Complete Guide: Singapore Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme

Travelling to Singapore on the Vaccinated Travel Lane? Here's all you need to know to enjoy quarantine-free entry.

If you have questions about how Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme works, you’ve come to the right place. 

In this guide, I’ll walk through everything you need to know about quarantine-free travel to Singapore (and for Singaporeans, how to enjoy two-way quarantine-free travel). 

โœˆ๏ธ Complete Guide to the VTL

VTL: Eligible Countries

The following countries are currently part of the VTL, or will be added to the VTL in due course. 

๐ŸŒŽ Singapore VTL Agreements
Current VTLs
  • Australia
  • Brunei*
  • Cambodia
  • Canada
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Fiji
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hong Kong*
  • India
  • Indonesia*
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Netherlands
  • Philippines
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • UAE
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Vietnam
*Brunei, Hong Kong and Indonesia do not currently allow Singapore residents to enter without quarantine

VTL: Eligible Travellers

In order to be eligible for VTL travel to Singapore, travellers must meet the following criteria. 

โœ”๏ธ VTL Eligibility Criteria
All
  • 7-day travel history only includes Singapore and/or VTL countries and/or Category I countries and/or EEA countries
  • Fully vaccinated with any vaccine on the WHO EUL^
  • Complete SG Arrival Card
  • Present negative pre-departure ART/PCR test taken within 2 days of flight to Singapore*
  • Take designated VTL flight to Singapore
  • Take supervised ART within 24 hours of arrival and isolate until negative result received*
Short-term visitors & Work permit holders
  • Apply for Vaccinated Travel Pass
  • Purchase travel insurance with min. S$30K coverage (short-term visitors only)
*Children aged 2 or under in the current calendar year are exempt
^Exception for children aged 12 and below, if they are accompanied by vaccinated traveller

If all these criteria are met, travellers will not need to serve an SHN on arrival in Singapore. 

ICA determines your 7-day travel history as follows:

If the scheduled day of departure of the travellerโ€™s flight to Singapore is D (e.g. 19 October 2021), the traveller must have only been to one or more of the VTL countries/regions and/or Singapore from D-7 to D (i.e. 12 to 19 October 2021, if D is 19 October 2021).

And since it’s asked so many times, no, there’s no requirement for your VTL trip to be at least 7 days long. So long as your 7-day travel history only includes Singapore and/or the VTL country/any Category I country, you’re fine.

Vaccination Certificates

Recognised proof of vaccination like the EUDCC must be presented

In addition to Singapore-issued vaccination certificates (which can be displayed via the TraceTogether or HealthHub app), the following proof of vaccinations are accepted:

  • Australia: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) issued International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate (ICVC).
  • Brunei: BruHealth issued in Brunei + present Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP). 
  • Cambodia: Covid-19 Vaccination Card issued by the Ministry of Health/Ministry of Defence in Cambodia (starting 16 December 2021). 
  • Canada: The Smart Health Cards (SHC) format on the CommonTrust Network (CTN) or the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI) are accepted. SHCs can also be digitally verified on the SMART Health Card Verifier app. 
  • Europe: European Union Digital Covid Certificates (EUDCC) from any country, from 7 December 2021 (before this only VTL countries)
  • IndiaInternational Travel Certificate in the Digital Infrastructure for Vaccination Open Credentialing (DIVOC) standard, available on the Co-WIN platform. 
  • Malaysia: MySejahtera App (starting 29 Nov 2021).
  • The Maldives: Covid-19 Digital Certification downloaded from the Health Protection Agency Maldives (starting 16 December 2021).  
  • South Korea: Static QR Code on the COOV app or Covid-19 vaccination certificates issued by the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), downloaded from the KDCA website.
  • Sri Lanka: Certificate of Covid-19 Vaccination issued by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health (starting 16 December 2021). 
  • Thailand: International Covid-19 Vaccination Certificate issued by the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand (starting 14 December 2021).
  • The UK: National Health Service (NHS) COVID Passes downloaded from the NHS mobile app.
  • The USA: The following will be accepted:
    1. The Smart Health Cards (SHC) format on the CommonTrust Network (CTN) or the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI)SHCs can also be digitally verified on the SMART Health Card Verifier app.
    2. A physical vaccination record and a letter signed by the state, local health authority, or vaccination provider attesting to the travellers vaccination status will also be accepted. This letter must contain the travellerโ€™s name and one other personal identifier, such as the date of birth or passport number; as well as the date and name of the vaccine administered.
    3. Digital vaccination record retrieved from the public health database of the state or the local health authority.  

