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Tag: Covid-19

  • Singapore switches VTL on-arrival testing to ART; reduces travel history requirements

    Singapore switches VTL on-arrival testing to ART; reduces travel history requirements

    On-arrival tests changed from PCR to ART; travel history requirements shortened to 7 days

    Singapore earlier this week announced a slew of changes to the way it manages its Covid-19 restrictions in Singapore, and along with it made some key changes to travel requirements as well.

    These changes are largely in a positive direction, including using cheaper testing requirements, and simplification of how it categorises source countries.

    Cheaper ART test for VTL on-arrival testing

    From 22 Feb 2022, VTL and Category I travellers will no longer need to perform an on-arrival PCR test. Instead, they will have up to 24 hours from their entry into Singapore to take a supervised self-swab ART at one of the testing centres (Combined Test Centres (CTCs) or Quick Test Centres (QTCs)) located across Singapore.

    Supervised testing centre

    In addition, the current enhanced testing regime requiring VTL travellers to take self-administered Antigen Rapid Test (ART) from Day 2 to Day 7 will also cease.

    This change will see travellers save at least S$110 on testing, further lowering the costs of travelling into Singapore.

    For those who were originally arriving on or after 22 Feb 2022 and booked a PCR test at Changi Airport through Changi Airport Safe Travel Concierge, you will be given a refund in the coming days, less a S$3 processing fee.

    Note that you will be required to self-isolate until you get a negative result on the ART test at the test centre, so it’s best to book early.

    No more testing requirements for transit passengers

    In another critical development, transit passengers are also no longer required to take any form of pre-departure tests from 22 Feb 2022 if they are transiting in Singapore.

    In tandem with the other adjustments to travel measures, CAAS will also be removing the pre-departure test requirements for all passengers transferring or transiting through Singapore. This will help reduce cost, improve convenience and enhance Singapore’s attractiveness as a transfer/transit hub.

    The changes will apply to all flights arriving in Singapore from 21 February 2022, 2359 hours (Singapore Time), regardless whether the flight is a designated VTL flight.

    CAAS

    Note that this waiver only applies for passengers who are booked on a single ticket through Changi Airport. If passengers self-connect (i.e. booked two separate tickets) and have to pass through immigration, the prevailing rules (whether VTL or non-VTL) will apply, including test and quarantine requirements.

    Previously, transit passengers are also required to produce a negative PCR or ART (only for Category I, II and III countries) test taken within two days before their flight. This has posed some challenges for some travellers, given the increasing number of countries – in particular European countries – that have completely done away with pre-departure tests.

    With the scrapping of the transit testing requirement from 22 Feb 2022, passengers flying through Changi Airport will no longer need to carry a test result, unless of course their final destination requires it. 

    Simplification of travel categories

    In addition to the changes in testing requirements when travelling to Singapore, the authorities have also simplified how it categorises countries when travelling to Singapore.

    The least restrictive Category I will remain as it is, and continue to enjoy quarantine-free entry into Singapore. Category I countries include China, Chinese territory of Macau, and Taiwan. Hong Kong has unfortunately been ‘demoted’ to Category II.

    Similar to VTL travellers, travellers from Category I countries will also no longer be required to take a PCR test on arrival, instead they will also be required to take a supervised ART at an approved test centre within 24 hours of arrival.

    Categories II, III, and IV will be combined into a single General Travel category. To this end, the SHN period for non-VTL travel from these countries will be standardised to 7 days, and can be taken at either a hotel of choice or a private residence.

    A new category, Restricted countries/regions, will be introduced to allow for imposition of stricter measures where necessary.

    Final thoughts

    These changes are definitely good developments, with travel to become less restrictive and cost prohibitive.

    The switch to post-arrival ART test from the current PCR testing regime is probably the most celebrated change; this alone will result in a S$110 savings, significant when travelling from a nearby country.

    However, one key hassle in this new arrangement is the requirement to visit a test centre after arrival, as well as the need to isolate until you have received your negative result.

