Vaccinated Travel Lanes are being set up with nine more countries that have higher inoculation rates.
The New York skyline as seen from the Rockefeller Center. (Photo: Mathilde Paret/Unsplash)
Singapore residents planning a long-awaited overseas trip now have plenty more options to choose from. Banking on the success of the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme that began with Germany and Brunei last month, the city-state will expand the reciprocal arrangement to include Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States from October 19, with South Korea being added on November 15.
This means it will soon be possible for Singaporeans who have been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna coronavirus jabs to visit multiple countries on the same itinerary without self-isolating at either end of the trip. Residents do not need to serve a Stay-Home Notice if they return aboard a designated VTL flight and have no travel history (including transits) outside the approved areas. Singaporean citizens and permanent residents wishing to enter all VTL countries except for Brunei are not subject to any quarantine restrictions.
Short-term visitors and long-term pass holders heading to Singapore must apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass between seven and 30 days before the date of entry. All visitors will also need to have travel insurance with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 (roughly US$22,175) in case of Covid-19-related medical treatment and hospitalization, and use the TraceTogether app during their stay. Singapore citizens and permanent residents will not need to apply for the Vaccinated Travel Pass, but they must show their vaccination status on the HealthHub app, or present proof of being jabbed at check-in.
The European Union Digital Covid Certificate (EUDCC) issued by any VTL country and the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) Covid passes are accepted for travel to Singapore. For travelers vaccinated in Canada or the U.S., only vaccination certificates issued in the SMART Health Card (SHC) format on the Common Trust Network will be recognized.
In response to the news, Singapore Airlines says it will ramp up flight frequencies from 10 destinations in the coming weeks. From October 19, the carrier will operate new VTL services from Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Milan, New York, Paris, Rome, London, and Los Angeles. Those from Seoul are set to begin on November 16.
