VTF: Singapore scraps travel insurance requirement for tourists

Singapore will be reopening its borders from 1 April 2022 under the Vaccinated Travel Framework (VTF), allowing fully vaccinated travellers to enter from any country, on any flight, without quarantine or on-arrival testing.

✔️At a glance: Vaccinated Travel Framework (From 1 April 2022)

Fully vaccinated travellers can enter Singapore without quarantine, from any country (unless their 7-day travel history includes countries on the Restricted list, of which there are currently none) Unvaccinated travellers mostly barred from entering, with limited exceptions Take any flight to Singapore, no more VTL concept Booster dose is not required Children aged 12 and below will be considered fully vaccinated, regardless of actual status Fully vaccinated short-term visitors no longer need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass Pre-departure test (ART/PCR 2 days prior) remains for travel to Singapore, but may be scrapped in the near future No more on-arrival testing in Singapore

ICA: VTF Checklist

Short-term visitors (i.e. tourists) have historically been required to purchase travel insurance with coverage for COVID-19 medical expenses, but ICA has now confirmed that the requirement will be scrapped as well. 

While it’s still a good idea to buy travel insurance in general, this will be highly beneficial for Malaysians making day-trips to Singapore through the land border, which will reopen on 1 April 2022 as well. 

No more travel insurance required to visit Singapore

Currently, short-term visitors are required to purchase travel insurance with at least S$30,000 of coverage for COVID-19 medical treatment and hospitalisation. 

From 1 April 2022, fully vaccinated short-term visitors will not be required to purchase travel insurance anymore, as per an update on the ICA’s website on travel insurance (emphasis mine):

Short-term visitors who are not fully vaccinated and are required to have travel insurance for their COVID-19-related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs in Singapore should ensure that their insurance has a minimum coverage of S$30,000 (based on COVID-19 bill sizes at private hospitals).

[Note: From 1 April 2022, short-term visitors who are fully vaccinated are not required to have travel insurance for their COVID-19 related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs in Singapore for entry into Singapore.]

Of course, it’s generally a good idea to purchase travel insurance anyway, but those visiting Singapore on a day trip and don’t mind rolling the dice (I’m thinking in particular of Malaysians crossing the land border into Singapore) might welcome the new rule. 

As a reminder, the Singapore government recently announced that it would resume paying for COVID-19 treatment for returning Singaporeans, PRs and LTPHs under the VTF. However, short-term visitors remain responsible for any medical bills incurred in Singapore, regardless of vaccination status. 

VTF: Government to pay for COVID-19 treatment for returning Singaporeans, PRs and LTPHs

Visiting Singapore under the Vaccinated Travel Framework

With the latest developments, here’s what travel to Singapore will look like from 1 April 2022:

Vaccination

Singapore defines fully vaccinated travellers as the following: 

Children aged 12 and below in the current calendar year are treated as fully vaccinated regardless of their actual status, provided they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent.

Pre-departure test

Travellers must take a pre-departure COVID-19 test within 2 days of departure to Singapore, which can either be:

• A professionally-administered PCR test
• A professionally-administered antigen rapid test (ART)
• A self-administered ART remotely supervised by an approved ART provider in Singapore (when departing from certain countries, and not valid for short-term visitors)

SG Arrival Card

Travellers must also complete an SG Arrival Card within 3 days of arrival, where information on the following will be requested:

• Personal particulars
• Vaccination status (not required for those vaccinated in Singapore)
• Health declaration

SG Arrival Card submissions via the official website are completely free of charge; beware of lookalike websites that charge a fee!

TraceTogether

TraceTogether is Singapore’s contact tracing and proof-of-vaccination app, and visitors will need to download it and register before arrival. 

Travellers who were vaccinated outside Singapore will be granted temporary vaccinated status lasting about 30 days if they successfully uploaded their digital vaccination certificates as part of their Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) or manually presented their vaccination certificates and the manual immigration counters.

This is required to access restaurants, malls and other vaccinated-only venues in Singapore. Do note that if you’ve taken 2x Sinovac/Sinopharm doses outside of Singapore, you will still be granted temporary vaccinated status for 30 days, notwithstanding the domestic requirement for vaccination recognition is 3x doses. 

Travellers aged 6 or below in this calendar year, and individuals who are unable to use a mobile device due to a certified disability/special need can obtain a TraceTogether token after arrival in Singapore

How is this different from the VTL?

If you previously visited Singapore under the VTL, here’s a quick snapshot of how the requirements will change under the VTF:

What if I test positive in Singapore?

While you won’t be required to do an on-arrival test in Singapore, a COVID-19 infection might be picked up when you take a pre-departure test before returning home. 

Singapore practices home recovery under its Living with COVID-19 strategy, so you won’t be sent to a quarantine facility or hospital anymore (assuming you’re asymptomatic or only encountering mild symptoms). 

For asymptomatic patients and those suffering only mild symptoms, Protocol 2 is prescribed. This involves self-isolation for 72 hours at home or in a hotel. At the end of this 72 hour period, patients can take another self-administered ART, and leave isolation if the test is negative.

Fully vaccinated individuals and children below 12 can automatically exit self-isolation on Day 7, regardless of what their self-administered ART says. 

For more information on the procedure after testing positive in Singapore, refer to this website. 

Conclusion

Singapore will be scrapping the travel insurance requirement for fully vaccinated short-term visitors from 1 April 2022 when the VTF launches. Travel insurance is always advisable, but it’s one less thing to worry about in a process that looks more and more like pre-COVID days. 

Visitors to Singapore may also be pleased to know that we’ve done away with outdoor masking, and increased the maximum group size for dining out and other activities to 10. You can enjoy alcohol any hour of the day, and live music and performances are returning.

And no, you won’t be arrested for chewing gum. 

(HT: Lennard)