Children 12 and under

Unvaccinated children 12 and under (regardless of nationality) are permitted to travel into Singapore under the VTL, provided they are accompanied by a vaccinated traveller.

For children 12 and under, the VTL rules look like this:

โœˆ๏ธ Summary: VTL Scheme
For children aged 12 and below
  • 7-day travel history only includes Singapore and/or VTL countries and/or Category I countries and/or EEA countries
  • Complete SG Arrival Card
  • Present negative pre-departure ART/PCR test taken within 2 days of flight to Singapore*
  • Take designated VTL flight to Singapore
  • Take supervised ART within 24 hours of arrival and isolate until negative result received*
*Children aged 2 or under in the current calendar year are exempt

Note that there is no requirement for children 12 and under to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass. 

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท No go to Seoul
South Korea does not allow children who do not qualify for vaccination (or people who are medically unfit to be vaccinated) to enter the country. Therefore, a VTL trip to South Korea is out of the question for now, unless your child is aged 5 and below

Full details for VTL travel with children aged 12 and below can be found in the following article.

VTL: Unvaccinated children aged 12 and below will be allowed to travel

Singapore: Pre-departure testing

Depending on which VTL country you are flying to, you may or may not require a pre-departure test. 

Entry Restrictions by Country

Here’s a summary of the VTL countries that require a pre-departure test for travellers from Singapore.

โš•๏ธ PDT for Singapore Residents
  Vax. Unvax. Child Under 12^
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia
ART/PCR1
ART/PCR1
(under 5 exempt)
๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ญ Cambodia N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Canada ART/PCR3
ART/PCR3
(under 5 exempt)
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Denmark N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ฏ Fiji ART/PCR4 N/A
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ฎ Finland  N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Germany N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ท Greece N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong Kong PCR5 PCR5
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ India N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ Indonesia PCR6 PCR6
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ Israel PCR7 PCR7
๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia  ART/PCR8 ART/PCR8
(under 2 exempt)
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ป Maldives N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ Netherlands N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ Philippines ART/PCR10 ART/PCR10
(under 4 exempt)
๐Ÿ‡ถ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Qatar PCR11 N/A
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia PCR12 PCR12
(under 9 exempt)
๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea PCR13 N/A
(Only children aged 5 and below allowed entry)
๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Sri Lanka N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ช Sweden N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ Switzerland N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Thailand PCR14 PCR14
(under 6 exempt)
๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท Turkey N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช UAE N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง United Kingdom N/A N/A
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States ART/PCR15
ART/PCR15
(under 2 exempt)
๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ Vietnam ART/PCR16 ART/PCR16
(under 2 exempt)
^Accompanied by vaccinated parents
1. Within 24h/3 days of departure to Australia

3. Within 1 day/72h (ART/PCR) of departure of last direct flight to Canada
4. Within 24h/2 days (ART/PCR) of departure to Fiji
5. Within 48h of departure to Hong Kong
6. Within 72h of departure to Indonesia
7. Within 72h of departure to Israel
8. Within 2 days of departure to Malaysia. ART for VTL land only

10. Within 24h/48h (ART/PCR) of departure to Philippines
11. Within 48h of departure to Qatar
12. Within 72h of departure to Saudi Arabia

13. Within 48h of departure to South Korea
14. Within 72h of departure to Thailand

15. Within 1 day of departure date to USA
16. Within 24h/72h of departure to Vietnam

Do note that not all countries require PCR tests; some accept the cheaper ART swabs too. 

For reference, here’s an idea of how much you can expect to pay at the major medical chains (prices may differ by clinic location). 

