Singapore adding Indonesia, India, the UAE and others to its quarantine-free VTL scheme

More VTL expansion news this week, both regionally and slightly further afield, with the Singapore Government confirming that Indonesia and India will join the scheme on 29th November, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Saudi Arabia on 6th December.

These latest VTL additions will mean Singapore has opened VTLs with 21 countries, providing a wide range of options for quarantine-free travel including both regional and long-haul options.

Singapore Vaccinated Travel Lanes

Already Running	🇦🇺 Australia 🇧🇳 Brunei 🇩🇪 Germany 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇷 France 🇮🇹 Italy 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇰🇷 South Korea 🇪🇸 Spain 🇨🇭 Switzerland 🇬🇧 UK 🇺🇸 USA
From 29 Nov	🇫🇮 Finland 🇮🇳 India 🇮🇩 Indonesia 🇲🇾 Malaysia 🇸🇪 Sweden
From 6 Dec	🇶🇦 Qatar 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 🇦🇪 UAE

Excellent news for transits

With the UAE and Qatar in particular joining the VTL, it’s great news for more competitive fares and redemption options to the likes of Europe and the USA for those taking VTL trips from the Lion City.

That’s because Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways will become transit options on these trips, hopefully also including designated VTL services on the way back to Singapore, assuming those carriers also pick up a decent selection of designated VTL flights to Changi.

Transits with Emirates via Dubai will soon be possible on VTL trips. (Photo: Dubai Airports)

How the VTL works

In almost all cases, the VTL is a one-way arrangement from an overseas country to Singapore.

Here’s a reminder of the key process and requirements.

Singapore
Vaccinated Travel Lanes

Key Features

Must have stayed in a VTL country/region and/or Singapore for 14 days
Travel to Singapore on designated ‘VTL flights’
No restrictions on travel purpose or itineraries
Must be fully vaccinated in Singapore or any VTL country, with an accepted digital proof of vaccination
Unvaccinated children aged 12 or under can accompany their parents
Visitors and Singapore pass holders must apply for a VTP in advance
COVID-19 tests replace quarantine / Stay-Home Notice in Singapore

VTL: All you need to know

There are some additional requirements for the VTLs with South Korea and Australia.

As part of this announcement, the daily cap on all VTL arrivals into Singapore will be lifted to 10,000 travellers.

Are these VTLs two-way?

The UAE and Saudi Arabia already accept fully vaccinated travellers from Singapore, as does India from today.

Qatar imposes arrival quarantine on fully vaccinated tourists arriving from Singapore.

Process when travelling to VTL countries

🇶🇦 Qatar

Pre-departure

Register at least 3 days prior to arrival.
Take a PCR test within 72 hours of your arrival time in Qatar.
Complete the “Undertaking and Acknowledgment Form” before arrival.

Post-arrival

A two-day hotel quarantine is required, with a PCR test taken 36 hours after arrival.

Note: Passengers in transit through Qatar are exempt from the above.

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

Pre-departure

Obtain a tourism visa, or be an existing visa holder.
Register at least 72 hours before departure.
Take a PCR test within 72 hours of the departure time of your last direct flight to Saudi Arabia (travellers aged 8 or older).
Download and register the Tawakkalna application before departure.

Post-arrival

There are no quarantine requirements for travellers fully vaccinated with Pfizer, Oxford AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

🇦🇪 UAE

Pre-departure

Singapore citizens do not require a visa in advance (30-day Visa on arrival is issued).
Take a PCR test within 72 hours of the departure time of your last direct flight to the UAE (travellers aged 12 or older).
If you are fully vaccinated and your vaccine was administered in France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland or the UAE, or if you are a UAE citizen, you are exempt from pre-departure testing.

Post-arrival

You must download the COVID19 – DXB Smart App (iOS / Android).
Subject to health screening, you may need to take another COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival. If you are asked to take a test at the airport, you must remain in your hotel or residence until you receive the test result.

We are awaiting details of any specific extra safeguards that may be put in place by Indonesia, not to mention Malaysia, the latter also launching its VTL on 29th November alongside Finland and Sweden.

“CAAS will provide more details on the VTL for Malaysia nearer the end of the week.”
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore

The UAE will join the VTL on 6th December 2021. (Photo: Shutterstock)

There is also a question over how VTL arrivals from Indonesia might be processed by sea (i.e. from Batam and Bintan), though at this stage it’s probably safe to assume the scheme will initially be for air travel arrivals only.

VTL designated flights

Singapore Airlines will operate daily designated VTL flights from Jakarta and Dubai to Changi, based on the following schedule.

SIA also tags its designated VTL flights on its website and mobile app.

SIA tags its VTL flights on its booking engine

Scoot is currently operating three times weekly flights from Jeddah to Singapore, and it seems likely some or all of these will join the VTL scheme from 6th December onwards.

Let’s hope we get a good range of designated VTL options from non-SIA carriers confirmed in the coming days.

Watch this space for further updates.

Vaccination certificate requirements

If you’re fully vaccinated in one of these new VTL countries, one of the key aspects you’ll need to know is how to prove your vaccination status when travelling to Singapore via the VTL.

Details are limited right now, with the exception of 🇮🇳 India where ICA has stated:

Vaccination certificates in the Digital Infrastructure for Vaccination Open Credentialing (DIVOC) standard, such as those within India’s Co-WIN platform (from 29 November).

Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP)

Those entering Singapore on a VTL flight who are not Singapore Citizens or Permanent residents will have to apply for a VTP 7-60 days prior to departure.

VTP applications for those arriving from 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 🇮🇳 India will open on 22nd November 2021, alongside those for travellers from previously announced countries Finland, Malaysia and Sweden.
VTP applications for those arriving from the 🇦🇪 UAE, 🇶🇦 Qatar and 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia will open on 29th November 2021.

Our VTL experience

We travelled over to Frankfurt in early September and flew back via the inaugural Germany – Singapore VTL flight on 7th September 2021 in First Class. Here’s a step-by-step summary of our experience, which may help you decide whether to give it a try yourself.