Travel Restrictions by Country, Entry Requirements & Other Travel Costs: Where Can You Travel To?
We’re in the final quarter of 2022 and this means booking a year-end trip!
Thankfully, popular countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong and Korea are reopening or have already reopened their borders!
If you’re planning a trip soon, plan your leave dates with public holidays in 2022 or even 2023 so that you can enjoy an even longer trip.
To save you the trouble, we’ve compiled the basic travel costs based on popular destinations, flight costs, and travel insurance, as well as COVID-19 costs you need to be aware of!
TL;DR: Budgeting Guide For Travelling in 2022
Click here to jump:
- Travel Restrictions & Entry Requirements by Country
- Vaccination Certificate & Status
- Pre-Departure Travel Documents
- Costs of PCT/ART Tests & Where to Get Them For Cheap
- Cost of travel insurance
- Prices of flight tickets
- Travel hacks & tips
Note: The cost of accommodation was not included as the prices vary differently across countries, sizes and services provided. This article is written based on information available as of 4 Oct 2022. You should always check the Singapore travel advisory issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), as well as the country you plan to visit for the latest updates to travel restrictions and testing requirements.
Singapore Travel Restrictions
Singapore has lifted most of its travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.
As of 4 Oct 2022, all travellers including Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents arriving from all countries/regions can enter Singapore without quarantine, testing or entry approvals if they meet the following requirements:
- A child born in or after 2010 (i.e. aged 12 and below by year of birth);
- Fully vaccinated with World Health Organisation’s Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL) vaccines if born in or before 2009 (i.e. aged 13 and above by year of birth);
- Vaccinated against Yellow Fever if you have visited Yellow Fever high-risk countries/regions in Africa and Latin America, with a vaccination certificate.
Entry approval to Singapore is also not required if you are a:
- Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident
- Long-Term Pass holder, including In-Principle Approval holders, born between 2005 and 2010 (inclusive), and arriving before 1 Jul 2022 only. Entries from 1 Jul 2022 will require entry approvals.
For the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated with COVID-19 WHO EUL vaccines, you will be required to take a Polymerase Chain Reaction Test (PCR) or Antigen-Rapid Test (ART) two days before departing for Singapore.
You will also be required to have travel insurance covering COVID-19, with at least $30,000 of medical coverage.
Japan Travel Restrictions
Japan is finally opening up to vaccinated tourists from most countries from 11 Oct 2022!
Vaccination, Pre-departure Test, Visa & Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Requirements:
- Those with a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate
will no longer need to present a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours prior to departure - Those who do not meet vaccination requirements, you will still need to present a negative COVID-19 test result before departing Singapore
- Visas are not required for Singapore Citizens
- Travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage is not required
Psst: The rates to exchange Singapore Dollars for Japanese Yens are quite favourable now!
Vietnam Travel Restrictions
Vaccination, Pre-departure Test, Visa & Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Requirements:
- No pre-departure testing is required regardless of vaccination status
- Visas are not required for Singapore Citizens
- Travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage is not required
Indonesia Travel Restrictions
Vaccination, Pre-departure Test, Visa & Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Requirements:
- Those with a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate will no longer need to present a negative COVID-19 test result taken prior to departure
- Those who do not meet vaccination requirements, you will still need to present a negative on-arrival PCR test and undergo a 5 x 24 hours of quarantine
- Visas are not required for Singapore Citizens (Unless you’re travelling under ‘Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose’, which costs IDR500,000)
- Travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage is not required
Thailand Travel Restrictions
Vaccination, Pre-departure Test, Visa & Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Requirements:
- No pre-departure testing is required regardless of vaccination status
- Visas are not required for Singapore Citizens
- Travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage is not required
Taiwan Travel Restrictions
From 13 Oct 2022, you will be able to travel to Taiwan!
