2,409 Vaccinated Travel Passes issued for entry to S'pore from 8 countries, UK tops the chart

More visitors to Singapore.

Ashley Tan | October 13, 2021, 06:04 PM

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Singapore recently extended its Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) to include a slew of other countries like the U.S., UK, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

This adds to the other VTL countries Germany, Brunei and South Korea.

Do you need a VTP?

Applications for the Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) opened from Oct. 12.

Singaporeans and Permanent Residents may return to Singapore under the VTL without a VTP, as well as children aged 12 and below (born in or after 2009), according to the ICA website.

This is on the condition that they adhere to Singapore's full vaccination requirements.

However, fully vaccinated short-term visitors and long-term pass holders are still required to apply for a VTP if they want to enter Singapore.

Most visitors from UK

As of Oct. 12, 2359 hours, a total of 2,409 VTPs have been issued for travellers from the aforementioned eight countries to enter Singapore between Oct. 19 and Nov. 17.

Here's the breakdown of the number of VTPs issued per country, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

Of the eight countries, around 40.5 per cent of travellers are from the UK.

Meanwhile, applications for VTPs for Brunei Darussalam and Germany opened on Sep. 1.

A total of 5,228 VTPs were issued for travellers to enter Singapore between Sep. 8 and Nov. 17.

A large majority of the travellers are from Germany.

Director-General of CAAS, Han Kok Juan, said that they are "heartened by the good take-up", and expect these numbers to increase towards the end of the year.

Quota of VTL travellers entering Singapore may be adjusted

There are currently VTLs for a total of 11 countries.

CAAS revealed that they are extending VTLs in a "cautious and step-by-step manner without compromising public health".

There are around 3,000 travellers under the VTLs each day, which include Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents, short-term visitors and long-term pass holders.

Singapore-based and foreign airlines will operate the designated VTL flights.

The airlines are planning the flights they wish to operate based on their respective commercial considerations and will announce their plans when ready, CAAS stated.

CAAS will monitor the demand and may adjust the quota of VTL travellers entering Singapore if necessary.

Strict requirements

Under the VTL arrangement, there will be no restrictions on the purpose of travel and no requirement for a controlled itinerary or sponsor.

All travellers under the VTL scheme will have to comply strictly with the conditions of travel, and are required to present vaccination certificates issued in any VTL country or Singapore.

Children under 12 do not need to present proof of vaccination if they are accompanied by an adult who meets the above requirement.

Travellers must have remained in one or more of the VTL countries and/or Singapore in the last 14 consecutive days prior to their departure for Singapore.

Travellers under the VTL scheme are also required to undergo two Covid-19 PCR tests — one pre-departure test within 48 hours before departing to Singapore, and another on-arrival at Changi Airport.

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