How to travel from India to Singapore through the Vaccinated Travel Lane

Travellers from India must travel on VTL-designated services to Singapore. The VTL will commence with six designated flights which will operate daily from Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has reached an agreement with the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India on resuming scheduled commercial passenger flights between Singapore and India.

Starting 29 November 2021 (Monday), there will be a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) from India to Singapore, with six designated VTL flights daily from Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai. 

Under the VTL, fully vaccinated travellers from VTL countries may enter Singapore without quarantine, and just need to undergo on-arrival COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test. Further, children aged 12 years and below who are not vaccinated will be allowed to travel under the VTL into Singapore, if they are accompanied by a VTL traveller who meets all VTL requirements.

In terms of paperwork, only travellers who are short-term visitors and long-term pass holders from India will need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) to enter Singapore under the VTL. Singaporeans and permanent residents need not apply for VTP.

Applications for VTP will open today (22 November 2021) at 1800 hours. Applications are open for intended dates of entry from 29 November 2021 to 21 January 2022 (seven to 60 calendar days ahead).

Those who intend to enter Singapore after 1 December 2021 (Wednesday) are encouraged to apply after 24 November 2021.

Travellers flying on non-VTL flights into Singapore will be subject to the prevailing public health requirements based on the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH)’s country/region classification for border measures, which is the stringent Category II.

What is needed to apply for a VTP?

VTP applicants should have the following information on hand:

• Passport;
• Digital proof of vaccination, and
• Address in Singapore for self-isolation pending the results of their on-arrival COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test.

CAAS noted that short-term visitors who require a visa for travel to Singapore must separately obtain a visa—and they are advised to do so after receiving their VTP approval and before departing for Singapore.

"They must also purchase travel insurance, with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 for COVID-19-related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs, prior to travel to Singapore. In Singapore, these visitors must also use the TraceTogether app to facilitate contact tracing," CAAS added.

What to take note of in the Singapore-India VTL

With that, CAAS has detailed the following general VTL requirements to note, which all travellers entering Singapore must comply with.

• Travel History

VTL travellers must have remained only in one or more of the VTL countries, or a country/region in Category I of Singapore MOH’s Country/Region Classification for Border Measures in the last 14 consecutive days prior to departure to Singapore. If the traveller has been in Singapore within those last 14 days, his/her stay in Singapore can be counted towards fulfilling this 14-day travel history requirement.

• Testing

All VTL travellers must take two COVID-19 tests:

• A pre-departure test, which must be a PCR test or a professionally-administered Antigen Rapid Test (ART), within two days before departing for Singapore and obtain a negative test result, and
• An on-arrival PCR test at Changi Airport and remain self-isolated until their test result is confirmed to be negative.

Children aged 2 years and below in the calendar year[5] are not required to undergo these tests.

• Vaccination

All VTL travellers must have been fully vaccinated, and present a digital proof of vaccination that is recognised by the Singapore authorities, issued in any VTL country or Singapore. They are also encouraged to submit their health declaration via the SG Arrival Card e-service[10] prior to departure for Singapore.

Children, aged 12 years and below in the calendar year, are not required to present proof of vaccination to enter Singapore under the VTL if they are accompanied by a VTL traveller who meets all VTL requirements for entry into Singapore.

As for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are not vaccinated in Singapore, they are strongly encouraged to also submit their overseas vaccination certificate in their health declaration as part of the SG Arrival Card submission. Those who are, on the other hand, vaccinated in Singapore are not required to submit their vaccination certificates.

Short-term visitors and long-term pass holders, who are required to apply for a VTP, are also not required to upload their vaccination certificates as part of the SG Arrival Card submission, as their vaccination certificates will be verified as part of the VTP application.

• Designated VTL Flights

Travellers who are travelling to Singapore under the VTL must travel into Singapore on designated VTL flights. They may also transit via another VTL country to take a designated VTL flight into Singapore—this is however subject to the prevailing transfer/transit requirements of that VTL country.

"There will be no restrictions on the purpose of travel under the VTL arrangement and no requirement for a controlled itinerary or sponsor," CAAS noted.

Related: FAQs on Singapore's Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL): Who is eligible, how you can apply for a VTP, and more

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