Netherlands to require pre-departure COVID-19 test for travellers from Singapore

On 9 November 2021, the EU announced that Singapore would be removed from its list of epidemiologically-safe third countries. 

Following a review under the recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the Council updated the list of countries, special administrative regions and other entities and territorial authorities for which travel restrictions should be lifted. In particular Singapore and Ukraine were removed from the list.

It’s important to note that this isn’t a legally binding decision; EU member states are free to implement the recommendations as they see fit.

However, it means it’s more likely than not we’ll see some additional restrictions imposed on travellers from Singapore, and the Netherlands is the first European country to announce tighter requirements. 

Netherlands now requires pre-departure COVID-19 test

Travellers from Singapore (vaccinated or not) arriving in the Netherlands on or after 0900 hours on 13 November 2021 will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result. 

However, there is no quarantine requirement, provided you are fully vaccinated, or unvaccinated and aged 11 and below. For all intents and purposes, it won’t wreck your year-end travel plans- just make them slightly more expensive. 

Travellers from Singapore will need to present:

• A negative PCR result conducted no more than 48 hours before departure
• A negative ART result conducted no more than 24 hours before departure

The pre-departure test requirement does not apply to children aged 11 or younger, based on their age on the date of arrival in the Netherlands. 

Perhaps a better question is whether you’d have been interested in travelling to the Netherlands in the first place. The Netherland’s vaccine passport system only recognises the EUDCC, and unlike other European countries, they do not have a local mechanism for converting third country certificates into EUDCCs.

So even though your Singapore vaccination certificate will be accepted for entry into the Netherlands, it will not be accepted in day to day life. It basically means you’ll need to undergo ART swabs to get access to indoor venues such as restaurants, cinemas and theatres.

For what it’s worth, I did manage to get my Singapore vaccination certificate converted into an EUDCC for free in Munich during my recent trip, so it wouldn’t be an issue for me. 

Pre-departure test requirements for other VTL countries

With this latest development, here’s a summary of testing requirements when travelling from Singapore rto VTL countries. 

If you intend to travel with your unvaccinated child, be sure to familiarise yourself with the possible additional restrictions.

How much will pre-departure testing cost?

As of today, the cheapest pre-departure PCR test in Singapore costs S$107 at SATA CommHealth. Keep in mind the Netherlands doesn’t require a PCR test, so you could do the cheaper ART starting from ~S$30 (if you’re pressed for time, Raffles Medical at Changi Terminal 3 is open 24 hours a day, allowing you to swab just before you fly).

Remember that self-administered tests are not accepted, and your results slip must state your full name, passport number and date of birth to be valid for travel. 

For more details on getting a pre-departure COVID-19 test in Singapore, refer to the article below.

Where’s the cheapest pre-departure COVID-19 swab test in Singapore?

Conclusion

Germany made a unilateral decision to designate Singapore as a high-risk area last month, but the impact on vaccinated Singaporeans was minimal. I travelled to Frankfurt after the risk level was raised, and the only difference was having to fill in a pre-arrival registration form. 

The way I see it, the worst case scenario is that other European countries impose a pre-departure testing requirement on Singapore. I just can’t see quarantine being required for fully vaccinated individuals, since it goes against the whole “living with COVID” mantra many of them have adopted. If you’re vaccinated and test negative, you’re fine- time to get on with life. 

It does mean you that if you’re travelling to Europe in the next few weeks, you should look out for any additional testing requirements. Singapore Airlines frequently sends out updated travel advisory emails, so don’t just ignore them when they arrive.