Sick of waiting in line for a visa at the airports of the Asia Pacific?
Salvation could be quite simple - so long as you're deemed worthy of entry into an elite business club.
The APEC Business Travel Card is a little-known system that gives holders a host of benefits.
Cardholders are saved the hassle of applying for individual visas or entry permits in 17 Asia-Pacific nations.
The system amounts to a three-year re-entry permit to all member economies.
And at most airports, they're processed through the airline-crew lane seriously cutting waiting time.
And for Australians the best thing is, it only costs $155.
The system was established in 1996 and is designed to complement APEC's agenda of fostering regional trade.
The convenor of APEC's business mobility group, (who also heads the immigration department's border security division) Vince McMahon said there was anecdotal evidence the system was working.
"You have to look behind the purpose of it, it's about regional business facilitation and the idea of being able to move business executives cleanly and efficiently," he said.
"If you've done a lot of international travel and you know you've got two hours' waiting at the entry port, you might decide you're just not going
Nations signed up to the scheme include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand,Papua New Guinea, People's Republic of China, The Philippines, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam.
The special APEC business lanes apply at all Australian airports and many in the region.
In November, the United States decided to recognise the card.
In a briefing with journalists this week, the US APEC ambassador, Michael Michalak said the US hoped to fully participate in the scheme.
"When you go through an international airport in the US with an APEC business travel card you'll be allowed to go through the crew lanes, which, if you've ever been through Chicago or Los Angeles, is going to dave you a heck of a lot of time," Mr Michalak said.
"This year we're trying to work with APEC to make sure we can issue the card to American businessmen."
Full US involvement in the scheme was an exciting prospect for the APEC business mobility group, said Mr McMahon.
Russia, Mexico and Canada were also in the preliminary stages of full participation , he said, and if they could be enticed, it would mean all 21 APEC members were involved.
Mr McMahon said the system improved border security because all holders were checked against the criminal databases of their home countries.
And it meant airports could operate more efficiently.
"In general the crew lanes are underutilised, so in effect you're saying let's using something that's already there and take some pressure off the other lanes," he said.
The cards have proved particularly popular with Australians - of the 17,000 issued, Australians have snapped up 7,000.
Mr McMahon said those with aspirations of joining the club needed to prove their business credentials.
"It's not a rigid set of guidelines but you have to establish that you're a senior business person or involved in business activity.
"There would have to be some demonstration... in that context investing in other countries may be one component."
In other words, get back in line.
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