    The simplification of the country categorisation, along with the shortening of travel history consideration (from 14 to 7 days) and the standardisation of SHN period is also another positive move. Travel today has been made complex, so any consolidation is always good news and easier to navigate.

    Regardless, these moves are another step to the reopening of Singapore as a travel hub, and opened up even more travel opportunities and options for Singapore residents, even as we continue to inch towards a semblance of normalcy for international travel once more.

  • Singapore relaxes post-arrival swab requirements; waives tests and quarantine arrangements for recently recovered travellers

    Singapore relaxes post-arrival swab requirements; waives tests and quarantine arrangements for recently recovered travellers

    Some good news for travellers: Singapore has relaxed some inbound travel requirements, including a relaxed post-arrival testing regime, as well as exemptions for recently recovered travellers.

    Singapore health authorities have made two significant tweaks to its border health measures last week, which should make travelling slightly easier. This includes a relaxation of the post-arrival testing regime from today (24 January 2022) for travellers entering the country via the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) programme, as well as some important exemptions for travellers who have recovered from Covid-19 within the last 90 days.

    Relaxed self-testing regime from 24 January 2022

    The daily testing regime, in place since Omicron first hit Singapore in November last year, will now be replaced by self-administered antigen rapid tests (ARTs) on days travellers need to leave their accommodation. This is a significant improvement from the previous rules, including a daily swab plus two supervised tests on Days 3 and 7.

    No more supervised swabs at Quick Test Centres

    Travellers arriving on VTL flights and entering Singapore will only be required to complete an on-arrival PCR test (S$125) at Changi Airport (no change), followed by ARTs on days 2 to 7. The actual policy communication is as follow:

    “[VTL travellers] will only be required to do unsupervised self-administered ARTs from Day 2 to Day 7 of their arrivals if they need to leave their place of residence or accommodation.”

    Singapore Ministry of Health

    In addition, results from your self-administered ARTs will no longer need to be reported to MOH via the self-reporting system.

    Note that the ART kits are not provided, travellers will need to purchase and use their own kits. If you are travelling or returning to Singapore, note that you are not supposed to go out to purchase them during your self-isolation period as you wait for your PCR test results. Otherwise, these ART kits are available at most pharmacies in Singapore, or available for purchase online from marketplaces such as Shopee or Lazada.

    What if I test positive when I do my own ART?

    If you test positive from a self-swab and have minimal or no symptoms, the good news is that you can self-isolate at home and no longer need to get a PCR confirmatory test.

    Instead, you will follow Ministry of Health’s Protocol 2, as follow:

    • Go home and self-isolate immediately.
    • Stop going to work and cancel your social activities to protect others from possibly being infected with Covid-19.
    • Self-isolate for 72 hours at home or in your accommodation. This will allow you to safely recover, monitor your health and avoid spreading the virus further.
    • At the end of 72 hours, you should perform a self-administered ART.
    • You can stop self-isolation and resume normal activities when you get a negative result.
    • If you continue to test positive, continue to self-isolate and self-test daily until you obtain a negative result, or until 12pm on Day 10 for vaccinated individuals, whichever comes earlier.

    Test and quarantine exemptions for recently recovered travellers

    One other key development are for travellers who have recently recovered from Covid-19.

    Travellers who have recovered from the virus within 90 days of their last infection will be exempted from all testing and stay-home notice requirements. This includes any required Stay-Home Notices (SHN), pre-departure tests or on-arrival tests.

    Travellers will need to furnish the following, which must be in English or accompanied with an English translation:

    • A positive Covid-19 PCR test or professionally-administered ART result 7-90 days (for fully vaccinated travellers) or 14-90 days (for partially or unvaccinated travellers) before the date of departure for Singapore.
    • A discharge memo that states the traveller’s name, and at least one other personal identifier such as the date of birth or passport number corresponding exactly with the information in the passport used for entry into Singapore. It should also state the date of infection or the discharge date, which must be within 7-90 days (for fully vaccinated travellers) or 14-90 days (for partially or unvaccinated travellers) before the date of departure for Singapore. The memo must also be issued by a relevant state authority or licensed medical professional.

