Vaccinated Travel Lane Requirements For Entry Into Singapore: Here’s All You Need To Know

Singapore is finally reopened for fully vaccinated travelers of 27 countries under the Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) program. The Vaccinated Travel Lane (Air) [VTL (Air)] allows quarantine-free travel to Singapore.

Vaccinated travelers can now enjoy quarantine-free access to Singapore from the following countries*; Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, India, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Additionally, VTL flights from Thailand from 14 December 2021, as well as Cambodia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Turkey from 16 December 2021.

What is a Vaccinated Travel Lane? 

Under the Vaccinated Travel Lanes, those fully vaccinated will no longer have to undergo quarantine at the destination country and upon returning to Singapore. Instead, you may be required to take additional COVID-19 tests before departure, at your destination, and when you return to Singapore.

Below are the complete details of requirements for entry into Singapore under the Vaccinated Travel Lane.

Table of Content

Vaccinated Travel Lane

• For fully vaccinated travelers to enter Singapore without quarantine
  • Unvaccinated children aged 12 and below are allowed to travel on the VTL, if travelling with a VTL traveler who fulfills all VTL requirements
• Short-term visitors (STVs) and long-term pass holders (LTPHs) need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP), except for children aged 12 and below. Singapore Citizens/Permanent Residents (SCPRs) do not need to apply.
• No restrictions on purpose of travel; no requirement for a controlled itinerary or sponsor
• Must travel into Singapore on designated VTL flights
• Latest round of expansion:
  • 29 Nov: Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Finland, Sweden
  • 6 Dec: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Vaccinated Travel Pass

• Short-term visitors (STVs) and long-term pass holders (LTPHs) need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP), except for children aged 12 and below
• All Singapore Citizens/Permanent Residents (SCPRs) do not need to apply for VTP
• Travelers will be required to upload their proof of vaccination during application. VTP will only be issued after vaccination certificate has been authenticated and verified.
• Vaccination certificates from Brunei, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE currently cannot be digitally verified
• Those applying for a VTP from these countries will not required to upload vax cert; airlines and ICA officers at arrival immigration will have to manually check the vax certs of those with VTPs from these countries.
• Identified by VTP letter code: “BRN”, “IDN”, “UAE”, “SAU”

Here Is How You Can Apply For Vaccinated Travel Pass

VTL Requirements – Designated VTL Flights

• Travelers must travel into Singapore on designated VTL flights.
• They may transit via another VTL country to take a designated VTL flight into Singapore
  • Subject to the transfer/transit requirement of that VTL country
• Requirement for transfer pax onboard designated VTL flights:
  • Must be fully vaccinated with any WHO-EUL vaccine, regardless of types of proof of vaccination or country of issuance of the proof of vaccination
  • No restrictions on travel history
  • Required to fulfill PDT requirement

Document Checks for VTL Travelers

CAAS has issued CAAS Directive No. 12 on the requirements and checks for VTL flights.

*Not applicable to children aged 2 and below
^Not applicable to children aged 12 and below

VTL Requirements – Testing

• Pre-Departure: PCR/ART within 2 days before departing for Singapore
  • If traveler has taken an on-arrival COVID-19 test in destination, then he/she is not required to take another COVID-19 test before returning to Singapore if the on-arrival test was taken 2 days from the time of departure for Singapore
• On-Arrival: OAT PCR at Changi Airport.
  • Travelers must remain self-isolated until test result confirmed negative
• Children aged 2 and below are not required to undergo any COVID-19 tests

Pre-Departure COVID-19 Test

PCR: At an internationally accredited or recognized laboratory, clinic, or medical facility specified on
the Internet website of the Singapore Ministry of Health at MOH | Accreditation Bodies for COVID-19 Testing

ART: Administered by a trained professional, including a medical professional or government-recognized trained professional. Self-swabs are not allowed.

