With countries around the world remaining on alert over the new Omicron COVID-19 variant, France has become the latest country on Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) list to impose pre-departure testing for travellers before they check in for their flights.
This new decree (French) follows the government’s weekly Defence Council meeting, where it was agreed to tighten the country’s entry requirements, even for fully vaccinated travellers who were previously exempt from pre-departure testing.
See this statement from the French Embassy in Singapore.
Singapore is currently on France’s “orange list”, meaning only fully vaccinated travellers can visit without needing an essential reason, and without any quarantine requirement.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers aged 12 or over aren’t allowed to visit France from “orange list” countries for non-essential reasons.
New PDT requirements
Effective for arrivals from Saturday 4th December 2021, all travellers from Singapore to France will require:
- A PCR or ART test conducted no more than 48 hours prior to departure.
For those taking non-stop services to Paris from Changi, the first flights to be affected are:
- SQ336 departing at 00:15 on Saturday 4th December
- AF257 departing at 23:05 on Saturday 4th December
In the SQ336 example on 4th December, you’ll therefore need a negative PCR test result or an eligible* ART test result from a swab taken on or after 00:15 on Thursday 2nd December (-48h).