    This is great news because it will allow those who have recently recovered from Covid-19 to travel or return to Singapore after only 7 days, instead of the current 14 days.

    Recently recovered travellers can also return earlier than 7 days

    For people who have unfortunately contracted Covid-19 just before returning or travelling to Singapore, they may be permitted to depart for Singapore if they test negative for Covid-19 via a PCR test or professionally administered ART at least 72 hours after their initial positive diagnosis, even if it’s within the 7-day period for fully vaccinated travellers or 14-day period for partially or unvaccinated travellers.

    However, the full testing and any quarantine requirements will still apply should this group of travellers decide to return earlier.

    In any case, our recommendation is still to wait till the 7-day (or 14 days for partly or unvaccinated travellers) before travelling to Singapore.

    Final thoughts

    This turn of events is an affirmation as to how Singapore has understood Omicron and its management plans within the community.

    Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has come out to say in no uncertain terms that he expect another big wave of Omicron cases to come in the weeks ahead. Despite that, the current travel posture and the most recent changes reflects Singapore’s commitment to keep its borders open as we try to achieve an endemic state.

    The biggest news are for those who have recently recovered from Covid-19, with the waivers of all tests and quarantine requirements. This means that there is a lot more flexibility in planning for travel, as well as for those recently infected while overseas and wishing to come back to Singapore as soon as possible.

  • Singapore to commence quarantine-free travel lanes from Germany and Brunei from 8 September

    Singapore to commence quarantine-free travel lanes from Germany and Brunei from 8 September

    Singapore residents can now visit Germany and back without any form of isolation or quarantine requirements.

    The Singapore government yesterday (19 Aug 2021) announced that it will waive quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers from Brunei and Germany from 8 Sep 2021, subject to several conditions, including frequent testing.

    The arrangement, called Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL), will allow a set number of fully vaccinated visitors or returning residents to come into Singapore from these two countries without the need for any Stay-Home Notice.

    While this new VTL covers both Brunei and Germany for a start, many travellers will most likely be interested in Germany as a leisure destination, after being starved of travel for more than a year.

    Let’s cover how the VTL will work in detail.

    Overview of the mechanics

    To be clear, the VTL mechanism is only applicable for the inbound journey to Singapore. For Singapore-based residents, the outbound journey and its requirements is dependent on the country you are visiting (more on this later).

    For your VTL journey to Singapore from Germany, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), has outlined the following requirements:

    Vaccination RequirementBe fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with shots taken either in Singapore or Germany
    Stay requirementMust remain fully in Germany and/or Singapore for the preceding 21 days before travel to Singapore
    Purpose of visitNo restrictions
    Take VTL-designated flightYou may only travel on a VTL-designated flight to Singapore (more details below).
    Note that if you don’t travel on VTL-designated flights, you may be denied entry or the usual SHN rules apply.
    Testing requirementsTake the following PCR tests:
    1. Pre-departure test within 48 hours of departure
    2. Upon arrival at Changi Airport
    3. Day 3 after arrival
    4. Day 7 after arrival
    Insurance requirements (for short-term visitors)Short term visitors will need COVID-19 travel insurance with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 for COCIVD-19-related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs.

    The overview of the travel process to Singapore is detailed as follow:

    Apply for Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP)Important: VTP is not required for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents
    Short term visitors and long-term pass holders must apply for a VTP between 7 and 30 days before their intended arrival in Singapore.
    Pre-departure testTake a pre-departure PCR test in Germany within 48 hours of their scheduled flight departure time
    Take VTL-designated flightTravel on a VTL-designated flight to Singapore
    On-arrival testTake a PCR test upon arrival at Changi Airport. Proceed directly to your place of residence/home, and self-isolate until results are out
    Post-arrival testsTake another test on Day 3 and Day 7 in Singapore at a designated clinic. These tests must be pre-booked and paid.
    Travel flow for Singapore citizens & PRs planning to go Germany for holidays

    The number of VTL travellers will be limited by available flights dedicated to the scheme, which are all non-stop services from Germany (Frankfurt or Munich) to Singapore at the moment.

