Singapore: Authorities continue to adjust COVID-19 restrictions as of Feb. 10 /update 34

Event

Authorities continue to adjust rules as of Feb. 10 to stem the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Singaporeans, permanent residents (PRs), and long-term pass holders with travel history to Vietnam within the last two weeks must undergo an on-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, serve 14 days of stay-home notice (SHN) at a dedicated facility, and undergo another PCR test at the end of the SHN period from 2359 Feb. 12. Returning long-term pass holders must take a PCR test within 72 hours before departure, on top of existing rules. Arrivals from Vietnam may opt to serve SHN at their residence if they fulfill some conditions, such as occupying the place alone or with household members serving SHN with the same travel history. Short-term travelers who have been in Vietnam in the past 14 days are banned from entering Singapore.

Starting 2359 Feb. 10, officials will exempt arrivals from Australia's New South Wales (NSW) from SHN requirements if they obtain a negative result of an on-arrival PCR test. Additionally, authorities will allow short-term travelers for any purposes from NSW to enter without quarantine requirements if they obtain a negative result from an on-arrival PCR test from Feb. 16. Short-term travelers must also adhere to other rules, including applying for an Air Travel Pass (ATP) before the trips.

Authorities require travelers under the Business Travel Pass (BTP) scheme to undergo PCR tests on the third, seventh, and fourteenth day of their return to Singapore, as well as a serology test on the third day. The program allows Singapore-based senior business executives to travel overseas regularly for work purposes and be exempt from SHN requirements upon returning to Singapore. The affected travelers must also avoid events with more than eight participants within 14 days of returning to Singapore.

Domestic rules remain in place. Social gatherings are limited to eight people. Employees can work on-site for up to half of their working hours daily; a maximum of 50 percent of staff may be present at the workplace at a given time. Other curbs, such as spacing work stations one meter apart from each other, remain in place. Authorities encourage companies to stagger working hours. Essential services, including medical and food retailers, can operate on-site with full staff capacity.

The government maintains its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) at Orange, the second-highest level, indicating some human-to-human transmission in the country. Authorities continue to require people to practice health protocols, including wearing facemasks in public. Foreign workers staying in dormitories must download the TraceTogether application and FWMOMCare health monitoring application.

The Johor Causeway, which links Singapore to Malaysia, is open 0700-1900 daily. State carrier Singapore Airlines (SQ) and its subsidiaries, Scoot (TR) and SilkAir (MI), continue to suspend most flights but plan to resume operations to several locations gradually. Singapore-based airline JetStar Asia Airways (3K) has resumed some routes. Foreigners flying from select cities with several airlines, including SQ, TR, and MI, can transit via Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).

Travel Restrictions
Most short-term visa holders, including work pass holders who do not provide essential services, remain banned from entering Singapore. Long-term visit pass and student pass holders must apply for official approval before traveling to Singapore. Incoming passengers must submit online health declarations up to three days before arrival. Foreign nationals traveling from most locations must test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours before the trip. All passengers must undergo PCR tests upon arrival in Singapore. People applying to enter Singapore under the ATP and Reciprocal Green Lanes (RGL) schemes must have a minimum SGD 30,000 (USD 22,500) travel insurance for COVID-19 medical treatment costs should they test positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Singapore.

Arrivals from most locations must undergo SHN for 14 days at designated facilities. Travelers who spent the previous two weeks in mainland China, Macau, and Taiwan can serve a seven-day SHN in their residence. Arrivals from Fiji, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, and Thailand can serve a two-week SHN at their residence if they fulfill some requirements, including having spent the previous 14 days in the aforementioned locations and serving SHN at the accommodation alone or with other travelers with the same travel history. Long-term pass holders and short-term travelers who have been in South Africa and the UK within the previous 14 days cannot enter Singapore. Singaporean citizens and PRs with recent travel history in the UK are subject to a two-week quarantine at dedicated SHN facilities and subsequently a one-week self-quarantine at their residence.

Officials have suspended RGL schemes for business and official reasons with Germany, Malaysia, and South Korea through April 30; similar programs with Indonesia and Japan are suspended until further notice. People who have obtained approval to travel to Singapore under the schemes can continue to do so. Similar programs are currently in place for travel with Brunei, as well as Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces and Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin municipalities in mainland China. Travelers entering Singapore under the programs must have a sponsoring Singaporean government agency or company, seek prior approval from Singaporean authorities, and test negative for COVID-19 within 48-72 hours before departure. Travelers must test for COVID-19 again upon arrival, remain at their accommodation until the test returns negative, and adhere to controlled itineraries for the first 14 days of their visit.

Authorities currently allow entry for all travelers from Brunei, mainland China, New Zealand, Taiwan, and areas in Australia outside of NSW. The passengers must have remained in the mentioned locations for the last 14 days, apply for an ATP before entry, and self-isolate until on-arrival test results are ready. Travelers who test negative are exempt from SHN requirements.

Advice

Consider postponing travel if affected by travel restrictions. Confirm flight status before checking out of accommodation and departing for the airport. Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments.

Resources

Ministry of Health Singapore
TraceTogether Mobile Application
Immigration and Checkpoints Authority
Safe Travel Portal