Malaysia VTL: Daily post-arrival ART requirement scrapped from 3 March

Back in December 2021, Malaysia tightened its testing requirements for VTL (Air) and VTL (Land) travellers, requiring daily COVID-19 tests for six consecutive days upon arrival. 

This, coupled with Singapore’s corresponding requirement, meant that round-trip travellers would have to do up to 15 tests in total, making it the world’s most tested route. 

Singapore scrapped its daily post-arrival testing regime on 22 February 2022 as the panic over Omicron waned, and now it’s Malaysia’s turn to do likewise. From 3 March 2022, VTL travellers from Singapore to Malaysia will no longer be required to take daily ARTs following arrival. 

Malaysia scraps daily post-arrival ART regime

VTL (Air) and VTL (Land) travellers from Singapore to Malaysia are currently required to take daily ARTs from Day 2 to 6 (the day of arrival is Day 1):

• Days 2, 4 and 6: Self-administered ARTs
• Days 3 and 5: Professionally-administered ARTs

This wasn’t a major inconvenience, insofar as Days 2, 4 and 6 were unsupervised, and Days 3 and 5 could be done at home via tele-medicine platform CLEA. Still, it presented another thing (or rather, five things) to do. 

From 3 March 2022, the Day 2 to 6 testing requirement will be scrapped. If you are midway through your testing regime, you can cease swabbing/reporting your results via the MySejahtera app (Android | iOS) from this date too. 

All other testing requirement remain the same as before. 

Children aged below two are exempt from all testing requirements.

Singapore-Malaysia VTL travel: Total testing costs

Following the removal of the Day 2 to 6 tests, VTL travellers from Singapore to Malaysia can expect to do a total of four COVID-19 tests. Travel to Malaysia still requires the more expensive PCR tests (unless you’re taking the VTL (Land) option), but travel to Singapore can be done with the cheaper ARTs.

In total, VTL (Air) travellers should expect to pay upwards of S$210 for testing, with higher costs applying to non-Malaysia nationals who do not enjoy subsidised testing at KLIA. 

VTL (Land) travellers will pay slightly over S$80. 

Travellers who have recently recovered from COVID-19 can be exempted from all pre-departure and on-arrival testing requirements when travelling to Singapore, subject to presenting acceptable proof.

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

For a rundown of the cheapest places to get your pre-departure test, refer to the article below. 

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

VTL Process

From Singapore to Malaysia

Here’s a summary of the requirements for VTL (Air) travellers from Singapore to Malaysia.

From Malaysia to Singapore

Singapore recently relaxed its border measures for VTL travellers, replacing the on-arrival PCR test requirement at Changi Airport with a supervised ART at a QTC/CTC within 24 hours of arrival. Alternatively, VTL travellers can opt to do a DA Tele-ART from the comfort of their own home. 

Also noteworthy is the scrapping of the Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) requirement for the majority of long-term passholders. Only work permit holders and short-term visitors are now required to apply for a VTP.

With these changes, here’s a summary of the requirements for VTL travel to Singapore. 

Conclusion

Malaysia will be scrapping its daily post-arrival ART regime from 3 March 2022, which will save time and money for travellers. Sadly, it’s still sticking with the more expensive PCR tests for VTL (Air) travellers, but it’s surely only a matter of time before that gets scaled back to ARTs.

Travellers who wish to visit other parts of Malaysia must currently fly to Kuala Lumpur and complete their testing, before taking a connecting domestic flight. However, there’s been talk of expanding the VTL (Air) scheme beyond Kuala Lumpur to Penang and Kota Kinabalu. Let’s hope this happens soon as well.