โš•๏ธ COVID-19 Test Prices
Chain ART โ†‘ PCR PCR(S)
TheTestingPro S$25 S$96 N/A
SGST S$27 S$98 N/A
ATA Medical S$30 S$98 S$153
SwabStation S$38 S$98 S$168
Kingsway Medical S$38 S$98 S$168
Swab N Go S$30 S$100 S$140
Minmed S$35 S$105 S$155
InteMedical S$37 S$105 S$160
SATA Comm Health
S$28 S$107 S$157
DA Clinic S$32 S$107 S$155
AcuMed Medical
S$35 S$107 S$155
PDT Swab SG S$35 S$107 N/A
MyDoctor S$30 S$108 N/A
Healthway Medical
S$40 S$110 S$155
Raffles Medical
Promo code โžค
S$27
S$115 S$155
SIARMGART SIARMGPCR SIARMGPKG
LifePlus Medical S$27 S$118 S$161
Parkway Shenton S$33 S$118 S$166
Fusion Medical S$35 S$118 S$161
Paddington Medical S$37 S$120 N/A
OneCare Medical S$37 S$123 S$171
Q&M Medical S$30 S$125 S$155
Heartland Health
S$30 S$125 S$160
Pinnacle Family Clinic S$48 S$128 S$214
My Family Clinic
S$35 S$132 S$177
Northeast Medical S$21 S$139 S$193
Fullerton Health S$35 S$160 S$214
ProHealth Medical S$54 S$179 S$200
Prices are subject to change; call clinics for latest information.
PCR (S)= PCR + Serology test

Not all ART swabs listed above may be suitable for international travel (you need a results certificate stating your name, time of swab, birth date and passport number). When in doubt, check with the clinic. 

Collinson has partnered with Singapore Airlines to offer discounted pre-departure testing at Raffles Medical. Passengers can do a PCR test for S$115 (code: SIARMGPCR), or an antigen rapid test for S$27 (code: SIARMGART).

For a detailed overview of pre-departure testing, including discounts, home swabbing and express options, refer to the article below. 

Cheapest pre-departure COVID-19 ART/PCR tests in Singapore

Travel Insurance

It’s highly recommended you purchase travel insurance that includes COVID-19 medical expense and quarantine coverage, as well as protection for trip cancellation and curtailment (should you test positive). 

The following underwriters provide this. 

Provider Medical Exp. Quarantine Allow.
Per Day (Capped)
Policy Wording
  • Basic: S$50K
  • Standard: S$100K
  • Supreme: S$250K
  • Basic: S$50 (S$700)
  • Standard: S$50 (S$700)
  • Supreme: S$100 (S$1.4K)
Policy Wording
  • Bronze: S$1M
  • Silver: S$1M
  • Platinum: Unlimited
None
Policy Wording
  • Lite: S$10K
  • Plus: S$15K
  • Prestige: S$20K
  • Lite: None
  • Plus: S$50 (S$1K)
  • Prestige: S$100 (S$2K)
Policy Wording
  • Essential: S$75K
  • Comp.: S$150K
  • Essential: S$50 (S$350)
  • Comp.: S$50 (S$700)
Policy Wording
  • Basic: S$50K
  • Supreme: S$200K
  • Basic: S$120 (S$1.68K)
  • Supreme: S$200 (S$2.8K)
Policy Wording
  • US$100K
None
Policy Wording
  • Essential: S$100K
  • Superior: S$200K
  • Essential: SS$50 (S$700)
  • Superior: S$100 (S$1.4K)
Offered by SIA
Policy Wording
  • S$350,000
S$50-200 (S$700-2,800)
depends on country

I would avoid Allianz and NTUC Income, since they provide no quarantine allowance.

If you’re travelling to South Korea in particular, a minimum coverage of 30,000,000 KRW (~S$34,000) for COVID-19-related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs is required. All of the above policies except Aviva meet this requirement. 

For a full guide to travel insurance policies with COVID-19 coverage, refer to the article below.

Which travel insurance policies provide COVID-19 coverage?

Flights from Singapore

Repeat after me: there is no such thing as a VTL flight from Singapore.

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡พ Malaysia Exception
The only exception to this rule is Malaysia, where you will need to take a designated VTL flight to Malaysia as well.