Vaccination, Pre-departure Test, Visa & Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Requirements:
- No pre-departure testing is required regardless of vaccination status
- Visas are not required for Singapore Citizens
- Travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage is not required
- Up to 4 self-swab ART tests are required, but none of them is supervised and there is no airport testing
Korea Travel Restrictions
Vaccination, Pre-departure Test, Visa & Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Requirements:
- No pre-departure testing is required regardless of vaccination status
- K-Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA) is required for Singapore Citizens (application is ~10,000 KRW or SGD10.90)
- Travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage is not required
Australia Travel Restrictions
Vaccination, Pre-departure Test, Visa & Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Requirements:
- No pre-departure testing is required regardless of vaccination status
- Australia Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is required for Singapore Citizens (application is ~AUD20 or SGD20)
- Complete the SG Arrival Card (SGAC) up to three days before arrival in Singapore
- Travel insurance with COVID-19 is not required
Travel Restrictions of Other Countries
We know how frustrating it can be to trawl through foreign websites, so we’ve compiled the latest entry requirements for those whose trips are less than 30 days:
| Entry Requirements of Countries | Still Need Pre-Departure Test? | Open to Unvaccinated | Must Have Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Coverage? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Yes for non-vaccinated Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents. You may opt to undergo a self-administered rapid antigen test, remotely supervised, taken 2 days before departure | Yes | Not required |
| Brazil | Yes for non-vaccinated travellers - to provide proof of a negative PCR or ART taken within 1 day before departure | Not required | |
| Cambodia | Yes for non-vaccinated travellers - to provide proof of a negative PCR or ART taken within 1 day before departure | Not required | |
| Canada | Yes for non-vaccinated Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents. You may opt to undergo a self-administered rapid antigen test, remotely supervised, taken 2 days before departure | Not required | |
| France | Not required | Not required | |
| Germany | Not required | Not required | |
| Iceland | Not required | Not required | |
| India | Yes for non-vaccinated Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents. You may opt to undergo a self-administered rapid antigen test, remotely supervised, taken 72 hours before departure | Not required | |
| Italy | Not required | Not required | |
| Philippines | Yes for non-vaccinated travellers - to provide proof of a negative PCR or ART within 48 hours or 24 hours before departure, respectively | Not required | |
| Malaysia | Not required | Not required | |
| Maldives | Not required | Not required | |
| Morocco | Not required | Not required | |
| Myanmar | Vaccinated: Printed negative COVID-19 antigen test result Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers need: Printed COVID-19 PCR test result | Yes, and must be valid for 15 days after arrival | |
| New Zealand | Not required, and you will get free rapid antigen tests (RATs) at the airport | Not required | |
| Norway | Not required | Not required | |
| Spain | Unvaccinated travellers must present a negative PCR or ART within 72 hours and 24 hours respectively before departing | Not required | |
| Switzerland | Not required | Not required | |
| The Netherlands | Not required | Not required | |
| United Kingdom | Not required | Not required | |
| United States of America | Not required | Not required |
Disclaimer: All travel requirements presented are based on information gathered from the respective country’s websites. As the COVID-19 pandemic situation remains dynamic, all travellers should do their due diligence to check the travel destination’s latest entry and testing requirements.
Read more:
- The Ultimate Singaporean’s Guide to Travel Vaccinations: How Much and Where to Get Them
- The Ultimate COVID-19 Vaccine Guide: Which Vaccine Should I Choose & Types of Payouts Available
- Free COVID-19 Vaccine Insurance: Get Payouts and Coverage For Medical Expenses
Vaccination Certificate & Status
Before we move on, we should first talk about your vaccination status.
Regardless of whether the country requires you to prove your vaccination status, it’s always easier to prepare your documents beforehand JUST in case the travel restrictions change when you’re on the plane (talk about bad luck…)
If you’re vaccinated in Singapore, your records will be available on:
- TraceTogether or HealthHub;
- Obtain a vaccination acceptance letter using the Vaccination Check Portal;
- Download the Ministry of Health’s hardcopy vaccination certificate
If you’re vaccinated overseas, your records can be as follows:
- Recognised Digitally Verifiable Vaccination Certificate; or
- A Vaccination Certificate that is in English with name (as per travel document), at least one other personal identifier, country of vaccination, name of vaccine(s) administered and vaccination dates.
If you’re not vaccinated or fully vaccinated, chances are you’ll be required to take a Pre-departure Test – either a Polymerase Chain Reaction Test (PCR) or Antigen-Rapid Test (ART). The purpose of antigen tests is to look for proteins from the virus on the surface to determine the presence of pathogens.
