Singapore halves the number of Covid tests for vaccinated travellers
It’s about to get easier and less expensive to visit the city-state.
By David Flynn, October 11 2021
Singapore has reduced the number of Covid-19 tests for countries in its ‘Vaccinated Travel Lane’ (VTL) program, in a move which will save around SGD$200 per traveller as the country continues its drive to reopen.
Largely isolated from the world since the pandemic began in early 2020, Singapore now allows visitors from almost a dozen countries to enter the island-state without quarantine.
That roster now includes the UK and the USA, Canada, Germany, France, Spain and South Korea – with an expectation that Australia will soon be added to the list.
The VTL scheme will now also require only two Covid-19 tests, rather than four, which will help to reduce both cost and inconvenience to travellers.
In addition to being fully vaccinated, passengers on all flights to Singapore will still need to undergo a Covid-19 PCR test within 48 hours before their flight departs, with a second PCR test taken on arrival at Singapore's Changi Airport.
However, the requirement for two additional PRC tests during their stay in Singapore, on the third and seventh day after arrival "to ensure public health and safety", has been dropped.
Both of those tests had to be done at a Government-recognised and accredited clinic, at a cost of SGD$94 each.
Some form of Covid-19 travel insurance for visitors is still mandatory for any "Covid-19-related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs in Singapore, with a minimum coverage of SGD$30,000," advises Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.
Also read: When Australia’s borders reopen, will travel insurance cover Covid-19?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Mar 2013
Total posts 25
Great news, thanks David.
05 Oct 2017
Total posts 520
Every country is following the same script. Thailand has recently (effective October 1) reduced the number of post arrival tests required from 3 down to 2 (for all travellers, vaccinated and unvaccinated) and starting November 1, like Singapore, there will only be an on arrival test for the 10 nationalities permitted to enter quarantine-free. On December 1 and January 1 respectively, more countries will be added and it is hoped that by January 1 the entire world will be welcome again.
I hope they scrap the on arrival tests in both Thailand and Singapore (and everywhere else) soon and eventually the pre departure test too.
Once land borders reopen, testing will be complicated in countries with poor infrastructure, so it will be difficult to impose as an entry requirement. Of course, that all remains to be seen.
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