Singapore extends VTLs to more areas in Malaysia, Indonesia, and India; to begin VTLs with Vietnam and Greece from 16 March

Beyond that, Singapore has also updated its travel history requirements to include the entire European Economic Area (EEA), to enable greater flexibility for travellers visiting or coming from Europe to plan their journeys.

Starting 16 March 2022 (Wednesday), the Malaysia-Singapore air Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) will extend beyond Kuala Lumpur to include Penang, starting with four daily flights each way between Singapore and Penang, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) had announced.

Similarly, effective the same date (16 March), the VTL for Indonesia will extend beyond Jakarta to include Bali-Denpasar, starting with two daily flights from Bali-Denpasar to Singapore; and the VTL for India will also extend beyond Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai to include all Indian cities. The CAAS said that these changes in VTLs can further facilitate business and people-to-people flows, and bring greater convenience and choice for travellers.

Singapore introduces VTLs with Greece and Vietnam

On top of the aforementioned extensions, the CAAS also shared that, in the same period, Singapore will be expanding its VTL to Greece and Vietnam, and travellers from both countries may enter Singapore under the VTL on or after 16 March 2022. Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) applications for the two countries will open on 13 March 2022 at 1000 hours SGT.

Short-term visitors and work permit holders eligible to travel on the VTL must apply for a VTP to enter Singapore under the VTL.  It is noted that among work permit holders, non-Malaysian male work permit holders in the construction, marine shipyard and process sector, or work permit holders who are staying in dormitories, are not allowed to enter Singapore under the VTL.

"Other work permit holders will be required to apply for VTP to enter Singapore under the VTL," the CAAS reiterated.

Meanwhile, fully-vaccinated Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents, all other long-term pass holders and In-Principle Approval (IPA) holders, and children aged 12 years and below in the calendar year do not need to apply for a VTP to enter Singapore under the VTL.

With the addition of Greece, Singapore will have established two-way quarantine-free travel with all countries in Europe that have direct flights to Singapore. And with Vietnam, the CAAS said that the VTL will restore "a two-way quarantine-free travel", with Vietnam having been "a popular destination for many Singaporeans" during pre-COVID times.

Updates to travel history requirement for travellers to & fro Europe

To enable greater flexibility for travellers visiting or coming from Europe to plan their journeys, the CAAS said that Singapore will also broaden the travel history requirement for the VTL to include the entire European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA, which consists of the 27 European Union member states including Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, allows the free movement of persons between these countries.

"The broadening of travel history requirement will apply to travellers entering Singapore on or after 16 March 2022," the CAAS explained.

"With this, travellers who have been in any country in the EEA (including any transit stops) within the last seven consecutive days prior to departure to Singapore, may count his/her stay in the EEA country towards fulfilling the seven-day VTL travel history requirement."

View Minister for Transport S Iswaran's post on these updates below:

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Image / Minister for Transport S Iswaran's LinkedIn

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