Singapore opens more travel lanes

SINGAPORE, 11 October 2021: Singapore opens its Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) to nine more countries starting 19 October after successfully introducing the VTLs to Brunei Darussalam and Germany last September.

The Ministry of Transport confirmed the addition of nine countries that allows quarantine-free travel of fully vaccinated travellers with reduced PCR tests. It noted that close to 85% of Singapore’s population is now fully vaccinated, allowing the extension of VTL to nine more countries in a cautious and step-by-step manner to rebuild Singapore as an international aviation hub with global connectivity.

VTL for Brunei Darussalam and Germany

The VTL was launched on 8 September 2021 for Brunei Darussalam and Germany. 179 travellers from Brunei Darussalam and 4,497 travellers from Germany have been issued Vaccinated Travel Passes (VTPs) for travel to Singapore between 8 September and 12 November 2021.

Extension of VTL to More Countries

Starting 19 October VTL extends to Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States of America The VTI extends to South Korea (ROK) for entry into Singapore on or after 15 November 2021.

Response to South Korea Lane

Commenting on the South Korea announcement, Expedia Group: APAC Head of Communications Lavinia Rajaram said:

“The upcoming Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between Singapore and South Korea spells great news for local travellers. South Korea is a highly popular travel destination among Singaporeans, and Expedia historical data has shown that the city of Seoul has been the top 5 most travelled to destination for the year-end period prior to 2020.

With the VTL now formalised, travellers will be glad to have a nearby destination that they can visit for leisure, and at the same time enjoy the food and all that South Korea has to offer – including its colourful pop culture, as epitomised by its latest hit TV series phenomenon.”

All the 11 countries, including Brunei Darussalam and Germany, are classified under Category II of the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) Country/Region Classification for Border Measures.

Under the VTL, fully vaccinated travellers from these countries may enter Singapore without quarantine and need to undergo Covid-19 PCR testing. The tests will be reduced from four to two for VTL travellers entering Singapore on or after 19 October 2021. They will need to undergo a pre-departure test within 48 hours before departing to Singapore and obtain a negative test result. They will also need to take an on-arrival test at Changi Airport and remain self-isolated until their test result is confirmed to be negative.

They will no longer need to undergo Day 3 and Day 7 PCR tests. The MOH’s public health assessment is that the pre-departure test and on-arrival test provide sufficient safeguards for detecting and isolating imported Covid-19 cases. The removal of the Day 3 and Day 7 PCR tests will help reduce cost and improve convenience for VTL travellers.

All travellers entering Singapore under the VTL will have to comply with specified VTL requirements.

Travel History

Effective 19 October 2021, VTL travellers must have remained in one or more of the VTL countries[1] in the last 14 consecutive days prior to departure to Singapore. The list of VTL countries includes the ROK on and after 15 November 2021. If the traveller has been in Singapore within those last 14 days, his/her stay in Singapore can be counted towards fulfilling this 14-day travel history requirement.

Testing

All VTL travellers must take two Covid-19 PCR tests:

A pre-departure test within 48 hours before departing to Singapore and obtain a negative test result; and

An on-arrival test at Changi Airport and remain self-isolated until their test result is confirmed to be negative.

Vaccination

All VTL travellers must have been fully vaccinated[2] and present their proof of vaccination. VTL travellers entering Singapore on or after 19 October 2021 can present vaccination certificates[3] issued in any VTL country or Singapore, regardless of which VTL country the traveller departs from. VTL travellers entering Singapore on or after 15 November 2021 can also present vaccination certificates issued in the ROK.

Designated VTL Flights

Travellers who are travelling to Singapore under the VTL must travel into Singapore on designated VTL flights. They may transit via another VTL country[4] to take a designated VTL flight into Singapore.

Travellers who are transferring or transiting through Singapore[5] will also be allowed to travel on the designated VTL flights. These travellers must present vaccination certificates issued in any VTL country or Singapore and must have remained in one or more of the VTL countries and/or Singapore in the last 14 consecutive days prior to travelling on a designated VTL flight. Such travellers will also be required to take a pre-departure PCR test within 48 hours before departing to Singapore.

[1] For example, a traveller departing from Germany who has been in Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, the USA and/or Singapore in the last 14 consecutive days prior to departure for Singapore fulfils the travel history requirement of the VTL scheme. This list of countries can also include the ROK on and after 15 November 2021. 

[2] An individual is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after he or she has received the full regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna or other World Health Organisation Emergency Use Listing vaccines. More details can be found at https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/health/vtsg.

[3] Only vaccination certificates that can be digitally verified will be accepted. These vaccination certificates have to contain the necessary information about the travellers’ full vaccination regimen, as specified on the Safe Travel Office website. For travellers vaccinated in Canada or the USA, we currently only accept vaccination certificates issued in the SMART Health Card (SHC) format by issuers in Canada or the USA on the Common Trust Network.

[4] For example, a traveller from the USA may transit via Germany to take a designated VTL flight from Germany to Singapore.

[5] Only travellers travelling with an airline whose transfer route via Singapore has been approved by CAAS will be allowed to transit/transfer through Singapore. Travellers are advised to confirm arrangements with the airlines they intend to fly with before purchasing their flight tickets.

(Source: Ministry of Transport)