Singapore has announced that the country will allow general travel to and from Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand, as well as for students studying overseas starting from next month. It is the first step to resume leisure travel since the border closed to contain the importation of COVID-19 pandemic.

On Friday (Aug. 21), Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed that Singapore will reopen its borders to travelers from Brunei and New Zealand. The measure will be effective from September 1, 2020.

Mr. Lawrence Wong, Minister of Education, has also said during press conference on same day that students who study abroad in institutions where the school or college does not provide distance learning will also be allowed to travel.

Singapore will update travel advisory for people who intend to travel to Brunei and New Zealand. In accordance with current travel advisory, residents are advised to postpone all travel abroad, except for essential business and official travel under fast-lane and green-lane arrangements.

Since June 18, visitors from low-risk countries and regions such as Brunei Darussalam, New Zealand, Vietnam, Macau, Australia (except Victoria), Republic of Korea, Taiwan and Mainland China can serve their 14-day stay-home notice at their place of residence.

Travelers who want to enter into Singapore and who have stayed in Brunei or New Zealand for the past 14 consecutive days will be tested for COVID-19 when they arrive at the airport instead of serving the 14-day stay-home notice. They must test negative for the COVID-19 before they can engage in activities in Singapore.

Visitors from these two countries will be required to apply for an air travel pass between 7 and 30 days before their scheduled entry date into Singapore. They can apply for a pass from September 1 and travel from September 8.

“We know that some places have been able to control the infection effectively, and the risk of importation is low. Our assessment is that there is no need for a stay-home notice requirement for travelers from these low risk places, and a Covid-19 test will be sufficient,” said Mr. Lawrence Wong, who also co-chairs the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong has also urged people who visiting these two countries to check the entry requirements of their respective governments and take necessary precautions as well.

Singapore had removed lockdown measures in lifted in June and the hardest hit aviation sector started taking steps towards revive its business. Currently, the city-state is only allowing business travel and official travel to selected countries, with various restrictions and safety measures in place.