    You may transit en-route to Germany on your outbound journey, however you won’t be eligible to use the VTL on your way home unless you remain in Germany for 21+ days.

    For leisure travellers visiting Singapore, they will be required to download and keep the TraceTogether app activated on their mobile devices at all times while in Singapore. Upon request by the Singapore Ministry of Health, a visitor must provide all data in the TraceTogether app should he/she test positive for COVID-19 while in Singapore or in the first 21 days after leaving Singapore.

    A note about the stay requirements

    The wordings of the stay requirement has tripped some people up, thinking that they need to stay in Germany for at least three weeks before they qualify. This is not the case. To be eligible for VTL, your preceding 21 days be be spent in either Singapore or Germany. That means, if you are vaccinated and have been in Singapore for 16 days, took a direct flight to Munich, spent five days there, you will still be eligible for VTL-travel back to Singapore (16 days in Singapore, 5 days in Germany).

    Fully vaccinated status

    An individual is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after one received the full regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna or any vaccine in the World Health Organisation’s Emergency Use Listing, such as Sinovac or AstraZeneca.

    Travellers must have been fully vaccinated in Singapore or in their country of departure (in the cases of the VTL, this refers to Germany or Brunei). Vaccination taken anywhere else in the world but recognised here are not eligible for the time being. This means that if you have taken your shots somewhere else before coming to Singapore, and want to take advantage of the VTL to visit Germany, you are out of luck.

    Testing requirements

    Under the VTL arrangements, travellers will be required to take 4 PCR tests before travelling and upon arrival in Singapore. When to take the tests, and how much they cost, are outlined in the table below:

    WhenType of testEstimated cost
    At most 48 hours before departure timePCR test~S$110
    Upon arrival in Singapore (Day 1) PCR test S$160
    Day 3 upon arrival in Singapore PCR test S$94.16
    Day 7 upon arrival in Singapore PCR test S$94.16
    Total~S$460

    As you can see, the total cost of tests adds up to over S$460, which can be a significant sum on top of the travel expenses. This excludes the other related expenses, including time and effort to travel to and from the test sites.

    For short-term travellers coming to Singapore, they may be able to avoid the Day 3 and/or Day 7 tests, provided their outbound flights are before 3pm (1500H) on the day of the test. For instance, if a traveller arrives in Singapore on 1 Oct 2021 and departs on 3 Oct 2021 12pm, they will not be required to take the Day 3 (and of course the Day 7) test. However, if the flight is departing 3 Oct 2021 6pm, the traveller will still be required to take the PCR test before departing, even though the results may only be available after departure.

    VTL-Designated flights

    Travellers using the VTL will have to use a designated flights by Singapore Airlines or Lufthansa when travelling to Singapore.

    The first flight will take off on 7 Sep 2021, and only one flight a day from Germany is VTL-designated. For a start, Singapore Airlines will operate 5 VTL-designated flights a week (3 from Frankfurt and 2 from Munich), while Lufthansa will operate two flights a week, both from Frankfurt.

    AirlineFlightRouteDepArrAircraftDays of Ops
    Singapore AirlinesSQ325FRA-SIN22001625(+1)B777-300ERTue, Fri, Sun
    Singapore Airlines SQ331MUC-SIN13150705(+1)A350-900Mon, Wed
    LufthansaLH778FRA-SIN21551645(+1)A340-300Thu, Sat

    Booking and redemption is now now available through to the end of October 2021. If you are hoping to redeem your miles for a cushy seat up in the pointy end, you can expect to pay Advantage rates for redemptions on VTL flights.

