Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai, as well as non-VTL flights from a handful of other cities.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has reached an agreement with the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India on the resumption of scheduled passenger flights. The announcement comes after a recent discussion of India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar with Singapore’s transport minister S Iswaran.
At the moment, the only flights between the two nations are the Air India repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission. India now joins the list of other countries that have been granted flight access through the VTL scheme. On November 29th, Singapore will also allow flights from Finland, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sweden. Some of the other countries that are already operating flights to Singapore under the VTL mechanism include the US, UK, and Australia.
CAAS has issued a statement that says that short-term visitors and long-term pass holders will need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) to enter Singapore under the VTL, as reported by the Hindustan Times. Applications for VTP will be considered for those looking to travel between November 29th and January 21, 2022.
There are certain COVID-related protocols still in place that passengers flying into Singapore will have to follow. Anyone flying on a designated VTL flight needs to be fully vaccinated and has to take two COVID-19 tests – one prior to departure and not more than two days old, and the other upon arrival at Changi airport. Passengers will also need to self-isolate until the on-arrival test results are confirmed.
Those traveling on non-VTL flights are subject to more requirements, including COVID tests as well as a seven-day “Stay-Home Notice (SHN)” upon arrival in Singapore.
It must be noted that separate Visa requirements remain in place over and above the VTL scheme. Travelers who require a Visa will have to apply separately only after the VTP is approved. CAAS also specifies that all Visa holders must also purchase travel insurance with minimum coverage of Singapore Dollars 30,000 for any COVID-related medical treatment before they fly to Singapore. After arrival, passengers must also use the TraceTogether app to facilitate contact tracing.
