AsemconnectVietnam - The Prime Minister has issued new regulations on the procedures, authority, and process for issuing and managing APEC Business Travel Cards, effective from July 1, 2026.

The Prime Minister issued Decision 28/2026/QD-TTg on May 29, 2026, stipulating the procedures, authority, and process for issuing and managing APEC Business Travel Cards.
Decision 28/2026/QD-TTg specifies the eligible recipients of APEC Business Travel Cards; the procedures, authority, and process for issuing and managing APEC Business Travel Cards for Vietnamese businesspeople; the personnel review and issuance of temporary residence certificates for foreign businesspeople using APEC Business Travel Cards; and the responsibilities of agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals in the issuance, management, and use of APEC Business Travel Cards.
Accordingly, the conditions and criteria for considering the issuance of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) are as follows:
* Conditions for consideration for ABTC issuance
- Conditions for the agency or organization where the businessperson is employed:
There is a need to send the businessperson on short-term trips to APEC member economies to carry out agency or organization activities or attend conferences, seminars, and meetings.
- Conditions for the enterprise where the businessperson is employed:
+ The enterprise has been operating continuously for 24 months or more up to the time of application for the ABTC card, and complies with all applicable laws on trade, taxation, customs, labor, social insurance, and other relevant laws at the time of application for the ABTC card;
+ There is a need to send the businessperson on short-term trips to APEC member economies to carry out enterprise activities.
- Conditions for businesspeople applying for an ABTC card:
+ Must be 18 years of age or older and have full civil capacity; must have permanent residence registration in Vietnam, except as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 9 of Decision 28/2026/QD-TTg;
+ Must have been working at the agency, organization, or enterprise applying for the ABTC card for at least 12 months at the time of application;
+ Must have paid social insurance contributions at the agency, organization, or enterprise applying for the ABTC card in accordance with the position for which the ABTC card is requested, for at least 6 months, except for those not subject to mandatory social insurance participation according to the law on social insurance;
+ Must not be subject to temporary exit bans as stipulated in the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens.
* Eligibility for ABTC Card Issuance
- For enterprises where the state holds more than 50% of the charter capital or total voting shares:
+ Businesspeople working at credit institutions, excluding people's credit funds: holding positions from Deputy Head of Department or equivalent or higher; Chief Accountant;
+ Businesspeople working at enterprises operating in the fields of finance, securities, and insurance: holding positions from Deputy Head of Department or equivalent or higher; Chief Accountant;
+ Businesspeople working at corporations, general companies, and companies established by the Prime Minister and member units of those corporations, general companies, and companies: holding positions from Deputy Head of Department or equivalent or higher; Chief Accountant; Assistant, Secretary to the Chairman of the Board of Members, or of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or of the Chairman of the Company or of the General Director;
+ Businesspeople working at other enterprises: holding positions from Deputy Head of Department or equivalent or higher; Chief Accountant.
- For organizations and enterprises where the state does not hold or holds less than 50% of the charter capital or total voting shares:
+ Businesspeople working at credit institutions: holding positions from Head of Department or equivalent or higher; Chief Accountant;
+ Businesspeople working at enterprises operating in the fields of finance, securities, and insurance: holding positions from Head of Department or equivalent or higher; Chief Accountant;
+ Businesspeople working at the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry: holding positions from Head of Department or equivalent or higher; Chief Accountant;
+ Businesspeople working at cooperatives or federations of cooperatives: holding positions of Chairman of the Board of Directors, Member of the Board of Directors, General Director, Director, Chief Accountant;
+ Businesspeople working at other enterprises: holding positions from Head of Department or equivalent or higher; Chief Accountant.
- Officials and civil servants are tasked with attending conferences, seminars, meetings, and activities related to APEC economic cooperation and development.
- Heads and Deputy Heads of Vietnamese trade representative offices in APEC member economies.
CK
Source: VITIC/thuvienphapluat.vn