China has lengthened the time APEC Business Travel Card holders can stay in the country on each visit. Under an announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated October 30, 2026, the maximum period of stay rose from 60 days to 90 days starting November 1, 2026.
The change arrives weeks before China hosts APEC leaders in Shenzhen. It affects executives who travel often to China for sales, project work or supplier visits, and the mobility and travel teams that manage those trips.
What the announcement says
The notice is one sentence long. It says China made the change “to further facilitate business mobility within the Asia-Pacific region” and extends “the maximum period of stay for APEC Business Travel Card holders from 60 days to 90 days.”
The announcement does not set out further conditions or list which business activities are covered. Companies should confirm details with Chinese consular authorities before planning longer assignments around the new limit.
How the card works
APEC describes the card as a tool that “facilitates short-term business travel within the APEC region by streamlining the entry process into APEC economies.” It is managed through APEC’s Business Mobility Group, under the Committee on Trade and Investment.
Applicants from fully participating economies are issued a five-year card. It gives pre-cleared entry for short-term business travel of up to 60 or 90 days, depending on the economy visited. Applicants need a passport from an APEC economy, or permanent residence in Hong Kong, China; must travel regularly on business in the region; and must have no criminal convictions. Each economy can add its own criteria.
Not every member offers the same benefits. APEC says Canada and the United States are transitional members of the scheme. They “do not offer reciprocal entry arrangements, but do provide fast track immigration processing at major international airports.”
Timing and context
Business mobility is one of the practical areas where APEC’s work reaches companies directly. China’s move comes as delegations prepare for leaders’ week in Shenzhen. The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is scheduled for November 18 and 19, 2026, and the APEC CEO Summit for November 17 and 18, according to the Shenzhen municipal government.
For cardholders, the practical effect is an extra month per visit to China. For other APEC economies, the change shows that individual members can widen card benefits on their own, without a collective decision.
Sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China: Announcement on the Extension of Maximum Period of Stay for APEC Business Travel Card Holders (October 30, 2026)
- APEC: APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) and Virtual ABTC
- Shenzhen Government Online: 2026 APEC meeting to be held on Nov. 18-19 in Shenzhen
- Shenzhen Government Online: APEC China 2026 news, including CEO Summit preparations
