S’pore To Lift Travel Restrictions For Visitors From Taiwan, Medical Fees Would Have To Be Fully Borne By Travellers
While many countries around the world continue to see high numbers of Covid-19 infections, Taiwan has been a shining example of how to keep the virus at bay, with no local cases for the past 200 days.
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On Friday (11 Dec), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced that travel restrictions on visitors from Taiwan will be lifted from next Friday (18 Dec).
Should they test negative for the virus, they’ll be able to go about their activities without having to serve a stay-home notice (SHN).
Taiwan visitors can apply for travel pass with immediate effect
According to its CAAS’ press release, visitors from Taiwan can already start applying for an Air Travel Pass (ATP) to visit Singapore on or after 18 Dec.
The ATP application is free and travellers may apply for it between 7-30 days before their “intended date of entry to Singapore”.
Travellers must have remained in Taiwan for the last 2 weeks prior to their arrival date in Singapore.
Upon reaching Singapore, travellers from Taiwan would also have to undergo a Covid-19 test.
Should they test negative, they would be allowed to go about their activities without having to serve an SHN.
This procedure would also apply to Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents, and Long-Term Pass Holders returning from Taiwan.
Have to install TraceTogether app
To aid contact tracing efforts, travellers from Taiwan would have to install the TraceTogether app prior to departure and keep it activated throughout their time in Singapore.
They are only permitted to delete the app 2 weeks after leaving Singapore, and would be required to share relevant information with the Health Ministry should they test positive during this period.
Medical expenses relating to testing, isolation, and medical treatment costs, would have to be borne by the travellers themselves.
Taiwan reduces SHN period for business travellers from Singapore
Speaking to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said Taiwan had shortened the quarantine period essential business travellers from Singapore would have to serve to 5 days.
This is reportedly the “most relaxed rule they have imposed on any traveller”, and have deemed Singapore to be the “lowest risk country”.
The start of bilateral lifting of restrictions between both territories
Though many countries around the world are still struggling to keep the Covid-19 pandemic under control, Taiwan, with its stellar record, seems to be pretty successful in that regard.
Even if this lifting of restriction on travellers from Taiwan remains unilateral at the time of writing, perhaps this is the start of a bilateral relationship between both territories which have shown considerable success in the fight against Covid-19.
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Featured image adapted from Changi Airport and is for illustration purposes only.Â