• PDT result memo must be in English and state the following:
  ✓ the test result
  ✓ the date that the test was taken
  ✓ the name of the passenger as stated in the passenger’s passport and at least one other personal identifier such as the date of birth or passport number
• Do not need to check for PDT for children aged 2 and below

VTL Requirements – Vaccination

• Must be fully vaccinated i.e. 14 days after receiving full regimen of WHO EUL vaccine.
• Children aged 12 and below are not required to present proof of vaccination, if travelling with a VTL
  traveler who fulfills all VTL requirements.
• For VTL passengers entering Singapore, proof of vaccination must be issued in any of the VTL countries or Singapore, and must be verifiable by the Singapore authorities.
• Full list of acceptable proofs of vaccination will be published on Singapore’s Safe Travel Office
  website (https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/vtl/travel-checklist#proof), and provided to airlines through CAAS Directive No. 12
• For transfer passengers onboard VTL flights, no need to check for country of issuance of the proof of vaccination.

VTL Requirements – Vaccinated and Recovered Travelers

• Recovered travelers are accepted if their proof of vaccination is issued in Singapore, United Kingdom or a VTL European country:
  • Fully vaccinated: One vaccine dose, administered at least 28 days after the date that the passenger first tested positive for COVID-19
• For travelers with an EU DCC / UK proof of vaccination, their recovery status will be taken into
  consideration in reflecting their vaccination status i.e. those with only 1 dose of a 2-dose vaccine, their EU DCC will reflect “2/2” – no need to check for separate recovery cert.
• Travelers with a Singapore proof of vaccination must present a recovery certificate or discharge memo to prove recovery from COVID-19.

VTL Requirements – Travel History

• Must have only been in (including any transit stops) any of the VTL countries, any country/region in Category I of Singapore MOH’s Country/Region Classification, and/or Singapore in the last 14 consecutive days prior to departure to Singapore
• As of 23 Nov, countries/regions in Cat I: Hong Kong, Macao, Mainland China and Taiwan

Vaccination Certificate Verification

To be in English and clearly states all of the following:

• 2 out of 3 of the following – the passenger’s name, DOB, passport no. – to match info in passport;
• for VTL passengers entering Singapore, the country of issuance must be either Singapore or a VTL country/region;
• Vaccine name for each dose;
• the date(s) of vaccination for each dose;
• last dose of vaccination should be at least 14 days before arrival in Singapore; and
• in the case of a passenger who has recovered from COVID-19 and has a proof of vaccination issued in Singapore, the date of the one dose of vaccination should be at least 28 days after the passenger first tested positive for COVID-19, as shown in the recovery certificate.

(c), (d) to meet requirements in https://www.safetravel.ica.gov.sg/health/vts

Recovery Certificate Verification

(Only if Proof of Vax issued in SG)

To be in English and clearly states all of the following:

• 2 out of 3 of the following – the passenger’s name, DOB, passport no. – to match info in passport;
• the date when the passenger first tested positive for COVID-19, which should be at least 28 days before the date of the one dose of vaccination stated on the vaccination certificate*.

* To illustrate, if the dose of vaccine is administered on 1 September 2021, the date of the first COVID-positive test must be on or before 4 August 2021.

Vaccination Certificate Verification

(see https://www.safetravel.ica.gov.sg/health/vtsg for updated info)

General Reminders

• SG Arrival Card/electronic Health Declaration submission
  • All VTL travelers should be strongly encouraged to submit their SGAC/eHDC prior to boarding a designated VTL flight to Singapore
  • SCPRs vaccinated overseas should also be encouraged to upload their vaccination certificates as part of their SGAC/eHDC submission
  • This will facilitate a smooth arrival process in Changi Airport
  • Airlines are still required to conduct the necessary checks under Directive 12, regardless of whether they have successfully uploaded their vax cert in the SGAC/eHDC
• Pre-payment for On-Arrival Test
• All VTL travelers should be encouraged to register and pre-pay for their on-arrival PCR test in Changi Airport via the OAT payment portal (https://safetravel.changiairport.com/arrivalswabtest/)

Also Read: DGCA Issues New Guidelines For International Passengers Arriving In India: Details Here