The VTL concept only applies to flights returning to Singapore; on the outbound leg, you’re free to take any flight you please…with some caveats.

Emirates flights will transit in Dubai, and therefore can’t be used to return to Singapore under VTL conditions

First of all, if your trip is 7 days or less, you’ll need to avoid transiting in non-VTL countries (except Category I) when flying out of Singapore. That’s because transits, no matter how short, will add that country to your 7-day travel history. It does not matter that you never technically entered that country!

Second, if the VTL country happens to impose restrictions on the country of transit, you transiting there may render you liable for quarantine on arrival in the VTL country. 

Therefore, the safest option is to take a non-stop flight, or a flight that transits in VTL country A, en route to VTL country B, where B does not impose restrictions on A. 

Will my vaccination certificate be recognised in day-to-day life?

One of the most commonly asked questions is how Singapore residents can prove their vaccinated status in countries where vaccination is required for day-to-day life. Will your HealthHub/Notarise certificate be accepted, or do you need to get it converted?

The good news is that if you’re travelling to Europe, Singapore vaccination certificates have been granted equivalency to the EUDCC, a decision that takes effect from 7 December 2021.  This means you’ll be treated the same way as any other vaccinated EU citizen, simply by showing your Notarise certificate. 

Good news: Singapore vaccine certificates now equivalent to EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC)

For experiences in Australia and South Korea, refer to the linked articles. 

While Overseas

While overseas, you may travel from VTL country to VTL country and still be eligible for an SHN waiver on return to Singapore, provided you do not pass through a non-VTL country in the process (unless it’s a Category I or EEA country).

If at any time you set foot in a non-VTL, non-Category I and non-EEA country, you will need to return to a VTL country/countries and wait 7 days before coming back to Singapore. 

VTL Country: Pre-departure testing

All travellers to Singapore must undergo a pre-departure COVID-19 ART/PCR test within 2 days of boarding their flight to Singapore. This means that if your flight departs at 8 p.m on 18 December 2021, you can take your test anytime from 12 a.m on 16 December 2021.

A negative result certificate must be obtained in English, from a recognised laboratory, clinic or medical facility. The certificate must mention the date the test was taken, traveller name and either date of birth or passport number as stated in the passport. 

Example certificate from Germany

The MOH does not mention specific testing facilities for VTL countries (except Korea), and travellers are advised to check with the local Department of Health for approved test providers.

I realise that’s uncomfortably vague for some people, but your hotel concierge should be able to assist with this. Use common sense- any swab provider in an airport or major hospital/clinic should pass muster, and Singapore Airlines provides a list for reference as well. 

To read about my experience getting a pre-departure PCR test done in Munich, refer to the article below.

Germany VTL: Pre-departure COVID-19 PCR testing in Munich

Positive Result: Now What?

If your pre-departure COVID-19 test comes back positive:

  • The local health authorities will order/advise self-isolation (example: Germany), the strictness of which depends on the country. This may last anywhere from a few days to two weeks, or until you can clear a follow-up PCR test
  • You may return to Singapore after 72 hours if a follow up PCR/professionally-administered ART comes back negative; otherwise you may return after 7 days without any testing requirement. This is in line with Singapore’s eased measures for recently recovered travellers

If your symptoms are mild or if you’re asymptomatic, it’s highly unlikely you’ll be sent to hospital- most of the VTL countries (Korea aside) don’t even operate a system of government-run quarantine facilities like Singapore. Home recovery (or a hotel, in the case of tourists) is the default option in most places. 

This means it’s imperative to get travel insurance with a COVID-19 quarantine allowance, to help defray some of the additional hotel and food costs should this happen. 

Singapore Airlines will refund the unused portion of your ticket with cancellation fees waived, should you test positive for COVID-19 during your pre-departure test. Alternatively, you will be able to make complimentary changes under their existing flexibility policy. 

VTL Flights to Singapore

VTL travellers must return to Singapore on a designated VTL flight in order to avoid an SHN on arrival. You can find the full details of VTL flights in the links below. 

โœˆ๏ธ VTL flights

Entering Singapore on a non-VTL flight means you’ll be subject to regular border control measures, depending on your 7-day travel history. The rules of the strictest country apply, e.g. if your 7-day travel history features Category I and General Travel (non-VTL) countries, the latter applies.

