The Singapore government has announced that fully vaccinated Australians will be able to enter the country without quarantine from 8 November. This will mark the official start of the Singapore Australia travel bubble.
Visitors will travel via ‘Vaccinate Travel Lanes’ (VTL). The VTL scheme is already open to 10 countries including Canada, France, the UK and the US.
The news comes as pressure mounts on Singapore to reopen. Of Singapore’s eligible population, 84 per cent have received both vaccine doses.
Don’t expect an easy transit. Here are all the requirements you will have to meet to travel to Singapore.
Who can travel to Singapore?
You must be fully vaccinated for at least two weeks before you travel to Singapore and be able to produce proof of your vaccine status. For a full list of the vaccines accepted by Singapore read here.
Any unvaccinated children under 12 can travel to Singapore via the VTL as long as they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated VTL traveller.
Under the VTL scheme, you must have remained in one or more of the listed VTL countries in the last 14 days before departure. Singapore is expanding this list of countries, for the current list read here.
How do I apply?
Foreign travellers visiting Singapore must apply for a VTP. Accompanying children 12 and below and are unvaccinated do not need to apply.
You must submit your application between seven and 30 days before the date you intend to enter Singapore.
Australian travellers can start submitting their applications from 10 am on 1 November. Apply here.
What else do I have to do?
Once your application is approved, you will officially be a ‘Vaccinated Travel Pass’ holder. There are still a few hoops you have to jump through.
Ensure that you have COVID-19 insurance
All short-term visitors travelling to Singapore via the VTL must purchase suitable travel insurance with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 against Covid-19 related medical charges.
You can purchase insurance from a Singapore or overseas-based insurer.
Secure self-isolation accommodation.
Travellers can self isolate at hotels or self-serviced apartments.
Before you make a hotel booking you should confirm with them that they are able to accommodate guests who are self-isolating while waiting for PCR test results.
Take a pre-departure Covid-19 PCR test
Travellers will need to take a pre-departure test 48 hours before departing for Singapore.
You must take the test at an accredited facility.
They must self-isolate until their test result returns a negative result.
Children under the age of two do not need to take the PCR test.
Submit your Health Declaration
You will need to submit an SG Arrival Card three days before arriving in Singapore.
Defer your travel to Singapore if:
- You have Covid-19 symptoms
- You have been diagnosed or suspected to have Covid-19 in the last 14 days before departing
- Have been a close contact of a Covid-19 patient in the last 10 days before departing
Register and pre-pay for on-arrival Covid-19 PCR test
You will have to take a PCR test when you arrive in Singapore. The conditions are the same as the pre-departure PCR test.
Register and pre-pay for the test here.
Download Singapore’s contact-tracing app
Download the TraceTogether app on your mobile device.
Only children six and below this calendar year are exempt from this step. Children aged between seven and 12 who do not have a mobile phone must collect physical TraceTogether tokens at Changi Airport.
Transport to your declared self-isolation accomodation
Once you touchdown in Singapore you will have to immediately transport to your accommodation.
You may do so using taxi services or private hire cars. Public transport is prohibited until your on-arrival PCR test is cleared.
You must stay in isolation in your hotel until you receive a negative result for your on arrival test. After that, you’re free to enjoy all that Singapore has to offer.
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