Pro-tips:
- Pre-departure testing requirements might vary within a country itself, so you should always check if the state you’re visiting has specific requirements
- Pre-departure testing requirements by airlines may differ, so do check at least 72 hours before departure
Ensure that you carry a printed copy of your test results as you may be asked to produce it at immigration for verification. This also applies to travellers with digital health credentials.
Pre-Departure Travel Documents
Yup, these will be the pre-departure travel documents you may need to prepare:
| Entry Requirements of Countries | (i) Show Vaccination Certificate or Recovery Certificate OR (ii) Show Proof That You Cannot Be Vaccinated or Not-fully Vaccinated | Visa Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Not required | AUD20/SGD20 Complete the SG Arrival Card (SGAC) up to 3 days before arrival in Singapore |
| Belgium | Yes | Visa-free |
| Brazil | Yes | Visa-free |
| Cambodia | Yes | Visa-free |
| Canada | Yes | Visa-free |
| France | Not required | Visa-free |
| Germany | Not required | Visa-free |
| Iceland | Not required | Visa-free |
| India | Yes | Yes, e-Visa at $140 |
| Indonesia | Yes | Visa on Arrival for Leisure Purpose: IDR 500,000 |
| Italy | Not required | Visa-free |
| Japan | Yes | Yes, application for Single Entry at SGD38. Payment must be made upon collection of visa, in CASH only. (Personal checks, credit/debit cards and electronic payment are NOT accepted.) |
| Philippines | Yes | Visa-free |
| Malaysia | Not required | Visa-free |
| Maldives | Not required | Visa-free |
| Morocco | Not required | Visa-free |
| Myanmar | Yes | Visa-free |
| Nepal | 1, 1c, 4, 5 (Nepal Tourist Visa fee for up to 15 Days is USD30) The government of Nepal has made travel medical insurance mandatory for all visitors to the country. This insurance must include emergency assistance and COVID-19 medical repatriation. Non-vaccinated or partially vaccinated passengers are also required to show a pre-approved visa and undergo a gree COVID-19 antigen test on arrival, as well as proof of a hotel booking. | |
| New Zealand | Not required | Visa-free |
| Norway | Not required | Visa-free |
| South Korea | Not required | K-ETA: 10,000 KRW; ~$10.90 |
| Spain | Yes | Visa-free |
| Switzerland | Not required | Visa-free |
| Taiwan | Not required | Visa-free |
| Thailand | Not required | Visa-free |
| The Netherlands | Not required | Visa-free |
| United Kingdom | Not required | Visa-free |
| United States of America | Yes | ESTA: $14 USD ; ~SGD19 |
| Vietnam | Not required | Visa-free |
Costs of PCR/ART & Where to Get Them For Cheap
For the benefit of our readers, we’ve also narrowed down the prices of Pre-Departure Tests from MOH’s list of approved clinics.
| PCR / Express PCR (All Other Destinations) | PCR & Serology IgM Antibody (China) | Supervised ART | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Clinic | DoctorAnywhere Basic: $128 nett Express: $305 nett Minmed Basic: $77 nett Express: $265 nett Healthway Medical Basic: $95 nett Express: $250 nett SpeedDoc: $168 | Minmed $155 nett DoctorAnywhere $101.70 nett Healthway Medical $140 nett | DoctorAnywhere $30 Minmed $35 nett (Notarised Cert) Healthway Medical $30 nett |
| Home-based/Remote | Healthway Medical Basic: $138 nett Express: $258 nett Speedoc 8am-8pm: $198 8pm-8am: $228 Express: Additional 100 | DoctorAnywhere $90 nett Healthway Medical $228 nett Speedoc 8am-8pm: $125 | DoctorAnywhere $21.40 (Tele-ART) $70 (Home) Minmed $15 nett (Notarised Cert) Healthway Medical Group $25 nett (Tele-ART) $88 nett (Home-Based with personnel) Speedoc 8am-8pm: $15 +$10 for notarised memo when booking for Supervised Tele-ART +$30 for recovery memo when booking for Supervised Tele-ART +150 (8am-8pm) and +$180 (8pm-8am) for vaccination verification |
| Important Notes | As the timeframe for the validity of results is different in every country, you will need to time it properly before booking a PDT in Singapore, which is usually 24 to 72 hours before departure; Countries that require a PDT usually only accept a PCR result, with some countries specifying the particular PCR tests needed e.g., nucleic acid test (NAT) or reverse transcription (RT); Make sure to check which type is required and go to a MOH-approved clinic; ART and antibody tests may not be accepted unless otherwise specified; Some countries may also require you to do a PCR or ART while travelling if you stay beyond a certain number of days; For a smoother check-in process, you should also check if the clinic is able to provide a test certificate with a corresponding QR code. This QR code should link to your digital pre-departure test certificate; Additional COVID-19 tests: Prepare cash for On-Arrival tests and any other tests too, in case places don't accept credit cards. |
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Note: Prices are valid as of 4 Oct 2022 based on MOH’s list of approved clinics – Minmed Clinic, DoctorAnyWhere, SpeedDoc, and Healthway Medical.
