An upcoming air travel bubble with Hong Kong, multiple green lanes for business and official travel between Singapore and selected countries, and the unilateral opening of borders to places such as New Zealand and Brunei.
These are part of measures to reopen Singapore's borders and revive the Changi air hub. Which countries are on this list and what are the rules for travellers when they arrive here?
1. UNILATERAL OPENING OF BORDERS TO TRAVELLERS FROM:
• Brunei, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia and mainland China
• Unilateral openings are a standing invitation from Singapore to these countries, which have comprehensive public health surveillance systems and have successfully controlled Covid-19's spread.
• Visitors here have to apply for the Air Travel Pass for entry - this allows for all forms of short-term travel, including leisure travel.
• Visitors have to take a swab test on arrival, and can go about their activities after they test negative. They have to use the TraceTogether app.
• Mainland China and Victoria state in Australia are the latest additions to this list, announced on Thursday. They can apply for the Air Travel Pass for entry from Nov 6.
2. BILATERAL GREEN LANE ARRANGEMENTS
These allow for essential travel for business or official purposes between both countries.
• Japan (from Sept 18): The Business Track allows for resumption of cross-border travel and business exchanges, with necessary public health safeguards, such as testing before travellers leave and after they arrive, and adhering to a controlled itinerary for the first 14 days.
• China (from June 8): China was the first country to establish a green lane with Singapore. It is for six provinces and municipalities: Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
• South Korea (from Sept 4): Conditions include pre-departure and post-arrival testing, and a controlled itinerary for the first 14 days.
• Malaysia (from Aug 17): Singapore has two schemes - the Reciprocal Green Lane and the Periodic Commuting Arrangement. The first facilitates cross-border travel for essential business and official purposes between both countries. The other allows Singapore and Malaysia residents with long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country to periodically return home for short-term home leave.
• Brunei (from Sept 1)
• Indonesia: Applications started on Oct 26. Those eligible are Indonesian citizens, and Singapore citizens and residents.
• Germany: Both countries agreed on a green lane for essential travel on Oct 23.
3. AIR TRAVEL BUBBLES
• Hong Kong: Singapore's first two-way air travel bubble. People will be able to travel between the two locations without the need to be quarantined, subject to conditions, including testing negative for Covid-19. Details are still being worked out.
