Azlan Othman
The COVID-19 Steering Committee agreed to temporarily omit all countries from the Travel Green List following the current COVID-19 situation, particularly the rise of cases in several countries and the threat from the Omicron variant.
No countries will be placed in the Travel Green List from January 1, 2022.
Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah said this at the daily press conference yesterday.
In a press release on December 12, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announced that from January 1, 2022, citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam and foreign nationals who have completed their COVID-19 vaccinations are permitted to exit the country for non-essential travel via air transportation to countries on the Travel Green List – Australia, China, Singapore and the United Kingdom (UK).
However on December 22, the UK was taken off from Brunei’s Travel Green List for non-essential travel effective immediately.
The COVID-19 Steering Committee made the decision following the rapid spread of Omicron in the UK.
The minister said yesterday that before entering Brunei Darussalam, all travellers are required to undergo an RT-PCR test 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin, without the need to undergo an antigen rapid test (ART).
All individuals are also required to undergo mandatory self-isolation at designated hotels only.
All inbound travellers are required to undergo an ART test upon arrival in the country as well as an RT-PCR test on the fifth day post-arrival at the Sports Complex, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital.
Essential outbound travel is allowed for citizens and permanent residents of Brunei Darussalam who have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination within 14 days to three months (and no longer six months) prior to departure or for those who have received a booster dose.
Foreigners wishing to enter the Sultanate for essential purposes are still required to obtain Entry Travel Pass approval. Meanwhile, citizens and residents of Brunei Darussalam wishing to exit the country for essential travel are required to obtain exit-travel approval. For guidelines and online application forms, the public can visit the PMO website.
The conditions for the consideration of entry and exit travel are subject to review by the Steering Committee for COVID-19 from time to time. For inquiries, contact 120 or e-mail travelapplication@jpm.gov.bn (for Exit Travel applications) and infoentrytravel@immigration.gov.bn (for Entry Travel Pass approvals).
