COVID-19
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Entry and transit through Singapore: For the time being, ALL short-term visitors (from anywhere in the world) are still not allowed to enter Singapore. Changi Airport has allowed transit to authorised airlines from 2 June. Transit lanes are specifically granted airline-by-airline and are limited in scope. Travellers wishing to transit through Changi airport are encouraged to contact their chosen airlines directly to ensure they are able to complete their full journey.
For Swiss citizens residing in Singapore: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is restricting the entry/reentry of work pass holders, including their dependents, into Singapore. All work pass holders are required to obtain the MOM’s approval before they commence their journey to Singapore. Long-term pass holders (includes Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP), Student’s Pass (STP), and In-Principle Approval (IPA) for a Long-Term Pass) who are planning to enter Singapore, must obtain the permission of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority before they commence their journey to Singapore. Anyone returning to Singapore is required to serve a 14-day self-isolation either at a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) facility, or from 17 June onwards at home for travelers who have been in Australia(except Victoria state), Brunei, Macau, mainland China, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam in the last 14 consecutive days before entry into Singapore. In addition, all travellers must submit a health declaration via the SG Arrival Card e-Service before proceeding with immigration clearance.
For binding information, consult the website of the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority and work pass holders the Ministry of Manpower before traveling to Singapore. Furthermore, we recommend to all Swiss nationals in Singapore to follow the information and recommendations of the Ministry of Health in Singapore, World Health Organization (WHO), and the Federal Office of Public Health in Switzerland. Please also consult the “Focus novel Corona Virus (COVID-19)” in the FDFA’s travel advice.
Swiss travellers: From 6 July, travellers entering Switzerland from certain countries (new infections above 60 per 100’000 within last 14 days) will have to undergo ten days in quarantine. Upon arriving in Switzerland from 8 August (0:00 hours) travellers from Singapore entering Switzerland are subject to the mandatory quarantine regulations. The mandatory quarantine does not apply to transit passengers who have spent less than 24 hours in Singapore, nor does it apply to travellers entering Switzerland for the purpose of transiting directly to another country (see ordinance for details). The Federal Office of Public Health regularly updates the list of countries concerned. The Federal Office of Public Health in Switzerland recommends to avoid unnecessary journeys abroad. In many countries, borders remain closed to travellers. Others are gradually reopening them – sometimes just for certain groups of people or for certain types of journeys, often under specific conditions. There are also different approaches with regard to border checks. The international situation is changing rapidly at the moment. If you do have to travel, find out about the entry requirements and pandemic situation before you leave by consulting the embassy or ministry of health of your destination country. Also make sure you are registered on the “Travel Admin App” so that you can be contacted by the relevant Swiss embassy in an emergency. If you wish to fly to Switzerland, please find here a list of airlines (PDF, 242.2 kB, English) currently (as of 03.08.2020) flying from Singapore to Europe (situation can change anytime, please contact airline for binding information).
Schengen borders: Entry at the Schengen external borders is generally prohibited with few exceptions. Switzerland follows the practice of the other Schengen states. The current short-term (C-type) visa suspension remains in force. As of 15 June, border controls with all EU/EFTA countries and the United Kingdom have been lifted. The full free movement of persons will once again apply with all EU/EFTA countries and the United Kingdom. However, persons from third countries wishing to enter Switzerland remain subject to strict entry restrictions, with certain exception. As of 15 June, exempted are foreign spouses of Swiss nationals registered with the Embassy if they travel together with the Swiss spouse. Specific requirements apply. Please contact the embassy for details. National visas are only issued for certain categories (i.e. family reunification, students, etc.). For additional information, please consult the webpage of the State Secretariat for Migration SEM.
Consular services: The Consular Section continues to be fully operational (except for visa services, see “Schengen borders”). Swiss citizens can visit without appointment during the public opening hours.
Relevant sources of information:
Ministry of Health, Singapore
Official push notifications per WhatsApp (Singapore): www.go.gov.sg/whatsapp
MoH general enquiry hotline: +65 6325 9220
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore
Ministry of Manpower, Singapore
Federal Office of Public Health, Switzerland
World Health Organization WHO
International Air Travel Association IATA
FDFA Travel Advice, Focus Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) , in German, French, Italian
Helpline, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA):
+41 800 247 365
+41 58 465 33 33
helpline@eda.admin.ch
Communication of 05.03.2020 (PDF, 321.9 kB, English)
Communication of 17.03.2020 (PDF, 488.7 kB, English)
Communication of 25.03.2020 (PDF, 233.5 kB, English)
Communication of 02.06.2020 (PDF, 303.6 kB, English)
Embassy Newsletter 1/2020
Embassy Newsletter 2/2020
