SINGAPORE: The Singapore-China "fast lane" arrangement will start on Jun 8, and approved travellers must take a COVID-19 swab test within 48 hours before departure.
Users of the fast lane between China and Singapore will bear the cost of the pre-departure polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and obtain a certificate of having tested negative for the coronavirus.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIn addition, travellers must adhere to a controlled itinerary that is supervised by the host company or government agency for the first 14 days, announced Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry (MFA) and Trade and Industry Ministry (MTI) in a joint statement on Wednesday (Jun 3).
"The traveller may not use public transportation for this purpose, with the exception of private hire cars/taxis or cohorted company transport," they added.
Authorities had announced on May 29 that Singapore and China have agreed to a "fast lane" arrangement which would facilitate essential travel for business and official purposes between the two countries.
For a start, this arrangement will be for travel between Singapore and six Chinese provinces or municipalities - Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
AdvertisementAdvertisement[h=3]READ: Singapore, China to launch 'fast lane' arrangement with COVID-19 measures for essential business, official travel[/h]Users of the Singapore-China “fast lane” need not be quarantined but must remain isolated for one to two days while waiting for COVID-19 test results.
"An approved applicant travelling from Singapore to China will undergo a PCR test and serology test after arrival in China at his/her own cost, and remain in locations designated by the local provincial or municipal government for one to two days until the test result is released," said MFA and MTI.
Singapore residents who wish to make essential travel to China via the fast lane must be sponsored by either a company or a government agency in China, which will file an application on with the local provincial or municipal authorities.
Once approved, they can then apply for a visa from the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, as well as submit a health declaration to the Chinese authorities.
Meanwhile, residents in China seeking to make essential travel to Singapore via the fast lane must be sponsored by either a company or a Singapore government agency, which will file an application on behalf of the applicant for a SafeTravel Pass.
When the SafeTravel Pass application is approved, an approval letter will be issued to the applicant, as well as the sponsoring company or government agency.
For inbound travel to Singapore, business or official travellers sponsored by government agencies may submit applications through their respective sponsors from Jun 8.
Applications for company-sponsored travellers can be submitted in a later phase.
[h=3]READ: Singapore to gradually reopen borders, plans to resume essential travel among countries with low COVID-19 transmission rate[/h]National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry taskforce tackling COVID-19, said last month that the Government is in talks to establish "travel bubbles" with countries where the spread of COVID-19 is under control.
MFA had also earlier said Singapore would begin discussions with New Zealand on the gradual reopening of borders, following a virtual meeting between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern.
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