How to Apply for APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) via FMM

In this article, we will explain how you can apply for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card (ABTC) through the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).

Remember that your company must be a member of FMM to apply for the ABTC.

What is the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)?

The ABTC is a travel document granted to business travellers from APEC member economies. The card, which has a five-year validity period, removes the need for a visa for holders to travel to other APEC member economies, provided that pre-clearance was acquired during the application process.

What are the benefits of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)?

The benefits of the APEC Business Travel Card include:

Since the APEC Business Travel Card serves as the visa, the cardholder does not need to apply for a visa or entrance permit separately each time they travel to any participating APEC economies.
The cardholder is provided pre-cleared and multiple entrance privileges for short-term business trips.
Through "Special APEC-Marked Lanes," cardholders can access fast immigration processing upon arrival and exit.

A sample of the ABTC.

What are the participating countries in the ABTC programme?

19 of the 21 APEC countries currently take part in the ABTC programme. The 19 participating economies are listed below:

Australia
Brunei Darussalam
Chile
China
Hong Kong (China)
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Russia
Singapore
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)
Thailand
Vietnam

How to apply for ABTC via FMM

Step 1: Ensure your organisation is eligible.

The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) is permitted to provide ABTC support letters for registered members by the Malaysian Immigration Department.

As a result, FMM can process ABTC applications on behalf of FMM Members.

To verify the status of your membership, please click here.

The following companies are ineligible to apply for ABTC with FMM:

Sole Proprietor or Partnership
Suspended Member
Subsidiary to a Member Company
Non-Member

Step 2: Ensure the personnel is eligible.

You must meet the requirements listed below to be eligible for the ABTC application:

Must be a Malaysian citizen with a passport that is currently valid for at least three (3) years.
Frequent visitors to APEC nations.
A company and investment community member involved in trade and investment with the 19 economies.
The business and investment community member (Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, Director, Managing Director, General Manager and Marketing Manager) has to be endorsed by the designated regulatory agencies via a "Supporting Letter".

The following personnel are eligible for the ABTC application:

Chief Executive Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Chairman / President
Managing Director / Executive Director
Director
General Manager
Marketing Manager
Sales Manager
Branding Manager
Business Development Manager
Export / Import / Procurement Manager

If their role is not listed above, they are not eligible for the ABTC application.

Step 3: Prepare the necessary documents and payment

You need to submit these documents to FMM:

Letter from Company to Immigration Department
Letter from Company to FMM
ABTC Application Form
Letter on Applicant's Job Function and Company Profile
One copy of the Malaysian passport biodata page with three years or more of validity.
One copy of the Malaysian identity card.
One copy of the passport inside pages that are stamped to verify frequent trips to APEC nations.
One copy of a recent passport-sized photo on blue background

Payment: For every application, the applicant must pay RM35, which is non-refundable. The payment slip or cheque can be attached to the application.

Payment methods:

Online (GIRO Transfer): FMM Bank Account Number: 5142 0833 0768 (MAYBANK)
Cheque:
1. Cheque payable to FEDERATION OF MALAYSIAN MANUFACTURERS
2. Cheque crossed: ACCOUNT PAYEE ONLY
Cash at FMM Head Office, KL:
1. Payment via cash only applies to FMM Head Office, Kuala Lumpur.
2. It is not applicable at FMM branches.

The receipt and invoice will be sent to the company after payment.

Send the documents to this address:

FEDERATION OF MALAYSIAN MANUFACTURERS (FMM)

(ABTC UNIT @ International Business Division)

Wisma FMM

No.3, Persiaran Dagang

PJU 9, Bandar Sri Damansara

52200 Kuala Lumpur

(Attn: Ms Ida Tan)

Step 4: Issuance of supporting letter and the process of verification.

FMM will receive, check and verify the application, the proof of payment and the supporting documents.

After verifying the documents, the FMM will prepare and provide the applicant's ABTC supporting letter.

Step 5: ABTC application submission.

FMM will compile the application with the supporting letter and documents and submit it to the Immigration Department's ABTC Unit in Putrajaya.

Step 6: Issuing the ABTC Application Tracking Number.

After receiving the application form, supporting letter and documents, the ABTC Unit will verify the documents.

Once the application has been approved, the ABTC unit will issue a tracking number to FMM.

The standard waiting time for FMM to acquire the tracking number is 6 to 8 weeks, starting from the submission date.

Step 7: Tracking the ABTC application.

The FMM will email the application tracking number to the applicant.

The applicant can track the status of their application using the provided tracking number on this website.

Step 8: The application vetting process by the 19 economies.

Once the Immigration Department recognises the applicant as eligible, it will forward the application to the 19 APEC nations for approval.

These countries can vet the application against their country's immigration requirements to determine the applicant's entry clearance.

Step 9: Time length needed for approval by the 19 economies.

The time length needed for the 19 economies' approval could vary. The Immigration Department or FMM does not control the time length.

The estimated time for approval by the 19 nations could take between 4 to 6 months or longer.

Step 10: Collecting ABTC Business Travel Card

Once all the 19 APEC nations have pre-cleared your entry, you need to log in to http://sto.imi.gov.my/sto/booking.php to organise an appointment with the ABTC Unit for the printing of the APEC card.

Once the appointment's confirmed, the applicant can collect their ABTC Business Travel Card. There are two ways to collect the ABTC Business Travel Card:

Collect personally: The applicant requires:
1. Their current original passport.
2. RM100.00 fee to be paid via credit or debit card.
3. Cash, money order and bank draft will not be accepted at the counter.
4. The payment and collection should be made at: APEC Business Travel Card Unit Immigration Department of Malaysia No.15, Level 1 (Podium) Federal Government Administrative Centre Presint 2, 62550, Putrajaya
Collect via a representative: The representative requires:
1. Authorisation letter from the company
2. A copy of the representative's identity card
3. A copy of the applicant's passport biodata page
4. RM100 fee to be paid through credit or debit card.
5. Cash, money order and bank draft will also not be accepted at the counter.
6. The payment and collection should be made at: APEC Business Travel Card Unit Immigration Department of Malaysia No.15, Level 1 (Podium) Federal Government Administrative Centre Presint 2, 62550, Putrajaya.

As for renewal, there is no way to renew the ABTC. Once the ABTC has expired, the applicant has to submit a new application for approval.

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