*****************************************************
Vietnam has begun producing and processing APEC Business Travel Cards under the APEC Business Travel Card Scheme.
An Immigration Department spokesman said that the scheme aimed to enhance the mobility of business travellers within the APEC economies, thus promoting business within the region.
Seventeen economies are currently participating in the scheme - Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, People's Republic of China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam.
The spokesman said that with Vietnam's implementation of the scheme, all the participating economies were now producing APEC Business Travel Cards and processing pre-clearance applications referred from other participating economies.
In Hong Kong, applications are open to people holding Hong Kong Permanent Identity Cards and valid national passports. Applicants must be bona fide businesspeople, free of criminal records, and must not have been refused entry to any of the participating economies. Applicants should also have a need to travel frequently on short-term business visits to the APEC economies.
The APEC card is the size of a credit card. It is normally valid for three years. The card is good for multiple visits of two to three months to participating economies without the need for a visa.
Card holders enjoy streamlined immigration clearance at control points of the participating economies.
Ends/Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:40
NNNN
