SINGAPORE, Aug 1 — Some five weeks after the leaders of Singapore and Malaysia agreed to set up special travel arrangements between both countries, the authorities here have announced details of the health requirements and application process.

Strict precautionary measures will be put in place before, during and after the visits, according to details put up on the Singapore Government’s SafeTravel website today. For instance, all travellers must be tested for Covid-19 upon arrival, among other things.

The portal will start accepting applications for the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) schemes from noon on Aug 10.

The RGL will allow travel between Singapore and Malaysia for "essential business and official purposes” up to a maximum of 14 days’ stay.

The PCA, which covers only land crossings, permits Singapore and Malaysia residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country to enter that country for work.

After at least 90 days in their country of work, they may return to their home country for short-term home leave, and thereafter may re-enter their country of work to continue work for at least another 90 days.

Malaysian citizens and permanent residents with Singapore work passes entering the Republic under the PCA must serve a stay-home notice of at least seven days.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin had agreed in a telephone call on June 26 to establish the RGL and the PCA to address the different names of different groups of cross-border travellers from both sides. 

This was followed by a joint statement by Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and his counterpart Hishammuddin Hussein on July 14 that both countries have set Aug 10 as the target date for the start of both agreed schemes.

On Sunday, following a meeting between the two foreign ministers at the mid-way point of the Causeway, Dr Balakrishnan said both sides are not yet ready to allow commuting and that discussions on this are at least "a couple of weeks away”.

Below are some key details of the RGL and PCA. More detailed information can be found at the SafeTravel website.

Reciprocal green lane

Who is it for:

Residents of both countries making essential business and official trips.

Steps required for residents in Malaysia entering Singapore: