If you apply and there is more than 6 months left on your current card, your application will be returned.
More information
You can find more information and updates about the Virtual ABTC on the APEC website.