The pandemic has impacted expats with international partners, as travel restrictions imposed long-distance relationships for many of them. Being apart led some couples to end their relationship or to strengthen by managing to see each other through digital tools and social media. Australia and New Zealand were some of the most strict countries in terms of Covid-19 travelling measures to control the disease. Now they are opening their borders between them and for expats overseas, and couples feel relief.
Australia closed its borders to almost everyone except citizens and residents in March 2020 in an attempt to slow surging Covid-19 case numbers. The travel ban – which also barred citizens from travelling overseas without an exemption and imposed a strict cap on international arrivals – earned the country the nickname “Fortress Australia”. However, Australia has opened its international borders to all fully vaccinated travellers on February 21, nearly two years after the island nation first imposed some of the world's strictest Covid-19 travel restrictions.
The New Zealand Government has designed a 5-step plan to reopen New Zealand borders, beginning February 27, 2022, for fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens and residents, while unvaccinated will continue to enter managed isolation and quarantine. Secondly, skilled workers earning at least 1.5x the median wage and travellers on a working holiday scheme can enter. Thirdly, current temporary work and student visa holders and up to 5000 international students for the second semester. By July, all travellers from Australia, visitors from countries who do not need a visa, and those visitors from other countries who already hold a valid visitor visa will be able to enter. Finally, from October 2022, step 5: all visa categories will reopen, including visitor and student visas.
Impact on international couples
Carinna Saldana is a government researcher on food science and packaging technology. She is from the Philippines and currently lives in Manila, and her partner is from Gisborne, New Zealand. Covid-19 has been affecting her relationship. “My partner and I were in a long-distance relationship. He is finally here with me in the Philippines. He arrived here last February 11. Before that, we were apart for 2.5 years because of the pandemic.”
Recently, the Philippines had opened its borders, exactly on February 10, 2022, when Carinna's boyfriend arrived in the country. The Philippines granted entry to fully vaccinated visitors from countries that are permitted visa-free travel, including the United States. Fully vaccinated travellers aren't subject to facility-based quarantine upon arrival. Travellers must present proof of vaccination and negative RT-PCR results from a test taken within 48 hours of departure from their country of origin and must self-monitor for symptoms for seven days after arrival, reporting to local government authorities if they begin to exhibit COVID-19 symptoms. The same requirements apply to fully vaccinated travellers with valid, existing visas. Unvaccinated visitors can't enter the Philippines.
The coronavirus pandemic restrictions have been impacting the researcher personally as it had put a strain on their relationship, which impacted her mentally and emotionally. “I felt like our relationship was not able to fully prosper during those times because we were apart”, Carinna comments. As for many couples, digital tools had a significant role in the relationship. For Carinna, Skype and Facebook video calls. “ We were online for almost 24 hours a day. We just left the video/call on and be with each other as much as we can.”
Reopenings and expats' hope
Now with Australia opening its international borders for vaccinated people, she thinks it will definitely make travel easier for those who are vaccinated. “It offers the chance to see loved ones who they might not have seen for a very long time.” But, New Zealand's border reopening to vaccinated New Zealand citizens and residents and other eligible travellers from Australia on February 27 doesn't help Carinna's situation. “It doesn't really affect me because I am neither an NZ/ Aus resident.” On the other hand, New Zealand opening for citizens and residents and other eligible travellers from the rest of the world from March 13 is definitely be important for her. “This year, I can finally apply for a visa to visit NZ and my boyfriend's family. I was supposed to go there last February 2020, but it was at that time when Covid-19 was spiking in China, where it processes some NZ tourist visas, so my travel was affected by that.”
Although these border openings seem that the world is coming back to normal, Carina believes they are going to be a temporary measure. “I think it is a trial period. Of course, if Covid-19 infection spikes, the government will have no choice but to restrict travel again for the safety of its people.” Now, carina and her partner plan and dream for the future, considering the Covid-19 fear of being apart. “We plan to marry and live together in the Philippines for 1 year so that we will be eligible to apply for an NZ partnership visa. Hopefully, it will be happily ever after, after that".