    Award rates for KrisFlyer members flying on Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa between Singapore and Germany are as follows:

    KrisFlyer Redemption
    Singapore  ↔  Germany
    CabinSaver
    (on SQ)    		Advantage
    on (SQ)    		Star Alliance Award
    (on LH)
    Economy38,00070,000 45,000
    Premium Economy64,500n/a n/a
    Business92,000120,000 92,000
    First / Suites125,000220,000 140,500

    Note that for Singapore residents, there are currently no isolation requirements for arrivals into Germany as long as you are either fully vaccinated, or have lived in Singapore for the past six months. For unvaccinated travellers, a pre-departure PCR or ART test will be required for entry into Germany. Hence, It doesn’t matter which flight you travel on from Singapore to Germany.

    However, note that transits (e.g. Singapore – Dubai – Frankfurt) will add another country to your 21-day stay history, so you will have to stay a minimum of 21 days solely in Germany before using the VTL for your return trip.

    For more details on the VTL and FAQs, ICA has done up a pretty thorough list here.

    Final thoughts

    Finally the light is clearly visible at this end of this tunnel: the VTL with Germany is officially the first realistic opportunity for leisure travel out of Singapore, without hefty quarantine on either end.

    The VTL is a good compromise in lieu of lengthy quarantine periods, which is clearly the deterrent for leisure travel at the moment. The frequent PCR tests are however a strong barrier to consider, given that a total of four tests adds up to over $400, clearly not a small sum of money.

    Even without the VTL, Singapore’s newly-defined classification of countries now places Germany into Category 2, which shortens SHN to only 7 days, and can be done either in a hotel of choice or at home. The irony of this classification is that only two PCR tests are required for non-VTL travel from Category 2 countries: upon arrival in Singapore, and at the end of the SHN period.

    Having said that, with how Singapore does its risk profiling of countries almost on a daily basis, I will hold my breath until the flight actually takes off. Taking a leaf out of what happened with the Hong Kong travel bubble last year, I will be mentally prepared for contingencies even before the first flight takes off.

    Let’s now pray that nothing happens before popping the champagne!

  • Singapore to ease SHN requirements for vaccinated travellers from eight countries

    Singapore to ease SHN requirements for vaccinated travellers from eight countries

    Singapore will allow some visitors and returning Singaporeans and residents to serve Stay-Home Notice (SHN) at their place of residence starting from 20 August

    Singapore will soon allow fully vaccinated travellers from eight countries to serve their 7 or 14-day SHN at home, starting 11.59pm on 20 Aug 2021 (i.e 21 Aug 2021).

    The countries are:

    • Australia 🇦🇺
    • Austria 🇦🇹
    • Canada 🇨🇦
    • Germany 🇩🇪
    • Italy 🇮🇹
    • Norway 🇳🇴
    • South Korea 🇰🇷
    • Switzerland 🇨🇭

    While this doesn’t amount to a complete lifting of SHN requirements, this is still a very heartening development, as most arrivals into Singapore for the past 18 months had to be served in dedicated facilities (i.e. hotels). 

    Who is eligible to serve SHN at home?

    The option to serve a 14-day SHN at home will be available from 11.59pm, 20 Aug 2021 (i.e. 21 Aug onwards) to travellers arriving from the abovementioned countries, provided they fulfill the following conditions too:

    • Travellers must be fully-vaccinated. Full vaccination is defined as having completed the full regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech/Comiraty, Moderna, or any other vaccine on the WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (i.e. AstraZeneca, Covishield, Janssen, Sinopharm, Sinovac) at least 14 days prior to arrival.
    • The traveller must have remained in the eight listed countries, and/or Brunei, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Mainland China, New Zealand, Taiwan for 21 consecutive days before arrival in Singapore.  If they have spent any time within the last 21 days before arrival outside of these 14 countries/territories, the default SHN rules apply (i.e. in dedicated hotels).
    • Travellers must occupy their place of residence alone, or only with household members who are also vaccinated, serving SHNs with the same travel history and isolation period. 

    For Singaporeans and PRs, they must make an opt-out application (SDF opt-out form here) via the SafeTravel website at least three days before arriving in Singapore.

