Singapore: Authorities to tighten COVID-19 gathering and capacity restrictions July 22-Aug.18 /update 46

Event

Authorities will tighten some gathering and capacity restrictions July 22-Aug. 18 amid increased COVID-19 activity. Under the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) measures, gatherings are capped at two people. Officials allow two distinct visitors per household daily. Authorities continue to require people to practice health protocols, including wearing facemasks in public.

Workers must continue to telecommute as much as possible. Staff who are on-site must adhere to protocols, like staggering their working hours; essential services can continue to operate on-site with full staffing. Authorities prohibit most mask-off activities; exemptions are in place for medical and dental consultations. Shopping malls must adhere to an occupancy limit of 16 square meters (172 square feet) per person. Food establishments may only provide takeaway and delivery services. Live performance, sporting, and religious events may involve up to 100 attendees with pre-event testing or a maximum of 50 without pre-event testing. Individual and group indoor sports activities are suspended.

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 are resuming operations to several locations gradually. 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 remain banned from entry, with exceptions for some humanitarian reasons. Citizens, permanent residents (PR), foreigners that work in Singapore, and their dependents can enter the country. Non-PR foreign nationals must receive official approval before travel; however, authorities have suspended most entry applications, except from designated lower-risk locations Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China, and New Zealand. Foreign nationals without PR who have visited or transited India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka within the previous 21 days are barred. Officials also ban short-term travel for people who visited Australia within 21 days of arrival.

Travelers from Brunei, New Zealand, and China can apply for an Air Travel Pass (ATP) for all purposes. Reciprocal Green Lanes (RGL), which allow official and business travel, are in effect with Brunei and Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in China. Visitors under the program must have a local sponsor, undergo testing 48-72 hours before departure and upon arrival, self-quarantine until receiving a negative test result, and adhere to controlled itineraries for the first 14 days. ATP and RGL applicants must have a minimum of SGD 30,000 travel insurance.

Citizens, PRs, and authorized entrants must submit health declarations online and obtain a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of departure. Singaporean citizens arriving from Malaysia by land can get tested upon arrival. Officials require travelers from Indonesia to undergo testing within 48 hours of departure and undergo on-arrival PCR and rapid antigen testing. Officials may deny entry for returning PRs who land without a negative PCR test result. Travelers from lower-risk locations for 21 days before arrival do not have to undergo pre-departure testing but must take a COVID-19 test upon arrival.

Most inbound passengers must quarantine at designated facilities for 14 days and undergo testing on the last day of quarantine. Authorities allow arrivals from Taiwan or Israel to self-quarantine 14 days, provided they occupy the facility alone or with other arrivals with the same travel history and quarantine duration. Passengers from Australia, Hong Kong, and Macau must self-quarantine at a residence or pre-arranged hotel for seven days and take another COVID-19 test before exiting. Authorities require travelers from Brunei, New Zealand, and mainland China to quarantine only until receiving a negative COVID-19 test result.

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.

Resources

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