Singapore-Australia travel bubble: Everything you need to do to get overseas

Australia is embracing international travel again and one of our favourite destinations is back on the list. Here’s everything you have to do to get overseas.

The international travel ban has been reversed for a week now, with Aussies jumping on planes to see family overseas and going on holidays they’ve waited two years for.

And from today, another country has joined the list of places Australians can travel to, with Singapore opening its borders to Aussies.

The Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) means Aussies landing in Singapore can bypass quarantine, provided they test negative within 48 hours of getting on their flight and return another negative test after arriving.

Arrivals into Singapore are tested for coronavirus at the airport and must then continue on to their hotel or accommodation to isolate and await their negative result.

A PCR test at Singapore’s Changi Airport costs $A160.

Singapore is open to Aussies again.

There are also a number of other hurdles Aussies must clear before exploring Singapore.

• You must be fully vaccinated against coronavirus and have received your second dose at least two weeks before arriving to Singapore.

• You must show proof of your vaccination status at the airport.

• You also need to have purchased travel insurance prior to your arrival in Singapore and the insurance must cover Covid-19 medical treatment and any potential hospitalisation.

• At a minimum, the travel insurance policy must cover at least $30,000 Singapore dollars ($A30,050) in medical expenses.

• Finally, Aussies are required to download Singapore’s TraceTogether app, its contact tracing platform, similar to the ones used here.

Throughout their stay, they must use the app to check-in at venues and places they visit, the same way they would in Australia.

Singapore is a popular spot for Aussies. Picture: iStock

‘Australia is swinging its doors open’: Singapore welcomed back

Australia will also reopen to fully vaccinated Singaporeans this month, with travellers welcomed back from November 21.

Oliver Chong, the executive director Oceania of the Singapore Tourism Board, said the nation was happy to see travel returning.

“We’re extremely thrilled with the resumption of travel between Australia and Singapore. We know Aussies are avid travellers and can’t wait to travel overseas, so we hope this will encourage them to make plans to visit Singapore as soon as they can,” Mr Chong said.

“Australia has always been a close and longstanding trade and tourism partner for Singapore. We are confident that this Vaccinated Travel Lane will be warmly welcomed by everyone as we continue to move towards a safe and calibrated reopening of our borders.”

Singapore Airlines has celebrated the return of travel between the two nations. Picture: David Crosling/NCA NewsWire

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the resumption of international arrivals last week.

“Australia is swinging its doors open to fully vaccinated Singaporean travellers in November,” Mr Morrison said.

“This is another significant milestone in our step-by-step approach to safely reopening to the world that we outlined in the National Plan.

“It follows the announcement this week that fully vaccinated travellers from New Zealand will be welcomed back in October.

“This means within weeks Australia will be welcoming tourists from two of our top ten travel destinations. This is the billion dollar boost that Australia’s tourism industry has been waiting for.

“Step by step, everything that we know and love about Australia is inching back to normal.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: Ian Forsyth/AFP

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said the arrangement followed Singapore’s recent announcement to welcome fully vaccinated Australians.

“Many Australians live and work in Singapore and vice versa. The strong exchanges over many decades have been to the benefit of both our nations,” Ms Payne said.

“It attests to the strength of our friendship and the effective management of Covid in each of our countries that we have been able to agree this early step in the reopening of normal travel.

“As we continue with our shared regional recovery from the pandemic, the resumption of travel between Singapore and Australia will provide great opportunities to move forward.”

Details of Australia’s arrangement with Singapore include:

• Singaporeans must depart from Singapore to be considered eligible

• No requirement to have spent 14 days in Singapore prior to travel

• No requirement for quarantine upon arrival to Australia

• Arrangements will commence from November 21 with participating jurisdictions including New South Wales and Victoria