Quarantine-free Travel Opened to Singapore from 15 November

Korea-Singapore agreed upon Vaccinated Travel Lane and Mutual Recognition of COVID-19 Certificates of Vaccination

 

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced that the ‘Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between the Republic of Korea and Singapore’ was agreed by the Minister NOH Hyeong Wook and Minister S. Iswaran from the Ministry of Transport in Singapore on the occasion of a virtual conference held on 8 October.

 

The VTL arrangement between the two countries was a result of months-long discussion with relevant ministries involving the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister HWANG Hee, MCST), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minister CHUNG Eui-yong, MOFA), Ministry of Health and Welfare (Minister KWON Deok-cheol, MOHW), and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (Commissioner JEONG Eun-kyeong, KDCA).

 

The new arrangement will allow fully vaccinated people of Korea and Singapore to make free travel to each other without having to serve mandatory quarantine beginning from 15 November. There is no restriction in travel type (individual or group tour) and purpose (business or tourism) as well. Travelers who intend to travel under this scheme should be fully vaccinated with two weeks passed after the final shot and carry their own vaccination certificate issued by the health authorities of departure country along with negative COVID-19 PCR test result certificate issued within a certain period of time.[1] They also need to carry the insurance policy they purchased for covering the medical treatment cost in case of being infected with COVID-19 and other necessary documents such as visa.[2] Moreover, travelers should take non-stop direct flights to enter the destination country. Upon arrival, they get tested for COVID-19 and once the test result proves negative, travelers can go about their activities.

 

Meanwhile, the ‘Mutual Recognition of COVID-19 Certificates of Vaccination’ agreed between the Ministry of Transport of Singapore and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea will function as a basic framework for implementing quarantine-free travel between the two countries. This will mark the first case of mutual recognition of vaccination certificate Korea has been setting out to do with foreign countries. Korea and Singapore agreed to recognize COVID-19 vaccines on the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing with mix-and-match vaccination as well.

 

Director General for Tourism Policy from MCST, Kim, Jangho said, “This mutual agreement between Korea and Singapore is the first to implement free travel for individual travelers entering the country for general travel purposes. The resumption of free and safe international tourism is expected to serve as an opportunity to revitalize and lead the recovery of the tourism and aviation industry.”

 

Reference Note for detailed information will be attached.

 

 

[Reference]

Required Documents and Procedures for Quarantine Exemption

 

              

*Mutual Recognition of Vaccination Certificate

l  Travelers are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the full regimen of a COVID-19 vaccine on the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing, with mix-and-match vaccines acknowledged.

l   Vaccination certificate must be issued in English by the respective competent authorities of Korea and Singapore and presented as an electronic form*.

* Physical form of certificate is acceptable only when presenting an electronic form is not available, and must be obtained at KDCA’s dedicated website (http://nip.kdca.go.kr).

 

   

 *Entry Requirement under Singapore’s VTL scheme

l  Eligible Travelers

-      All nationals who have been fully vaccinated either in ROK or Singapore and travelling on non-stop designated flights from ROK (Incheon Airport) to Singapore (Changi Airport).

*At initial stage, VTL-dedicated flights will be designated temporarily. Notification of flight schedule will  be uploaded at websites of respective airlines.

Currently, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Singapore Airlines are operating between Korea and Singapore. Additional airlines and local airports can be further arranged.

 

l  Application

-      Travelers should apply for VTP (Vaccinated Travel Pass) in advance (between 7 and 30 days before departure to Singapore) at the dedicated website of Singapore (http://safetravel.ica.gov.sg). At the point of application, travelers must upload their valid vaccination certificate.

 

l  Pre-departure Requirement

-      Travelers should stay either in ROK (or Singapore, or VTL countries designated by Singapore) for the last 14 consecutive days before departing for Singapore. Travelers should also make a pre-payment (http://safetravel.changiairport.com) for on-arrival COVID-19 PCR test conducted in Changi Airport and sign up the ‘SG Arrival Card’ within 3 days before entry (https://eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard) and submit their health status and accommodation information for entry into Singapore.

-     Travelers should also undergo a COVID-19 PCR test within 48 hours before departure to Singapore and carry a valid visa (for visa-required visitors) and travel insurance policy with a minimum coverage of S$30,000. They also need to install ‘TraceTogether’ app (http://tracetogether.gov.sg) on their mobile devices for contact tracing purpose.

 

l  Arrival in Singapore

-      Travelers must present a valid VTP, vaccination certificate, negative pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test result done within 48 hours before departure of Singapore-bound flight, a valid visa (for visa-required visitors), an insurance policy during immigration screening, and a mobile device with ‘TraceTogether app’ downloaded.

-     After undergoing the on-arrival COVID-19 PCR test at Changi Airport, travelers must immediately take private transportation or taxi to the declared accommodation (decided during the application for VTP). Travelers are quarantined alone (or with household members who are vaccinated and have the same travel history) until the test result proves to be negative. It takes about 24 hours for the test result to come out.

 

l  During Stay in Singapore

-      Travelers must adhere to the public health measures of Singapore and keep the ‘TraceTogether’ app activated at all times.

*Travelers undergo two COVID-19 PCR tests: ① Before boarding flight, ② Upon arrival.

*Detailed information on overall requirements can be found at Singapore’s dedicated website (http://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/vtl/requirements-and-process).

*VTP application will open on 8 November.

 

l  Return to ROK

-      Travelers who have been fully vaccinated in ROK must carry negative COVID-19 PCR test result certificate issued within 72 hours before boarding flights to ROK. Upon returning, travelers should undergo COVID-19 PCR tests* on Day 1 and Day 6(or Day7) of their arrival to ROK.

*Testing requirement is applied in lieu of quarantine which is exempt for travelers who have been vaccinated in ROK.

 

   

*Quarantine Exemption for Vaccinated Travelers Overseas

l  Eligible Travelers

-      All nationals who have been fully vaccinated in Singapore and travelling on non-stop designated flights from Singapore (Changi Airport) to ROK (Incheon Airport).

* Travelers should check visa requirement.

l  Pre-departure Requirement

-      Travelers should stay either in Singapore or ROK for the last 14 days before departing for ROK.

-      Travelers should carry a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued within 72 hours before departure to ROK and carry travel insurance policy with a minimum coverage of KRW 30 million.

l  Arrival in ROK

-      Travelers must present a valid vaccination certificate, negative pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test result, Travel Record Declaration · Health Declaration Form (filled out on board), a valid visa (for visa-required visitors) and install ‘Self-Check Mobile App’ on their mobile devices.

-      After their sample being collected at the COVID-19 centre in Incheon Airport* at their own expense, travelers should move to their accommodations to wait for the test result. Once the test result proves to be negative, travelers can go about their activities in ROK.

* Travelers should make online reservation in advance (https://safe2gopass.com).

l  During Stay in ROK

-      Travelers should undergo post-arrival COVID-19 PCR tests on Day 6/Day7 of their arrival to ROK at KDCA-approved medical clinics, the list of which will be provided later.

-      Travelers must adhere to the public health measures of ROK and can benefit from domestic vaccine incentives.

※    The existing health guidelines of ROK requires ‘travelers who have been fully vaccinated in ROK’ and ‘travelers who have been fully vaccinated in Singapore and who carry quarantine exemption certificate issued by Korean Embassy in Singapore’ to get COVID-19 PCR tests twice (upon arrival, on Day6 or Day7) at the local health centre under the jurisdiction of the district in which the travelers’ accommodations is located.