Cost of Travel Insurance With COVID-19 Coverage
Once you’ve booked your trip, you can check out travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage.
This is to safeguard you or your travel buddies if one of you gets infected halfway through the trip.
At the very least, you would be covered for medical expenses overseas.
Just looking at the premiums range for Japan, it is from $35 to $68.
Prices of Flight Tickets
We’ve compared the estimated airfares of the top 10 destinations (based on studies by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute and the United Nations World Tourism Organization) in November 2022.
| Country 1 Adult Round-Trip | Estimate Flight Cost |
|---|---|
| Japan (Tokyo) | $594 to $1,163 |
| France (Paris) | $1,420 to $1,599 |
| New Zealand (Auckland) | $1,514 to $3,401 |
| Australia (Sydney) | $858 to $1,557 |
| United States of America (New York) | $1,495 to $2,077 |
| United Kingdom (London) | $1,082 to $1,707 |
| Thailand (Bangkok) | $218 to $254 |
| Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) | $127 to $140 |
| South Korea (Seoul Incheon) | $397 to $742 |
| India (New Delhi) | $380 to $672 |
Disclaimer: All prices are obtained from Cheapflights.com.sg and are subject to change without prior notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Airbnb, Dormitories, Hostels, Guest Houses, or Serviced Apartments?
If you’re a frequent traveller, you should know that Airbnb apartment is often a go-to because they are budget-friendly.
However, there are options such as dormitories/hostels or guest houses which are also cost-effective lodging options.
There are other upsides besides costs.
When staying in a dorm/hostel/guest house, you would have more opportunities to meet other travellers and make friends.
If you’re a solo traveller or planning your first backpacking trip, this is an opportunity for you to meet fellow like-minded travellers.
What Card Should You Use When Travelling?
Use Multi-Currency Cards for overseas transactions!
After setting aside a portion of your travelling expense for the essentials above, you should check out reviews on multi-currency cards such as YouTrip, Revolut, and Instarem.
The rest of your expenses will be on food and activities.
Be sure to also check out Rail and Bus Passes on travel sites such as Klook.
How to Maximise My Credit Card?
Don’t forget to use a credit card when you book your trip!
This allows you to spend while you accumulate cashback, rebates, miles or rewards.
Oftentimes, there are also lounge privileges that you can redeem before boarding too.
When’s The Best Time to Book a Flight?
There are tips and tricks to booking the cheapest flight.
Look out for airline promotions on websites such as Skyscanner, Expedia, Kayak.sg or Traveloka to book your trips!
We’ve seen a rise in Singapore Airlines’ airfares recently due to pent-up demand over the last two years.
The company has said that it is expecting the airfares to come down in the next two months.
But…we won’t know for sure.
Unless you have specific airlines that you want to take, try booking your flights via third-party platforms as there might be time-limited promotions.
What Type of Overseas Scams Are There?
As a tourist in a foreign country, you’re a vulnerable target for scams.
One of the most scams involves local taxi drivers refusing to go via the metered rate and charging ridiculous fares instead.
Or, even worse, you hop into a cab only to discover at the conclusion of your journey that the meter has been tampered with.
Use ride-sharing apps like Grab or Uber to get a normal, metered cost.
You won’t have to figure out how to describe your location to your driver (in a foreign language) if you have the address on hand.
All you have to do is either translate it ahead of time or copy and paste the information when you get there.
Pro-tip: don’t forget to make use of promo codes for first-time users!
