Singapore to accept fully vaccinated Filipino tourists starting March 4
After closing its borders to leisure travel for most tourists since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Singapore is set to welcome more travelers, including Filipinos, through its “Vaccinated Travel Lane” (VTL) program, starting March 4.
The VTL program allows visitors to enter the country through designated VTL flights without the need to quarantine upon arrival. Included in the program are short-term visitors or tourists.
Under the program, visitors must be fully vaccinated with World Health Organization emergency use vaccines. According to Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, one is considered fully vaccinated if he or she has received the full regimen of WHO EUL vaccines at least two weeks before arrival in Singapore.
Unvaccinated travelers who are 12 years old and below can travel to Singapore via the VTL if they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated traveler.
Pre-pandemic, one can just plan a trip to Singapore, which is visa-free for Philippine passport holders, with the basics of international travel—passport, plane tickets, accommodation and money.
But as the pandemic has rewritten the rules of travel, below are other conditions and requirements that one needs to be allowed entry in the Lion City.
- Apply for a Vaccine Travel Pass (VTP). These VTPs or entry approval are needed for most travelers visiting Singapore. Each VTP is valid up to 13 days after the chosen date of entry. Applications for those coming from the Philippines will open on March 1, 10 a.m.
- Generate proof of vaccination. Travelers must have an accepted proof of vaccination. For the Philippines, the COVID-19 vaccination certificate via VaxCertPH is accepted.
- Negative pre-departure COVID-19 RT-PCR or proof of recovery. The test should be taken within two days before departure for Singapore.
- COVID-19 insurance policy. All short-term visitors to Singapore need to have travel insurance with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 for their COVID-19 related treatment and hospitalization costs in Singapore.
- Have only traveled to or transited via VTL countries and regions in the last 14 consecutive days before departure for Singapore. Active VTL countries include Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Click here for the complete list.
- Arrive on a designated VTL flight. The Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority reminds travelers that not all flights departing from one’s country or region of origin is a VTL flight. Travelers are encouraged to check their chosen airlines if they are approved to operate designated VTL flights.