Travellers to Singapore via land checkpoints not required to show physical copy of vaccination certificate: ICA

SINGAPORE: Travellers entering Singapore via the land checkpoints from Malaysia are not required to produce a physical copy of their COVID-19 vaccination certificate, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Tuesday (Apr 5). 

"As long as these travellers have submitted their SG Arrival Card, their vaccination records will be validated backend with the MOH (Ministry of Health) system," the agency added.

ICA said it was issuing a clarification on the matter following a WhatsApp message circulating about a traveller's experience through one of the land checkpoints. 

The message claimed that travellers entering Singapore were required to produce physical copies of their vaccination records, a COVID-19 recovery memo or a softcopy record of the SG Arrival Card. 

It said a physical vaccination certificate was needed as ICA's systems and MOH's systems were "not linked", and travellers should not assume that ICA would have access to travellers' vaccination records. 

The message also claimed that a softcopy record of the SG Arrival Card was needed as ICA's systems were not able to detect the traveller's submission.

On Tuesday, ICA stressed that returning Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders who were vaccinated here are not required to produce a physical copy of their vaccination certificate.

Residents and foreign visitors who were vaccinated overseas, and have successfully uploaded their digital vaccination certificates while submitting their SG Arrival Card, are also not required to produce a physical copy to ICA officers. 

Under the current Vaccinated Travel Framework, travellers who have recovered from COVID-19 do not have to provide a recovery memo when travelling via land checkpoints, said ICA. 

"As SG Arrival Card submissions are automatically reflected in our immigration clearance system, travellers need not show proof of their submission to ICA officers," the agency added.

Singapore and Malaysia fully reopened their land borders on Apr 1 - the first time in two years that fully vaccinated people are able to move between the countries without quarantine or the need for COVID-19 tests. 

"ICA would like to remind travellers to prepare all necessary documents, such as valid travel documents and submitting SG Arrival Card within three days of arrival before arriving at the checkpoints," the agency said. 

Those who were not vaccinated in Singapore are required to upload their digital vaccination certificates while submitting their SG Arrival Card. 

ICA also advised travellers to refer to its official channels, such as websites and social media platforms, for updated information related to travelling under the Vaccinated Travel Framework.