COVID-19 PANDEMIC: Singapore, Brunei launch green lane for essential travel, applications open from Sept 1

SINGAPORE – Essential travel between Brunei and Singapore has been made possible following agreements by both countries to establish Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) facilities at both ends.

Applications open on Tuesday (Sept 1), with travellers required to observe some restrictions including controlled itineraries, a negative Covid-19 test prior to the trip and a swab test on arrival at their destination.

In a joint statement, Brunei’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Both sides have agreed on an arrangement to allow the safe resumption of cross-border movement of a limited number of people, with necessary safeguards in place to ensure the public health concerns of both countries are addressed.”

.

 

HOW TO APPLY

For those travelling from Brunei to Singapore, a Singapore government agency or the company sponsoring the travel will apply for a SafeTravel Pass on their behalf.

When the SafeTravel Pass is approved, an approval letter will be issued to the traveller.

Following that, the company or government agency will log onto the SafeTravel Pass portal within 72 hours before the traveller’s scheduled departure to submit the traveller’s negative Covid-19 test result.

They will also submit the traveller’s controlled itinerary in Singapore for the first 14 days.

Approved travellers who are visa-required passport holders can proceed to apply for a visa for travel to Singapore through the usual channels.

For those who have an existing valid visa, the visa suspension that was in place due to Covid-19 will be automatically lifted when the SafeTravel Pass is approved. There is no need apply for a new visa.

For those travelling from Singapore to Brunei, the company sponsoring the travel or government agency in Brunei will file an application for an Entry Travel Pass on behalf of the traveller.

.

 

.

 

The company or government agency will submit the traveller’s controlled itinerary in Brunei for the first 14 days.

When the Entry Travel Pass is granted, an approval letter will be issued.

Approved travellers who are visa-required passport holders can proceed to apply for a visa for travel to Brunei through the usual channels.

If an approved applicant has an existing valid visa, the visa suspension that was in place due to Covid-19 will be automatically lifted when the Entry Travel Pass is issued and there is no need to apply for a new visa.

.

 

PRE-DEPARTURE MEASURES

Those approved to travel from Singapore to Brunei must have remained in Singapore at least 14 days before departure.

They must undertake a Covid-19 test at least 72 hours before departure and obtain a certificate from Singapore health authorities for a negative Covid-19 test result.

They also have to download the BruHealth mobile application prior to departure from Singapore and ensure that they are in good health before boarding the flight.

These travellers will be required to produce the approved Entry Travel Pass, negative results of a Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure, a valid return air ticket, valid proof of payment for post-arrival swab test and a valid visa for visa-required passport holders.

They also need to show proof of installation of the BruHealth app on their phone as well as submit a pre-trip health and travel history declaration when they check-in at the Singapore airport.

They may not be allowed to board otherwise.

Those approved to travel from Brunei to Singapore must have remained in Brunei for at least 14 days before departure.

.

 

.

 

They must undertake a Covid-19 swab test at least 72 hours before departure and obtain a certificate of having tested negative for Covid-19 from the Brunei authorities.

They must also ensure that they are in good health before boarding the flight.

Travellers from Brunei to Singapore will be required to submit pre-trip health and travel history declarations to the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority via the SG Arrival Card prior to arriving in Singapore.

The traveller is also required to produce a valid SafeTravel Pass, negative results of a Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure, a valid return air ticket or proof of other transportation arrangements to return to Brunei and a valid visa for visa-required passport holders when they check-in at the Brunei airport.

Travellers using the RGL between Brunei and Singapore will bear the cost of their pre-departure Covid-19 swab tests.

.

 

POST-ARRIVAL MEASURES

Travellers arriving in Brunei from Singapore must produce a valid Entry Travel Pass, negative results of a Covid-19 swab test taken within 72 hours before departure and a valid visa (for visa-required passport holders) for immigration checks.

Otherwise, the traveller may be refused entry.

They are required to undertake a Covid-19 swab test while in isolation at a pre-declared accommodation.

They must remain within their declared accommodation, such as a hotel or serviced apartment, in isolation until they receive the test results.

.

 

.

 

Transport from the airport to the declared accommodation will be provided by the Brunei government agency or company sponsoring the travel, subject to prevailing health measures.

Travellers will bear the costs of the post-arrival Covid-19 test in Brunei, as well as their stay in the declared locations.

If the test result is negative, the Brunei government agency or company sponsoring the travel will transport the traveller directly from the declared accommodation to his workplace or residence.

Travellers are required to report their health condition daily on the BruHealth app for at least 14 days upon arrival, even after isolation.

The traveller must also scan in his locations at all times on the BruHealth app using the QR codes displayed at all premises.

If the test result is positive, the traveller will be accorded the necessary medical treatment by the Brunei government. The traveller will bear the cost of medical treatment in Brunei.

For travellers arriving in Singapore from Brunei, they must produce a valid SafeTravel Pass, negative results of a Covid-19 swab test taken within 72 hours before departure and a valid visa (for visa-required passport holders) for immigration checks. They may be refused entry otherwise.

They must also undertake a Covid-19 test upon arrival and remain in isolation in a declared self-sourced non-residential accommodation for one to two days until they receive their test results.

Transport from the airport to the declared accommodation will be provided by the Singapore government agency or company sponsoring the travel, subject to prevailing health measures.

Travellers will bear the costs of the post-arrival Covid-19 test in Singapore, as well as their stay in the declared locations.

If the test result is negative, the Singapore government agency or company sponsoring the travel will ensure that the traveller is transported directly from his declared accommodation to the location in his controlled itinerary.

Travellers in Singapore must subscribe to the relevant contact tracing mobile apps and technology solutions, including the TraceTogether app, that are in place during their stay in Singapore.

If the test result is positive, the traveller will be accorded the necessary medical treatment by the Singapore government. The traveller will bear the cost of medical treatment in Singapore.

.

 

.

 

CONTROLLED ITINERARY

Travellers have to adhere to a controlled itinerary that is supervised by the company or government agency of the country they are visiting for the duration of the visit or the first 14 days, whichever is shorter.

The government agency or company which is supporting the traveller’s visit is responsible for ensuring that they abide by the regulations of the receiving country.

Returning Singapore-based travellers will be subject to the prevailing health measures for RGL travellers in Singapore, while returning Brunei-based travellers will be subject to the prevailing health measures for RGL travellers in Brunei.

.

 

.

---

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OUR EMAIL
.
The most important news of the day about the ASEAN Countries and the world in one email:  [email protected]

9.2.2020