Singapore will ease cross-border travel restrictions from April 1, 2022, and allow the entry of vaccinated travelers without the need for quarantine. This is an important step to Singapore reclaiming its status as a business hub in Asia.
Singapore will significantly ease cross-border travel restrictions from April 1, 2022, and allow vaccinated travelers to enter the country without requiring quarantining. This also means the country’s current vaccinated travel lane (VTL) schemes will be scrapped.
Under the previous VTL scheme, only travelers who stayed at least seven days in a VTL-designated country were allowed entry into Singapore. They were exempted from quarantine but had to be fully vaccinated and take an antigen rapid test within 24 hours of arrival. There was also a quota on the number of daily arrivals.
The move comes as ASEAN’s biggest economies, such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, begin easing their border restrictions.
Foreign travelers must have a visa to enter Singapore (where eligible) in addition to being fully vaccinated. Other requirements include a pre-departure COVID-19 test and a filling out the healthcare declaration form.
Travelers entering Singapore are considered to be fully vaccinated if they meet the following conditions two weeks before their arrival in the country:
Source: safetravel.ica.gov.sg
Travelers are still required to take a COVID-19 PCR test at least 48 hours before departure. The healthcare certificate must be in English and reflect the date and result of the test.
Long-term pass holders and short-term visitors must obtain travel insurance with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 (US$22,095) against any COVID-19 related medical expenses. The traveler can be insured by either a Singapore or overseas-based insurer. The list of the available insurers in Singapore can be found here.
This article was first published by AseanBriefing which is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The firm assists foreign investors throughout Asia from offices across the world, including in in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, India, and Russia. Readers may write to [email protected].