Travel restrictions on foreigners coming to Singapore from India are being tightened amid the worsening Covid-19 situation and the emergence of new coronavirus variants there.
The number of entry approvals for those who are not Singapore citizens or permanent residents, but have recent travel history to India, is being reduced with immediate effect.
An entry approval officially permits the holder to enter Singapore.
From 11.59pm tomorrow, all travellers from India will have to serve an additional seven-day stay-home notice (SHN) at their place of residence, following the usual 14-day SHN at a dedicated facility.
Those who have yet to complete their 14-day SHN by 11.59pm tomorrow will also have to serve the extra seven days, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said yesterday.
The travellers will be tested for Covid-19 at the end of the initial 14-day SHN, as well as at the end of the additional seven-day SHN.
Migrant workers in the construction, marine and process sectors arriving from India will continue to be subject to a 21-day SHN.
Several jurisdictions around the world have announced tighter rules for travel from India recently as the South Asian nation battles growing case numbers. India reported more than 200,000 new cases daily in the six consecutive days since last Thursday, with Monday's 273,810 marking its all-time highest single-day tally.
The United States and Britain placed travel restrictions on India on Monday, with the US advising travellers against visiting India even if they are fully vaccinated.
Hong Kong banned passenger flights from India for two weeks from Monday, and New Zealand has suspended travel from India, including for its own citizens, from April 11 to 28.
Meanwhile, the situation in Hong Kong has improved, and the SHN period for travellers coming to Singapore from the Chinese city will be reduced from 14 days to seven days. The SHN can also be served at one's place of residence in suitable cases.
The reduced SHN period will apply to travellers who have remained in Hong Kong for the past 14 consecutive days and who enter Singapore from 11.59pm tomorrow.
They will be subject to a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival and another PCR test before the end of their seven-day SHN.
Singapore will also allow entry and transit for all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to Britain and South Africa from 11.59pm tomorrow.
This group had earlier been subject to restricted entry due to concerns over a more contagious variant of the coronavirus circulating in these countries.
Arriving travellers who were in Britain and South Africa in the past 14 days prior to their entry will continue to be subject to a seven-day SHN period at their place of residence, after their 14-day SHN at dedicated facilities.
The MOH also announced new measures to facilitate critical official travel that the Singapore Government deems important for safeguarding or advancing Singapore's national interests.
Singapore will allow fully vaccinated individuals who need to travel to higher-risk places as part of an official delegation to be subject to a stringent testing and self-isolation regime from 11.59pm tomorrow.
Travellers who are not fully vaccinated will continue to be subject to prevailing border measures upon their return.