    Foreigners entering Singapore may also opt out as part of their entry application process. This will be made available from 11.59pm, 20 Aug 2021.

    More information can be found here.

    What does this development mean?

    The relaxation of SHN requirements is a strong hint that these eight countries might just be the first few to have their SHN requirements further shortened or done away completely in the near future.

    Of course, for this to happen, there are other indicators that need to be met, including a controlled infection rate and high vaccination rates in these countries, as well as for Singapore to achieve the 80% fully-vaccinated milestone.

    So should I start booking tickets now?

    Hold your horses, we recommend.

    While we are starting to see relaxation of quarantine requirements coming back to Singapore, there’s still the quarantine requirements of the country you intend to visit to consider.

    Unfortunately for us, most of the 14 countries/territories that have no or relaxed SHN requirements upon return, still have entry restrictions in one form or another, unless you are on diplomatic or official business.

    CountryEntry for Singaporeans and SG residentsSHN requirements upon return
    (from 11.59pm 20 Aug)
    Australia 🇦🇺 ⛔ No entry😐 14-day SHN at home for vaccinated travellers only
    Austria 🇦🇹🆗 Permitted😐 14-day SHN at home for vaccinated travellers only
    Brunei 🇧🇳⛔ No entry 😊 No SHN required
    Canada 🇨🇦⛔ No entry (note: planned reopening from 7 Sep 2021)😐 14-day SHN at home for vaccinated travellers only
    Germany 🇩🇪🆗 Permitted 😐 14-day SHN at home for vaccinated travellers only
    China 🇨🇳 ⛔ No entry 😊 No SHN required (all areas except Jiangsu)
    😐 7-day SHN at home/self-sourced location (for Jiangsu province)
    Hong Kong SAR 🇭🇰⛔ No entry 😐 7-day SHN at home/self-sourced location
    Italy 🇮🇹🏠 Entry permitted with 5-day self-isolation😐 14-day SHN at home for vaccinated travellers only
    Macau SAR 🇲🇴⛔ No entry 😐 7-day SHN at home/self-sourced location
    New Zealand 🇳🇿⛔ No entry 😊 No SHN required
    Norway 🇳🇴⛔ No entry😐 14-day SHN at home for vaccinated travellers only
    South Korea 🇰🇷⛔ No entry😐 14-day SHN at home for vaccinated travellers only
    Switzerland 🇨🇭🆗 Permitted😐 14-day SHN at home for vaccinated travellers only
    Taiwan 🇹🇼⛔ No entry 😊 No SHN required

    As you can see from the table above, only Germany, Switzerland and Austria are available for travel. Canada joins the list (hopefully) in September whe nit opens up to vaccinated travellers, but the key challenge will be getting to and back from Canada given there are no direct flights between Singapore and Canada.

    Italy currently imposes a 5-day self-isolation requirement (down from the previous 10 days) on inbound travellers. It’s unclear at the moment if we will get an exemption in time to come, but it never hurts to hope.

    So, what’s next?

    Singapore passport

    Unfortunately for many who are hoping for an outright removal of the SHN requirements, this is not going to happen – yet.

    However, it’s a step in the right direction as many observers have said. With Singapore’s vaccination rate on track towards 80% in six weeks’ time, things are looking up. Singapore has already announced a vaccine-differentiated regulations which will commence from 10 Aug 2021, so this will pave the way for how the future may look like.

    The shift from a 14-day hotel-based SHN to a 14-day home-based SHN would just be the start, and the next two logical thresholds would be 7-day home-based SHN, and then no SHN at all, replaced by a system of testing on arrival. 

    Final thoughts

    There’s no doubt that Singapore, both regulators and citizens, are dying for borders to reopen.

    The government has made clear its stance in more than once instead, such as in this Straits Times article:

    The Ministry of Transport is also working on plans to open up “vaccinated travel lanes” that would allow people to travel between Singapore and selected countries without having to serve an SHN.

    The SHN requirement would be replaced by frequent testing, Mr Ong said.

