After several false starts, travel from the UAE to Singapore has finally reopened.
From Friday, the island state is welcoming tourists from the Emirates, as well as from Saudi Arabia and Qatar as long as they are fully vaccinated.
Singapore has imposed tough measures to try to control the spread of Covid-19 and has been cautious in its reopening.
Travellers can only visit the Asian hub for tourism purposes via its Vaccinated Travel Lane or VTL scheme, and that is only applicable to a few select destinations.
In November, the country delayed plans to extend this scheme to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, citing the Omicron variant of Covid-19 as the reason. But from Friday, UAE travellers can finally fly to Singapore for a holiday.
If you are planning a visit, here’s what you need to know.
Who can travel to Singapore?
Vaccinated travellers from listed countries can fly to Singapore for tourism. The Vaccinated Travel Lane currently includes 28 destinations, with the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia the latest destinations to be added, alongside Hong Kong.
Travellers need to apply for entry before they go to Singapore, to be accepted on flights. Applications can be done via this portal.
Singapore citizens and those with residency or other long-term visas don’t need to apply to travel to the country under the VTL.
Applicants must have only travelled to or transited via countries or regions approved in the VTL programme, or to Hong Kong, Macau, China, Taiwan or Singapore in the seven days before arriving in the country. Tourists who have travelled anywhere else in the same time frame won't be approved to fly.
You can see all the countries that are part of VTL here. On Friday, March 4, Israel and the Philippines are expected to be added to the list.
What do I need to do before I fly to Singapore?
As well as applying to VTL, being fully vaccinated and having a negative PCR test result, travellers need to download Singapore's TraceTogether Covid-19 tracking app.
Travel insurance is another must-have. The country insists that all tourists purchase a policy with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 ($22,000) against Covid-19 related medical charges.
If you need a visa to fly to Singapore, you’ll have to apply for the insurance to be approved for travel.
What vaccines does Singapore accept for travel?
Travellers must be fully vaccinated with an immunisation that's approved by Singapore authorities. This currently includes 18 vaccinations, and the full list is available here. Sinopharm is accepted, but if it's been more than six months since your second jab, you'll need to have had a booster.
The last vaccination must have been received at least two weeks before arriving in Singapore and travellers will need to show proof of their vaccination certificate via Al Hosn app, inclusive of a QR code.
Unvaccinated children aged 12 and under can fly to Singapore with their vaccinated parents using VTL. Children do not need to apply for a separate travel pass when entering the country.
I'm vaccinated. Do I need a PCR test to travel to Singapore?
All travellers aged 2 and over will need a negative PCR test or rapid antigen test to fly to Singapore under VTL rules. The test must be taken within 48 hours of flying and should be carried out by an approved laboratory. Emirates has a list of recommended clinics listed on its website.
Will I need to quarantine in Singapore?
Travellers flying to Singapore under the VTL programme do not need to quarantine after landing in the Lion City.
Will I need to take more tests in Singapore?
After landing at Changi airport, travellers have 24 hours to take a rapid antigen test. This must be done at a dedicated testing centre in Singapore and will be at the travellers' own expense. It costs $15 and can only be paid by card at the time of the test.
No more follow-up tests are required as long as the result is negative.
Which airlines are flying to Singapore from the UAE?
Emirates and Etihad fly to Singapore from the UAE. The airlines are operating dedicated VTL flights, which means travellers need to be vaccinated to be accepted for boarding, unless they have an exemption.
From Dubai, Emirates' fares for the seven-and-a-half-hour flights are from Dh1,975 and from Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s economy fares are from Dh1,945.
What can I see and do in Singapore?
Home to awe-inspiring architecture and attractions such as the Marina Bay Sands hotel, Gardens by the Bay and Jewel at Changi airport, Singapore is a modern island destination that has something for everyone.
Embrace the arts with a visit to the National Gallery Singapore and Gillman Barracks or indulge in retail therapy on Orchard Road, which is packed with department stores, boutiques and mega malls.
For nature — visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens or head for the beaches at Sentosa Island. Wherever you go, embrace the island’s melting pot of cultures via ancient temples and teahouses, hawker centres and Chinatown.
What is the best time to visit Singapore?
With year-round hot and humid weather, you can realistically visit Singapore any time of year.
However, February to April is the driest season — and a time when the country has the least amount of rain, the lowest humidity, and the most sunshine.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Formula%204%20Italian%20Championship%202023%20calendar
%3Cp%3EApril%2021-23%3A%20Imola%3Cbr%3EMay%205-7%3A%20Misano%3Cbr%3EMay%2026-28%3A%20SPA-Francorchamps%3Cbr%3EJune%2023-25%3A%20Monza%3Cbr%3EJuly%2021-23%3A%20Paul%20Ricard%3Cbr%3ESept%2029-Oct%201%3A%20Mugello%3Cbr%3EOct%2013-15%3A%20Vallelunga%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Spec%20sheet
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.7%22%20Retina%20HD%2C%201334%20x%20750%2C%20625%20nits%2C%201400%3A1%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20P3%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EChip%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20A15%20Bionic%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%204-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%2C%20f%2F1.8%2C%205x%20digital%20zoom%2C%20Smart%20HDR%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%2B%40%2024%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full%20HD%2B%40%2030%2F60fps%2C%20HD%2B%40%2030%20fps%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFront%20camera%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7MP%2C%20f%2F2.2%2C%20Smart%20HDR%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%3B%20HD%20video%2B%40%2030fps%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%2015%20hours%20video%2C%2050%20hours%20audio%3B%2050%25%20fast%20charge%20in%2030%20minutes%20with%2020W%20charger%3B%20wireless%20charging%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Touch%20ID%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP67%2C%20dust%2C%20water%20resistant%20up%20to%201m%20for%2030%20minutes%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1%2C849%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
