After two years of tight border restrictions and a number of cancellations for reopening, Singapore will be removing some entry requirements for vaccinated travelers over the coming weeks.
This update will start on February 22, as travelers arriving from a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) will no longer have to take an expensive PCR test upon arrival.
Here are the latest travel updates for Singapore, which were announced by the Ministry of Health last week:
- The required PCR tests for those VTL arrivals to Singapore will be updated to a self-swab, rapid antigen test upon arrival.
- Singapore is expanding quarantine-free travel from the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia starting February 25 by adding them to the VTL scheme. After March 4, fully vaccinated travelers can also visit via a VTL flight coming from Israel and the Philippines.
- Singapore is looking to expand quarantine-free travel for all fully vaccinated arrivals to the city-state.
Singapore Updated Entry Restrictions For Vaccinated Travelers
If you’re looking to visit the Southeast Asian nation this year, know that travelers from one of the countries on Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane list can apply to visit for leisure purposes. The VTL list includes the United States, Canada and the UK. Here’s the latest entry requirements for travelers. All changes take effect on February 21 at 23:59 p.m. local time.
- A PCR test is no longer required upon entry. This is good news for travelers, as the on-arrival PCR test cost $125 Singapore dollars (about $100 USD). Instead, travelers will have to take a rapid antigen test. The on-arrival self-swab test costs $15 Singapore dollars ($11 USD) and must be taken within 24 hours of arrival.
- Pre-departure test still required: Travelers will have to show either a negative Covid PCR test or a rapid antigen test from two days of travel to Singapore.
- Fully vaccinated travelers will no longer have to test on Day 2 and Day 7 if arriving via a VTL flight.
- Fully vaccinated recovered travelers may be allowed to skip testing requirements entirely. See the full details here.
- To arrive to Singapore by VTL flight, travelers had to be in ONLY other countries on the approved VTL list for the past 14 days. This means that flying from the United States, Canada and the UK is okay, but you won’t be approved for travel to Singapore if you’ve been in a non-VTL country sometime in the 14 days prior to arrival. This window will now be reduced to 7 days.
- Travelers must still have travel medical insurance coverage for at least $30,000 Singapore dollars for their trip.
- While a full two-week is not required, travelers still have to self-isolate at a pre-booked accommodation until their Covid test comes back negative.
- Those travelers required to self-isolate cannot take any form of public transportation in Singapore until they’ve tested negative and no longer have to self-isolate.
Singapore Looking To Approve All Vaccinated Travelers Following Omicron Wave
During the virtual press conference held last week, some of Singapore’s health officials mentioned that the goal is to have the city-state reopen to all fully vaccinated travelers. Singapore’s Health Minister, One Ye Kung, stated the following on the matter:
“Instead of having vaccinated travel lanes or VTLs with selected countries that we think are low risk, we should actually allow SHN-free travel for fully vaccinated travelers from all countries. We should make this transition not now, but after the Omicron wave has peaked and started to subside.”
Quarantine-Free Travel Lanes Closed Amidst Omicron Wave
After starting a VTL program in August with only a few countries, Singapore expanded the program to include travelers from the U.S., Canada and many European destinations in late October. While travelers still had to undergo daily testing, it was the first time foreign travelers could visit Singapore for leisure purposes since international borders closed March 2020.
However in late December, Singapore closed its quarantine-free travel lanes in the midst of the Omicron wave and new travel restrictions were put in place until January 20th, 2022. Singapore also froze all new flight and bus ticket sales for one month from December 23 to January 20. After January 20, they were given a 50% quota for new purchases.
Vaccinated Travel Lane Expanding To Include UAE And The Philippines
In other news, Singapore will be expanding its VTL flight networks with more countries as things push forward in 2022.
Starting February 25, approved flights will launch between Singapore and Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
Israel and the Philippines will be added to that list on March 4.
