What You Need to Know for Smooth Travels Starting April 1
SINGAPORE: Starting April 1, fully vaccinated travelers will be able to cross the land borders between Singapore and Malaysia in their personal vehicles without the need for quarantine or COVID-19 testing.
Authorities anticipate a significant influx of travelers and have advised those with non-essential travel plans to postpone their trips for the time being. Here are five key points to keep in mind if you’re planning to make the journey.
1. How Can I Cross the Land Borders?
From April 1, fully vaccinated individuals will be permitted to cross the land border into Singapore and Malaysia using private transport. For the first time in two years, travelers can drive their cars or ride their motorcycles across the Causeway and Second Link. Additionally, they can opt for designated vaccinated travel bus services while both countries work on restoring cross-border public bus operations. Malaysian Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin confirmed there would be no travel quotas, and land checkpoints will operate 24 hours a day.
2. Do I Need to Take Any COVID-19 Tests?
No. Fully vaccinated travelers, as well as non-fully vaccinated children aged 12 and below, will not need to undergo any COVID-19 testing requirements. Travelers can submit their digital vaccination certificates in advance using the Vaccination Check Portal on the SafeTravel website, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry.
3. What Travel Documents Do I Need?
In addition to a valid passport, travelers entering Singapore in foreign-registered vehicles must possess a valid Autopass card and an approval email from the Land Transport Authority (LTA). The Autopass card acts as an electronic Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for foreign vehicles and is used to record vehicle entries and pay applicable fees. VEPs are valid for 14 days and must be applied for online via the LTA’s OneMotoring website, so plan your trip at least two weeks in advance for the application process. Travelers with existing valid VEPs can start crossing into Singapore from 11:59 PM on March 31. Those who do not present a valid Autopass card and LTA’s VEP approval email will be denied entry into Singapore. Additionally, all travelers, including Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders, must complete their SG Arrival Card within three days before arriving at the checkpoints.
4. Is My VTL Bus Ticket Still Valid?
Yes, designated vaccinated travel bus services will continue to operate for the time being, as cross-border public bus services have not yet resumed. Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry has stated that authorities in both countries are working to progressively restore these public bus services.
5. What About Air Travel?
On the same day, Singapore also announced it would reopen its borders to all fully vaccinated travelers from April 1, eliminating all existing vaccinated travel lanes (VTL) and unilateral opening arrangements. Under this framework, fully vaccinated travelers, along with children aged 12 and below, can enter Singapore with just a pre-departure COVID-19 test effective from 11:59 PM on March 31. They will no longer need entry approvals or designated VTL transport for quarantine-free entry, and there will be no limits on daily arrivals. Although travelers must still undergo a pre-departure test within two days before departure, they will not have to serve a stay-home notice or take an unsupervised antigen rapid test (ART) upon arrival.
Prior to Singapore’s announcement, Malaysia also declared a full reopening of its borders on April 1. Foreign travelers entering Malaysia with valid travel documents will not need to quarantine as long as they are fully vaccinated. The requirement to apply for entry using the MyTravelPass application will be lifted. Instead, travelers will need to download and activate the MySejahtera contact tracing app and complete a pre-departure form within the app.
Travelers entering Malaysia from Singapore by air will only need to take a COVID-19 ART two days before departure, replacing the previously required, more expensive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test that was necessary for those entering via the VTL scheme.
