Explainer: What you need to know about the many definitions of Travel Agreements during COVID-19

Green lanes, fast lanes, travel bubbles, travel passes, corona corridors, unilateral agreements. Confused much yet?

As countries in Asia-Pacific progressively begin to open its borders, and lift or reduce restrictions around its stay-home notice or quarantine requirements, these terms are only going to get more common in a traveller’s dictionary.

We break them down for you, so you know the differences like the back of your hand.

GREEN LANE / FAST LANE AIR TRAVEL BUBBLE / TRAVEL CORRIDOR AIR TRAVEL PASS (SINGAPORE ONLY)

Reciprocal Green Lane / Fast Lane

Green / fast lane allows for official and essential business travel where travellers are subject to the following conditions:

  • Trip must be sponsored by a company or government agency
  • Application for relevant visas and/or safe travel passes (varies by countries)
  • No quarantine required, but travellers must be tested for Covid-19 before departure from either country; tested again upon arrival; and remain in isolation for one to two days while waiting for results.
  • Strictly controlled itinerary supervised by company or government agency.
  • Only allowed to move around the country using private car hires, taxis or transport arranged by hosts.
  • Download and use of country’s relevant contact tracing mobile apps

Air Travel Bubble / Quarantine-free Corona Corridor or Travel Corridor / Air Bridges

Air travel bubbles are agreements to re-establish connections by opening up a country’s borders and allowing people to travel freely within the zone without having the need to undergo on-arrival quarantine or stay-home notice requirements. However, they need to test negative on mutually recognised Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

Travellers are not required to follow a controlled itinerary but are required to go on flights dedicated for those travelling under these arrangements. Also known as travel corridors or corona corridors, these agreements can be either unilateral or bilateral.

Unilateral
One-way quarantine-free trip of the above arrangement where only one country has opened its borders to travellers from specified countries.   

Bilateral
An exclusive partnership between neighbouring or nearby countries, where the above arrangement is reciprocal between both countries.

Air Travel Pass (only valid in Singapore)

Updated of as Feb 9, 2021:

Air Travel Pass allows for all forms of short-term travel, leisure and business included. Travellers must have remained in the departing country for 14 consecutive days prior to arrival in Singapore and do not have to serve stay-home notice. However they must be tested upon arrival in Singapore, and only after they get a negative test result will they be allowed to travel freely within the country. Travellers are required to download and use the country’s contact tracing app, TraceTogether throughout the duration of their stay.  

"There are countries/regions where the virus is well under control and the risk of importation is low. We have thus lifted our border restrictions and updated our travel advisory to allow general travel between Singapore and such low-risk countries," - MOH Singapore

Travellers from below locations may apply for Air Travel Pass here.

  • Australia
  • Brunei
  • Mainland China
  • New Zealand
  • Taiwan