No More COVID-19 Test Needed Before Entering Singapore For Fully Vaccinated Travelers Starting 26 April 2022

On 22 April 2022, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that all fully vaccinated travelers entering Singapore via land, air, and sea checkpoints will no longer have to take a pre-departure COVID-19 test starting 26 April 2022.

Presently, the Singapore authority has made it compulsory for travelers to take a pre-departure COVID-19 test before entering Singapore. This measure will soon be scraped starting 26 April 2022.

“With this move, it will mean that fully vaccinated and healthy travellers will not require any test prior to entering Singapore,” said MOH.

Non-fully vaccinated children under the age of 12 are also excused from the pre-departure COVID-19 test. 

The move is the latest in a series of efforts made by the Singapore authority within this few weeks to ease travel restrictions, including the opening of land border on 1 April 2022 and the removal of COVID-19 test upon arrival. 

Applying for Approval to Enter Singapore

Starting 1 May 2022, fully vaccinated non-Malaysian work permit holders also no longer need to apply for entry approvals to enter Singapore, said MOH. 

This includes non-Malaysian work permit holders holding an in-principle approval in the Construction, Marine Shipyard and Process (CMP) sectors.

However, they are still required to book a slot at a centre to undergo onboarding upon arrival.

Employers of these workers must use the new Onboard Booking system to secure onboarding slots before their workers arrive in Singapore, Ministry of Manpower said.

The same requirement is needed for work permit holders from China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan starting 1 May 2022. 

“This simplifies the entry processes through a convenient one-stop service for such employers,” said MOM.

Rules for Non-Fully Vaccinated Travelers

Entry requirements for non-fully vaccinated travellers will remain unchanged, said MOH.

Non-fully travellers aged 13 and above must take a pre-departure test within two days before arriving Singapore, undergo a seven-day quarantine, and take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test at the end of the notice. 

Non-fully vaccinated Long-Term Pass Holders (LTPHs) and Short-Term Visitors (STVs) aged 13 and above are still not allowed to enter Singapore. However, the authority provides an exception case for LTPHs who are medically ineligible for vaccines, LTPHs and STVs with other valid entry approval such as for compassionate reasons, and LTPHs aged 13 to 17.

All LTPHs aged 13 and above, arriving from 1 July 2022, must be fully vaccinated, unless they are medically ineligible for vaccines.

This is in light of the “increased availability of vaccines globally for those aged between 13 and 17,” MOH said.