Singapore launches 6 new VTLs, including Thailand, Cambodia and Maldives

SINGAPORE - Travellers from Thailand, Cambodia, Fiji, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Turkey will be able to enter Singapore quarantine-free from the middle of next month with the launch of six new vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said on Friday (Nov 26).

This will take the total number of air VTLs announced so far to 27.

Pre-pandemic, these 27 countries contributed to about 60 per cent of the total daily arrivals at Changi Airport, CAAS said.

The new travel lanes will further broaden Changi's network and help reclaim and rebuild Singapore's status as an international aviation hub with global connectivity, CAAS added.

Travellers from Thailand may enter Singapore under the VTL from Dec 14.

Travellers from Cambodia, Fiji, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Turkey may enter Singapore under the VTL from Dec 16.

Under the VTL scheme, fully vaccinated travellers from VTL countries may enter Singapore without quarantine and just need to undergo Covid-19 testing.

Children aged 12 years and below in the calendar year who are not vaccinated will be allowed to travel under the VTL into Singapore if they are accompanied by a VTL traveller who meets all VTL requirements.

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Thailand, Cambodia, Fiji, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Turkey are all in Category Two of the Ministry of Health's Covid-19 risk classification for border measures, and have had similar or lower Covid-19 incidence rates than Singapore and the other VTL countries, CAAS said.

Cambodia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand have already opened their borders to quarantine-free general travel for vaccinated travellers.

Fully vaccinated Singaporeans have been able to travel to Thailand without quarantine since Nov 1 and to Cambodia since Nov 15.

Turkey has also already opened its borders to quarantine-free vaccinated travel from Singapore and the extension of the VTL scheme to the country will enable Singapore to connect with another major aviation hub, CAAS added.

Meanwhile, Fiji will be reopening its borders to vaccinated travellers from Singapore and 39 other countries from Dec 1.

From Monday (Nov 29), the air VTLs with Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia, India, Sweden and Finland will also begin.

Three more VTLs, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, will start on Dec 6; with applications to start on Nov 29.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.