Singapore Moves Towards Normalcy: Lifts All Health Entry Requirements

After enforcing social restrictions for almost three years due to the pandemic, Singapore has now lifted all entry requirements and resumed normal border operations, following the footsteps of other open countries. Beginning today, foreign tourists will no longer undergo health checks upon arrival in the renowned city-state.

Before the pandemic, Southeast Asian (SEA) countries, particularly those in the region that were popular among American tourists, had relatively loose entry requirements. However, as the number of COVID-19 cases increased, these countries were among the first to impose entry restrictions. They implemented various measures, such as lockdowns and border closures, to prevent the importation of new virus variants into their territories.

Being the most advanced financial center in Southeast Asia, Singapore was closed to the majority of non-residents throughout 2020 and 2021. Since April 2022, vaccinated Americans have been exempt from testing. However, those who chose not to receive the vaccine were still required to present a negative COVID test result, either a PCR or Rapid Antigen, taken within 48 hours prior to departure.

And now, from February 13^th 2023, Singapore is reinstating its pre-2020 entry guidelines. Thus, all of these will cease to apply:

• Mandatory vaccination or testing for entry into Singapore
• Masks on public transport
• Buying COVID health insurance prior to travelling