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

From 24 January 2022, Singapore will implement a major policy change that’s good news for fully-vaccinated travellers who have recently recovered from a COVID-19 infection.

Fully-vaccinated individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days will be exempt from all testing and SHN requirements, upon submission of documentary proof.

What this means, in simple terms is:

• No pre-departure testing to travel to Singapore
• No on-arrival or post-arrival testing in Singapore
• No SHN, regardless of your travel history and whether or not you take a VTL flight

This will save you a good chunk of money on COVID-19 testing, as well as open up more travel destinations and return flight options.

In addition to this, Singapore will be allowing recently-infected individuals to return to Singapore in as little as 72 hours after their initial infection, provided they can produce a subsequent negative pre-departure test. This means the end of the dreaded “14-day stranding” that was putting a lot of people off travel.

Eased measures for recently-recovered travellers

Here’s MOH’s summary of the revised measures for recently-recovered travellers, that take effect for arrivals from 24 January 2022 onwards. 

Fully-vaccinated

Fully-vaccinated travellers who have recently recovered from COVID-19 may present the following documents to excuse themselves from SHN and testing requirements:

• 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 traveller’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

Note that you can present either a positive COVID-19 PCR or professionally-administered ART result or a discharge memo. In many countries it may be difficult to obtain the latter, but it doesn’t really matter since you can just show your positive pre-departure test certificate.

Non-vaccinated/partially-vaccinated

Non-vaccinated or partially-vaccinated travellers (including children aged 12 and below) may present the following documents to excuse themselves from pre-departure testing requirements:

• a positive COVID-19 PCR or professionally-administered ART result dated between 14-90 days before date of departure to Singapore or
• a discharge memo

Either document must:

• state the traveller’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 14-90 days before the date of departure for Singapore
• be issued by a relevant state authority or licensed medical professional

Note the difference in time frame. The date of infection or discharge date is a minimum of 7 days for fully-vaccinated individuals, versus 14 days for non-vaccinated or partially-vaccinated individuals. 

No more 14 day “stranding” overseas

One thing that’s putting a lot of people off from travelling, even on the VTL, is the prospect of getting stranded for 14 days. 

That’s because of this advisory (i.e. rule) listed on the ICA’s website.

However, this advisory will soon be updated as follows:

Let’s break this down, because it’s a crucial distinction.

From 24 January 2022 onwards, a fully-vaccinated traveller who tests positive on his pre-departure test has two options. 

1. He can wait 72 hours and take another professionally-administered ART or PCR test. If this is negative, he may fly back to Singapore, where he will be subject to the prevailing border measures (e.g SHN, on-arrival testing)
2. He can wait 7 days and then return to Singapore, using his positive pre-departure test result to exempt himself from further testing or SHNs

Perhaps a couple of illustrations may be helpful.

Non-VTL Country

John is in Philippines, a Category III country. His pre-departure test is positive.

Option 1

• He takes a second test 72 hours later and it comes back negative
• John can now fly back to Singapore, where based on prevailing Category III rules he’ll be required to do a 10-day SHN on arrival, plus a COVID-19 PCR test before the end of the SHN

Option 2

• He waits 7 days in the Philippines
• John can now fly back to Singapore, where he will be exempt from any further pre-departure/ on-arrival/ post-arrival testing or SHN requirements

VTL Country

Jack is in Germany, a VTL country. His pre-departure test is positive.

Option 1

• He takes a second test 72 hours later and it comes back negative
• Jack can now fly back to Singapore. Assuming he takes a VTL flight, he’ll do an on-arrival PCR test, and follow the Day 2-7 self-swabbing regime 

Option 2

• He waits 7 days in Germany
• Jack can now fly back to Singapore on any flight he wishes, exempt from any further pre-departure/ on-arrival/ post-arrival or SHN requirements

All in all, this is a fantastic development. If you’re fully-vaccinated and your body can clear the viral load quickly, why should you have to stay overseas and incur additional expenses when you’re essentially safe?

Further implications for travellers

More choice of places to visit

According to Sherpa, there are 148 countries and territories that will accept fully-vaccinated Singaporeans without quarantine. 

Many of these are not VTL countries, but that won’t matter anymore for a fully-vaccinated, recently-recovered individual. He or she could enjoy two-way quarantine-free travel to Brazil, Mexico, Ukraine, and South Africa, to name a few. 

It basically means that travel history and country categories are irrelevant for this group of people, at least where returning to Singapore is concerned (since there’s no SHN required). It also paves the way for fully-vaccinated, recently-recovered travellers from these countries to visit Singapore, which could be a huge fillip for business. 

More flights to choose from

If you want to avoid an SHN (and aren’t coming from a Category I country), you’ll need to enter Singapore on a VTL flight. But VTL capacity has been cut by 50%, and Saver award space was always tricky to come by on certain VTL routes. 

Fully-vaccinated, recently-recovered individuals are able to take whatever flight they wish into Singapore, since they’re exempt from SHNs anyway. 

Lower testing costs

Here’s a summary of the current testing regime required for VTL travellers to Singapore, effective 24 January 2022. 

All these costs will not need to be incurred by a fully-vaccinated, recently-recovered traveller.

That’s a potential saving of S$155 on the Singapore tests alone, plus the cost of the overseas pre-departure test (which can cost upwards of S$100 in countries like Finland or parts of the USA- even for ARTs!).

Conclusion

Singapore is introducing eased measures for recently-infected travellers, with fully-vaccinated ones standing the most to gain. So long as it’s been at least seven days from your infection, you may return to Singapore from any country you wish, on any flight you wish- with no testing or SHN required.

Another excellent development is the removal of the prospect of a 14-day overseas stranding. If you’re able to wait it out overseas, come back after seven days and be exempt from testing and SHNs. If you need to come home ASAP, take a test after 72 hours, pray it’s negative, then return under prevailing rules (and enjoy testing and SHN exemptions from your next trip).

Don’t forget to catch up on today’s other big development: the simplification of the VTL testing regime for travellers from 24 January 2022. I’ve summarised all you need to know in the article below. 

Singapore simplifies VTL testing regime; removes supervised swabs

What do you make of Singapore’s new policy for recovered travellers?