Singapore: Officials require negative COVID-19 test result for returning citizens, permanent residents from 23:59 May 29 /update 42

Event

Authorities will require returning Singaporean citizens and permanent residents (PRs) to obtain a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result within 72 hours before departure from 23:59 May 29 due to COVID-19 concerns. Officials may deny entry for returning citizens and PRs who arrive in Singapore without a negative PCR test result. Exceptions are in place for travelers who have been in a lower-risk location for 21 consecutive days before the trip; lower-risk locations include Australia, Brunei, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and New Zealand. Citizens and PRs who test positive while overseas may still return to Singapore on a medevac flight.

Tightened gathering and other restrictions remain in effect nationwide through June 13. Gatherings are limited to two people. Employees must allow workers to telecommute as much as possible. Staff who are on-site have to adhere to protocols, like staggering their working hours and avoiding social gatherings at their workplace. Dining in at food establishments remains suspended, though takeaway and delivery orders are still allowed. Officials have tightened occupancy limits at retail shopping venues to 16 square meters per person. Essential services can continue to operate on-site with full staffing. Authorities may further tighten gathering restrictions in the coming days.

The government continues to maintain 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 07:00-19:00 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. 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 departure, undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests upon arrival, and serve stay-home notices (SHN) for 21 days at dedicated facilities. Individuals arriving from Fiji and Taiwan can undergo 21-day quarantines at dedicated facilities, with the option of serving the last seven days at their residence. Arrivals who have been in Australia, Brunei, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, or New Zealand for 21 continuous days before entering Singapore can quarantine for seven days in their residences. People applying to enter Singapore under the Air Travel Pass (ATP) and Reciprocal Green Lanes (RGL) schemes must have a minimum of SGD 30,000 (USD 22,609) travel insurance for medical treatment costs should they test positive for COVID-19 in Singapore.

Brunei has suspended the RGL program with Singapore as of May 27. Singaporean officials continue to suspend RGL schemes with Germany, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea until further notice. The schemes allow people to travel to and from Singapore for business and official reasons. People who have obtained approval to travel to Singapore under the programs can continue to do so. A similar scheme is currently in place with 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 entity, seek prior approval from Singaporean authorities, and test negative for COVID-19 between 48 and 72 hours before departure. Travelers must test for COVID-19 upon arrival, remain at their accommodations until the test returns negative, and adhere to controlled itineraries for the first 14 days of their visit.

Individuals with recent travel history to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, or Sri Lanka are subject to additional entry restrictions. Long-term pass holders and short-term visitors are barred from entering Singapore if they have been in any of the specified countries within the previous 14 days. Long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who have been to South Africa or the UK within the last 14 days can enter Singapore, provided they obtain official approval before travel.

Travelers under the Business Travel Pass (BTP) scheme must undergo PCR tests on the third, seventh, and fourteenth days following 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 isolation requirements upon return.

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