Category SHN PDT On-arrival Test
Category I N/A ART or PCR within 2 days of depart. to SG Supervised ART within 24h
General Travel: VTL N/A
General Travel: Non-VTL 7 days
(Home)
PCR at end of SHN
Restricted 7 days
(Hotel)
PCR within 2 days of depart. to SG PCR on arrival
PCR at end of SHN
Category I: China, Macau, Taiwan
VTL: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Maldives, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, USA [From 25 Feb: Hong Kong, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE; From 4 Mar: Israel, Philippines]
Non-VTL: All other countries
Restricted: No countries at the moment

For the most up to date list of countries by category, do refer to the ICA’s SHN and Swab Summary page. 

Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP)

VTP Application

This is an additional step for work permit or short-term visitors, and is not required for Singapore citizens, permanent residents, or long-term passholders.

VTP applications are open for travellers intending to enter Singapore 3 to 60 days after today. Travellers not entering Singapore during this date range should come back on a later date to apply. A VTP is valid for entry up to 13 calendar days after the traveller’s chosen date of entry.

VTPs are approved or rejected instantly (and there’s no need for your employer to get involved, unlike general re-entry approval), and there is no fee involved. Be careful of websites that look like the real thing, but charge a fee!

Each traveller requires their own VTP, except children aged 12 or under.

Recently recovered?

If you’re fully vaccinated and have recently recovered from a COVID-19 infection, you will not be required to undergo pre-departure testing or testing on arrival in Singapore, and will be exempt from SHN regardless of whether you return on a VTL or non-VTL flight. 

This is provided you can present either of the following documents:

  • a positive COVID-19 PCR or professionally-administered ART result dated between 7-90 days before date of departure to Singapore or
  • a discharge memo 

Either document must:

  • state the travellerโ€™s name and at least one other personal identifier (e.g. date of birth, passport number)
  • state the date of infection or discharge date, which must be within 7-90 days before the date of departure for Singapore
  • be issued by a relevant state authority or licensed medical professional

In other words, the only test requirements that apply to you in this scenario is the pre-departure ART/PCR test before travelling to Sri Lanka. 

For more details, refer to the article below.

Big news: No more SHN, testing or “14-day stranding” for recently-recovered vaccinated travellers to Singapore

VTL Trip Reports

I’ve taken several VTL trips since the scheme began in September 2021. Do have a read of the full details below!

Australia

๐Ÿฆ˜ Journey to the Hermit Kingdom

Germany

๐Ÿบ Bavarians at the Gate
๐Ÿฐ The Romantic Road

South Korea

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท BTS (Back to Seoul)

Useful Tools & Official Resources

While I’ve endeavored to make this article as accurate as possible, “I read it on a blog” won’t hold much water if push comes to shove.

So do refer to the following official resources as well when planning your trip:

Aaron Wong
Aaron Wong
Aaron founded The Milelion to help people travel better for less and impress chiobu. He was 50% successful.

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MrQ

Hi Aaron,
Thanks for the useful info! Quick Q, any reason Singapore passport is not listed on the K-ETA website?

JJJ

Awesome summary. Just wondering regarding the Amsterdam-London Route.
So would it be alright if we were to to London-Paris non-stop train. Then Paris-Amsterdam non-stop train?

Adam

This is the grey area that no one really knows. Best to ask ICA.

JJJ

yeah there’s a direct train without stop from Paris to Amsterdam.
https://en.oui.sncf/en/train/timetables/paris/amsterdam
Some stops ad Schilpol airport otw, some just direct to Amsterdam Centraal

ooyaboon

There is no non stop service. All Thalys trains stop at Brussels. That’s the arrangement. So you cannot use it for VTL travel.

ccc

who’s going to really know, though?

Spoon

one (or more) of this website’s readers who may then choose to snitch to ICA and get them to do random checks? If you think it’s very difficult to do so just because ICA is not on the train, then good for you.

TS77

Hi Aaron

I believe BA11 (LHR>SIN) is also a VTL flight now (looking at the BA website) – that said, SQ is typically cheaper. You might have better intel on this than me.

