Vietnam begins issue of APEC Business Travel Cards

VIETNAM: -- The Vietnamese Immigration Department began Monday accepting applications for the APEC Business Travel Cards which will enable holders to travel within the bloc without visas.

Trustee board chiefs and CEOs of Vietnamese state-owned companies, heads of Exporting Processing Zones, and other top officials from provincial and city administrations are eligible for the card.

Also eligible are all Vietnam-based entrepreneurs, both domestic and foreign, ministry and government officials, officials attending APEC conferences, and Vietnamese trade association officials based in APEC member countries.

The applications are being accepted in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Further information is available at http://www.vnimm.gov.vn

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has 21 members – the US, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Singapore, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Vietnam will host the APEC Summit next month in Hanoi with global bigwigs, including US President George W.Bush in attendance.

-- thanhniennews.com

...........which will enable holders to travel within the bloc without visas.

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has 21 members – the US, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Singapore, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Visa free travel to the US, Australia, etc?????

I find that hard to believe.

Yes, holders of APEC cards are entitled to visa free access to participating APEC nations.

Further information is available at http://www.vnimm.gov.vn

Good luck finding information on the APEC card there. I tried the search function for "APEC" and got an error in Vietnamese.

I've wondered about the lines in the BKK airport immigrations hall labeled "APEC" (vs "Thai Passport" and "Foreign Passport") ... can any person with a passport from an APEC country use them, or is it for some special APEC-related function or what? I have an ordinary commoner's US passport. Can I use the APEC line in Immigrations?