The resumption of overseas travel in the aftermath of COVID-19 was never going to be simple. Several governments are developing and testing various concepts to allow passengers to travel between countries since the end of last year. Air bubbles, vaccine passports, transport corridors, and even a traffic signal system are among these. Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) is the most recent addition to this list. It is still in its early stages. Experts predict it will become a standard for countries that open their doors to immunized visitors.
What is vaccinated travel Lane?
A vaccinated travel lane or VTL is essentially an extension of travel corridors, but only for fully vaccinated travelers. Singapore has created VTLs with two jurisdictions — Germany and Brunei Darussalam. They allow fully vaccinated travelers from these two countries to enter Singapore for any reason without having to go through quarantine. Otherwise, people need to quarantine to travel to Singapore.
How are these VTLs going to work?
Singapore will designate special flights with the countries on the other side of the lane for passengers who have a Singapore government-issued Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP). Passengers who are fully immunized will be eligible to apply for a VTP. It is beginning from September 1 for travel beginning September 8 on the scheduled aircraft. To travel back home under the VTL, Singapore citizens and permanent residents do not need to apply for the VTP.
What do travelers need to do?
Travelers must take both the vaccine doses to apply for a VTP. After obtaining the entire regimen of a WHO-approved vaccine for emergency use, an individual will be counted fully immunized 14 days later. This contains Covishield from the Serum Institute of India.
Individuals must submit VTP applications seven to thirty days before the scheduled date of entry into Singapore. Passengers arriving on VTL planes are no longer need to pass through quarantine. When applying for the VTP, they must still get an RT-PCR test 48 hours before their scheduled departure time and prepay for their post-arrival Day 3 and Day 7 Covid-19 PCR tests. It’s also worth noting that visitors to Singapore must have visited their country or region of origin and/or Singapore within the previous 21 days before departing for Singapore.
Will Passengers who didn’t vaccinate fully be able to travel to Singapore?
Only passengers having a VTP are permissible to board certain flights between Germany and Singapore; (by Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines) and Brunei Darussalam (by Royal Brunei Airlines and Singapore Airlines). However, regular flights from these and other nations that have signed agreements with Singapore would be permissible to fly. Passengers without a VTP cannot travel on certain flights. But they will be subject to strict quarantine restrictions upon arrival in Singapore.
From September 16, German airline Lufthansa will begin flying VTL flights between Frankfurt and Singapore twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays. On September 7, Singapore Airlines will fly VTL flights between Frankfurt and Singapore. Then, on September 8, between Munich and Singapore.