Singapore and Malaysia to launch vaccinated travel lane

According to an announcement, fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed to travel between the two countries. They will be tested for Covid-19 instead of being required to comply with quarantine or Stay-Home Notice requirements.

There will be six designated flights per day between the two airports. Short-term visitors and long-term pass holders will be able to apply for the vaccinated travel pass from 22 November, a Singapore local report said.

Mayumi Soh of Pinsent Masons MPillay, the Singapore joint law venture between MPillay and Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law, said: “The opening of the VTL with Malaysia had been closely watched by many Malaysian workers who are currently living in Singapore. It should be noted that the VTL only covers travel between Changi Airport and the KL International Airport at this time, and does not cover land crossings at Johor. It remains to be seen if the VTL will be extended to land crossings in due course.”

In August 2020, Singapore and Malaysia launched a periodic commuting arrangement (PCA) to allow business-related travel between the two countries via the land border crossings at the Johor-Singapore Causeway and Malaysia-Singapore Second Link. In February, Singapore suspended the reciprocal green lane (RGL) between the two countries.

Singapore launched its VTLs with Germany and Brunei in September. In October, Singapore opened VTLs with Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Britain and the US. This month, the country will also open a VTL with South Korea.