Keith

Hi Aaron will you be taking a flight with a different airline soon (AF/BA/KE/KL/TR) to review the T1 VTL arrival process? Thx

John

I think if you test positive for your pre-departure test and wait 14 days, you still have to do another PCR test before you can fly back to Singapore on a VTL flight. Does anyone knows what happens if you test positive a second (or third, or fourth) time despite having recovered? Will SQ let you board / ICA let you in? It seems the average time to return a negative test after first testing positive is about 25-30 days, due to viral shedding and whatnot. If there’s no exception made for recovered patients then actually the implication of a… Read more »

Dave

Yes, you are correct. I’ve friends who have contracted covid-19 and test positive on PCR 1 month after they have recovered.

I am a recovered covid-19 patient and I’m tested PCR positive on day 7 even though i’ve recovered. ART tests came back negative.

MOH do not need recovered covid-19 patients to do a PET testing for up to 270 days after they have recovered due to this issue of positive tests on PCR even after recovering from covid-19 when they are shedding the virus tissues. Does this exemption of PET apply to VTL?

Denise T

Could u do a review of travelling in business now with covid eg service standard, food (?) etc?

David

Important add on to the ART/PCR for Italy. It is NOT 72 hours before departure, but 72 hours before ARRIVAL. I was just there and confirmed this with the embassy.

Aeh

Thanks for the info, David! Did you use ART or PCR for Italy? I prefer ART as it’s less invasive and much cheaper but want to hear from the person who has actual traveled if there is any difficulties with ART (as it seems that most countries require PCR). Thanks in advance!

random

Is Chubb insurance worth considering? Tks.

Kris

The wording in https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/sc-pr/vtl states that travellers “should defer their travel” if they were diagnosed with COVID-19. Do you know with certainty if the previous wording was “travallers should not travel” ?

If so, do you think it means a relaxation of ICA’s stance on testing positive? That is, even if you tested positive on Day 0 of your PDT, you can fly back within 14 days as long as you can produce a subsequent negative PDT Let me know your thoughts.

Joel

Iโ€™ve searched multiple dates throughout Dec and it doesnโ€™t seem that thereโ€™s a single VTL flight out of LHR. Anyone encountering this too?

ZYX

Some gov agencies send out updated travel advisory, theoretically allowing general travel for fully vaccinated staff.

Gerry

Hi Aaron, great article as always. Just wondering, if I were to take a non-VTL flight back from Germany with a transit Iโ€™m Hong Kong, Iโ€™ll be subjected to a 7 day SHN?

ZYX

Yes.

Mr. D

Why flying to Canada is cheaper than flying to London?

Dave

I am a recovered covid-19 patient and I had some mild symptoms like sore throat and running nose. I recovered quite fast and my mild symptoms disappeared on Day 5 and i tested negative on ART from day 6 onwards even though my Day 6 PCR test was positive. I’ve heard of instances where recovered covid-19 patients were still testing PCR positive with a CT value higher than 25 1 month after they contracted covid-19. CT value of 25 is deem as not infectious by MOH but the international standard is 35. I’ve some questions on this VTL. Recovered covid… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Dave
Wilson

Hi Aaron,

Is the saliva PCR test the same as gargle test and confirm accepted by Singapore authorities? I could not find info on this from the Safe Teavel website. Thank you.

Charlene

Hi Aaron
Your guide is super informative! Thanks for that! I have a question which I’m not sure if you might be able to answer. I am planning to go to Spain, which does not require any pre-departure test from Singapore. However, the flight to Barcelona transits in Milan. Since Italy would require a pre-arrival PCR/ART (72h), would that apply for transit passengers like me?

Liwei

Hi Aaron,

any idea about transit flight through vtl country? Eg, if our main destination is Uk, but we fly SG- Copenhagen – Uk, stay in Uk for 3 wks, then return via Uk – Copenhagen – sg again. Copenhagen being a transit destination and only remaining within transit zone of airport. will this be considered pure VTL Travel ?

Liwei

And if PDT is done at Uk facility, still counts if last port of departure is Denmark?