    “Our companies cannot grow if businessmen and managers cannot travel overseas to meet clients and partners. MNCs (multinational corporations) will find it hard to invest here if their people are not able to travel in and out of Singapore,” he added.

    “And if this continues, our ability to create jobs, earn a living will be seriously affected.”

    The Straits Times, 6 Aug 2021

    While this current relaxation of rules to allow SHN being served at home, this will unlikely open any floodgates for leisure travel, given the relatively long time of isolation required upon return. This, to us, is still essential at this point in time, given the level of community transmission we are still seeing even as we continue to vaccinate the population.

    Another two worrying factors that may determine future policy changes are: firstly, possible future variants and their transmissibility. If we were to meet another variant even more transmissible and somewhat deadly than the current Delta variant, that would be a major cause for concern; secondly, the efficacy of the current vaccination regime and whether there’s need for boosters. These are important factors in public health policies and border controls, and if any of these are not favourable in the future, rules are unlikely to be further relaxed.

    The next announcement will likely be in September, so we can only hope that we stay the course and pray for better news.

  • Singapore looking to lift quarantine requirements from September 2021 for vaccinated travellers

    Singapore looking to lift quarantine requirements from September 2021 for vaccinated travellers

    From September, travel-starved Singapore residents may be able to venture out to some countries and return to Singapore sans quarantine

    In parliament today (26 Jul 2021), Multi-ministry Task Force (MTF) co-chair Lawrence Wong, who’s the finance minister of Singapore, said that the government is planning to relook its border control measures for selected countries.

    It intends to set up travel corridors with certain countries that have good Covid-19 control measures, and allow only vaccinated travellers to venture out and come back into Singapore with testing measures in place.

    This is the full excerpt of what was spelt out in Parliament:

    It will start by setting up travel corridors with countries or regions that have “managed COVID-19 well”, and where the infection is under control. 

    “So fully vaccinated persons will then be able to travel to these countries or regions without needing to serve the full 14-day stay-home notice in a hotel when they return,” Mr Wong said.

    Depending on the risk level of the country they visit, the stay-home notice will be replaced with a “rigorous testing regime” or a seven-day isolation period at home.

    This will allow vaccinated people to travel more freely, he said. “Those who are not vaccinated can still travel, but will be subject to the prevailing SHN (stay-home notice) requirements.”

    Lawrence Wong in Singapore Parliament, 26 July 2021

    Stay-Home Notice the norm since 15 March 2020

    Ever since Singapore’s health ministry issued an advisory against all non-essential travel on 15 Mar 2020, Singaporeans who venture overseas have faced a mandatory 14-day Stay-Home Notice, or SHN, upon return. The SHN could initially be served at home, but this was later moved to dedicated facilities (hotels) when the disease proved very infectious. The move effectively killed all leisure travel in and out of Singapore.

    With Singapore reporting a 54% vaccination rate today (26 Jul 2021) and due to hit 80% in September, there’s finally some light at the end of the tunnel. The Singapore government has weeks ago announced its shift from a zero-infection strategy, to an endemic Covid-19 strategy where living with the virus becomes a norm.

    This strategic shift will also have implications on the reopening of the domestic economy, and more important, on international trade and travel.

    Current quarantine requirements in Singapore

    Regardless of where you arrive from, everyone landing at Changi Airport will be subject to a Covid-19 test upon arrival.

    At present, only arrivals from three countries – Brunei, China (Mainland) and New Zealand – are exempt from any form of isolation requirements. Visitors and returning residents from all other countries are subject to SHN:

    CountriesSHN requirements
    Brunei
    Mainland China
    New Zealand    		No SHN required
    Australia
    Hong Kong SAR
    Macau SAR    		7-day SHN at place of residence
    Israel
    Taiwan, China    		14-day SHN at place of residence
    All other countries14-day SHN at dedicated facilities

    I’m vaccinated and ready to go; where can I go?

    Travel hungry Singapore residents will no doubt be searching for this at the moment.

