Singapore lifts quarantine for some travelers from Germany and Hong Kong

SINGAPORE – Singapore is reopening its borders to more destinations, and some travelers from Hong Kong, Macau, Germany and Brunei will soon be able to enter without needing a quarantine service.

The city-state announced the lifting of border restrictions for visitors to Hong Kong and Macau, who can apply to enter and enter Singapore immediately, as early as 26 August. According to Transport Minister S Easwaran.

The National Aviation Authority said Singapore would also open a so-called enclosed travel corridor with Germany and Brunei in September. This means Singaporeans can travel to Germany and Brunei, while visitors from these countries can travel to Singapore without quarantine, if conditions are met.

“As an open and small economy, our relationship with the rest of the world is essential, even existential. So we have to reopen,” Iswaran told reporters. “As long as our borders remain closed The greater the risk of permanent damage to our economy, our livelihoods and our status as an aviation hub.”

Singapore unilaterally opens its borders to travelers Taiwan and New Zealand and most visitors are from mainland China. The Southeast Asian country has closed its borders with Australia and Vietnam after the virus reappeared in both those countries.

Travelers to Hong Kong and Macau, regardless of their vaccination status, can apply for an air transport permit to enter Singapore.

They will need to undergo a COVID test upon arrival in Singapore and self-isolate until they test negative. Quarantine service will not be required.

Visitors must spend 21 consecutive days in Hong Kong or Macau before traveling to Singapore.

The arrangement is one-way, meaning people traveling from Singapore to Hong Kong or Macau will be subject to the rules of each destination.

For example, Singapore is classified as a medium-risk country in Hong Kong. People arriving from Singapore will need to be isolated for seven to 21 days, depending on their vaccination status, among other factors.

Singapore’s arrangements with Germany and Brunei only allow fully vaccinated travelers to leave the quarantine. They will have to pass four COVID tests – one two days before departure, one on arrival, one on the third day and one on the seventh day.

If the travel corridor with Germany is successfully launched in September, it will be the first time Singaporeans will be able to travel to any country without quarantine, since the city-state closed its borders last year. Singapore has twice postponed its travel bubble with Hong Kong due to rising COVID cases.

Travel requests from Germany or Brunei to Singapore will open on 1 September, conditions include:

• Travel on dedicated non-stop Vaccinated Travel Route (VTL) flights;
• Be in Germany or Brunei for 21 consecutive days prior to travel;
• Download the Singapore Contact Finder App.

German Ambassador to Singapore Norbert Riedel said the arrangement “is a welcome step and seems appropriate in light of Singapore’s successful vaccination campaign”.

“We are confident that those traveling under the VTL program will demonstrate the necessary self-discipline and self-responsibility in meeting the required testing requirements,” he said in a statement.

Speaking at the virtual press conference, Easwaran said: “Strong travel corridors with Germany and Brunei represent a calculated start to the resumption of air travel with a core set of safety measures. We have chosen to start with these two countries based on a comprehensive and operational risk assessment. “

According to Data in Our World, approximately 57% of Germany’s population has been fully vaccinated, compared to Singapore’s 71.3%. Only 11.9% of Brunei’s population is fully vaccinated.

Singapore’s Ministry of Health said in a statement, “The high vaccination rate of our population now gives us the basis for introducing differentiated vaccination measures across borders for travelers from countries/regions that have well controlled the epidemic and It has also vaccinated a large part of its population.” . a press release.

Correction: This story has been updated to accurately reflect that if the travel corridor with Germany is implemented, it will be the first time Singaporeans will be able to travel for leisure without quarantine since last year The city-state had closed its borders. The text has also been amended to more accurately describe the terms of the new rules.