Wenhui Ko

Hi I thought pre departure PCR test is not required for Cat II countries on non VTL flights? According to ica website, pre departure pcr not required if one has remained in cat II countries for past 14 days.

Can you confirm?

Stefan

Next weekend I’ll fly SIN-LAX-SIN, with a stay of 26 hours in LAX. This means I will still be in Singapore within 48 hours of my departure from the US back to Singapore. Could I therefore take my “pre-departure” test to come back to Singapore in Singapore…before even leaving Singapore? ๐Ÿ˜

Traveller

I’ll be travelling to Iceland soon and they only require ART test. I called a few clinics and none of the clinic seems to offer travel ART. Do you think just the printed ART results from the clinic is sufficient? They keep say they can’t notarise an ART test, only PCR. It’s a bit confusing.

Mei-Ting

Hi Aaron, thank you for the great summary! I have a question though. I am traveling from Amsterdam to Singapore via VTL. In the EU DCC they have only one QR code for both the vaccination. If i print out the certificate it says that I have 2 doses but only the date of the last dose. Is that sufficient? I heard that Singapore needs to have 2 QR codes so one for the first and one for the second. The website of the Dutch foreign affairs says that Singapore donโ€™t accept the EU DCC. And the ICU state that… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Mei-Ting
Mei-Ting

Hi Aaron, now I heard itโ€™s not about the 2 QR codeโ€™s. But the problem is the EU DCC shows only one date of the second jab but not the date of the first one. ICU is facing this problem daily they say. Hopefully this wonโ€™t be a problem soon.

Mei-Ting

Update: EU DCC just updated the QR code. There are now 2 QR codes available for the 2 dates!

Ben Gilbey

Hi

Do you know if the HealthHub/Notarise certificate is valid for entry to the US? I can’t find any information on this online.

Thanks
Ben

Henry

Anyone knows if I can take the regular Antigen Test at one of the approved centers and use that as Covid19 test requirement going to United States? My confusion stems from Raffles and other clinics telling me that ART is only valid for 24 hours while US requires 3 days before departure to test. Does it mean that if I want to take ART, I must take it within 24 hours of my departure time going to US? Coming back to Singapore, I understand only PCR is accepted.

Henry

I just got a hold of RafflesMedical and thought I would share here that their ART result will include dob and passport number, but the price quoted to me was $42 per pax. I have decided to take the ART within 24 hours of my departure just to be on the safe side.

Yiwei

Very useful guide! Can i ask, if we wanted to take a non VTL flight back from a VTL country, does that just mean we need to serve 7 or 14 days quarantine at home?

Yang

News just came out today that they have reopened automated clearance at Changi arrival immigration for VTL arrivals. Might be good to update the part about arriving immigration.

KE646

Hi Aaron, I tried calling Korean Air and it seems they do care which flights are VTL when it comes to Korea. On the phone they mentioned I needed to change my 15th Nov flight to 16th because otherwise I needed to quarantine since their VTL flights only begin on 16 Nov (SIN-ICN/KE646). Wondering if it’s just a Korea thing?

ZYX

Yes. Maybe Aus too

Cheong Ku Wei

for the VTL to Australia (NSW and VIC) from 21 Nov onward, ity is for Singaporean only or Singapore resident (PR, Long term pass etc.?)

Arockia Dinesh

Many thanks for putting this together…

Kate

Hi, thanks for putting this together. If I take the direct train from Paris to Amsterdam without getting off at any stop in Brussels, would that fulfill the requirements of the VTL?

Also, if Iโ€™m taking the VTL flight from Amsterdam, is it okay for me to take the pre-departure PCR test in any other country, as long as it is 2 days before?

Thanks.

spiderman

Hi,

For Singaporeans travelling from UK to SG, for pre-departure we are required to take PCR or ART (not self administered). ART is almost half the cost of PCR. However, in UK they call it Antigen lateral flow test. Can i confirm if that will be recognized as ART. This way, will not need to spend money in UK for PCR

jimmy

If I’m vaccinated in Hong Kong but am now in the US for the past 14 days, can i take a VTL flight to Singapore?

Goh SH

Anyone knows where I can get a saliva PCR predeparture test?