    In planning for travel, there are two things to consider:

    Firstly, which countries do not need quarantine/isolation for vaccinated travellers?

    Secondly, which countries will Singapore admit vaccinated travellers from without quarantine?

    In this respect, both Wego and Skyscanner have put up very useful tools to look for the necessary information, but Wego has a slightly more useful map than Skyscanner as there’s a toggle depending on your vaccination status:

    Based on Wego’s data, there are two maps you want to look at.

    First, if you are vaccinated:

    Wego map for vaccinated travellers

    As of 26 Jul 2021, a total of 128 countries are open to international visitors, some with testing and some without testing requirements.

    Most of these countries are either in Europe or Central America, but do remember to read the fine print – different countries have different acceptance of the wide range of vaccines and testing requirements. Also, bear in mind that these requirements change frequently depending on prevailing situation.

    Now to tackle the second question: Which countries will Singapore admit visitors/returning residents from without quarantine?

    In a recent interview with The Straits Times, Singapore’s health minister Ong Ye Kung mentioned that they will only be considering countries with high vaccination rates and low infection rates:

    “Once a place’s (Covid-19) infection rate is going down, vaccinations are going up and you go below, say, two or three infections per 100,000, we should start monitoring those countries seriously.”

    Based on Wego’s list of countries that are currently opened to vaccinated travellers, the data doesn’t look encouraging.

    Most European countries that are currently accepting travellers have a pretty high infection rate at the moment. UK and Spain are trending at about 50 to 60 per 100,000 people; most other EU nations including France, Netherlands and Denmark are well above 10 per 100,000 people.

    The only EU nation that seem to fulfil the criteria at the moment is Germany, recording only 1.9 new case per 100,000 at the moment.

    Should I book tickets now?

    While there’s considerable excitement about this development (and rightfully so), is the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble (ATB) is anything to learn from, you should heed the classic adage: hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

    This is probably the best time to make some speculative bookings, but make sure you only make refundable/cancellable bookings, and book only point-to-point flights.

    Singapore Airlines will obviously be your best bet at the moment. At the time of writing, it has scheduled flights to the following ‘green list’ destinations that are opened:

    RegionDestination
    Southeast AsiaPhuket, Thailand
    EuropeCopenhagen, Denmark
    Paris, France
    Munich, Germany
    Frankfurt, Germany
    Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    Moscow, Russia
    Barcelona, Spain (via Milan)
    Zurich, Switzerland
    Istanbul, Turkey
    London, United Kingdom
    Manchester, United Kingdom
    AmericasLos Angeles, United States
    New York, United States
    San Francisco, United States
    Middle East & AfricaJohannesburg, South Africa
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Dubai, UAE

    There are some destinations – for example, Barcelona – that are not feasible, because they have a transit somewhere else. For flights that have a transit stop in a third country, you will need to make sure that your final destination country accepts visitors from both Singapore and the transiting territory.

    It is incredibly important to note that the list above are just destinations that are currently accepting vaccinated travellers without quarantine or self-isolation requirements; it does not take into consideration whether you will need to serve SHN when you return to Singapore!

    There are also services that some foreign carriers are offering, such as British Airways flight to London, Lufthansa to Munich and some others that you can check out, but the offerings are few and far between at the moment.

    Final thoughts

    Today’s announcement is definitely exciting for many people, as Singapore work towards lifting quarantine requirements for international arrivals from select countries. Finally some light at the end of the travel dearth tunnel, and I’m sure many other Singapore residents are waiting to book their tickets.

    While there’s some merit to celebrating, as with many policies – the devil is in the details, such as:

    • Which countries will be on the list?
    • Will it have ‘snap retraction’ just like how the Singapore-Hong Kong ATB was planned?
    • Are there fall-backs on mandatory quarantines in case the situation flares up in these overseas countries?
    • What testing requirements will there be? Which vaccines will Singapore recognise?
    • What about children who cannot be vaccinated for now?

    Again, let’s wait for more details in the coming weeks.