Russia has begun processing APEC Business Travel Cards under a scheme, that aims to enhance business travellers' mobility within APEC economies, the Immigration Department said today.
Including Russia, there are 19 economies participating in the scheme. The others include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, the People's Republic of China, Indonesia, Japan and Korea.
In Hong Kong, applications for the business travel cards are open to people holding permanent identity cards and valid national passports.
Applicants must be bona fide businesspeople, have no criminal record, and not have been refused entry to any of the participating economies. They also need to travel frequently on short-term business visits to the APEC economies.
The card is the size of a credit card and is normally valid for three years. It is good for multiple visits of two to three months to participating economies without the need for a visa. Cardholders enjoy streamlined immigration clearance through special lanes at participating economies' control points.