China News Service, Beijing, August 11 (Reporter Zhang Shuo) The new crown pneumonia epidemic is still raging around the world, and the closed border has also blocked the reunion of transnational couples. In response to this, some European countries have recently decided to simplify the reunion procedure for transnational couples, so that they can meet each other without the travel ban. But there is a prerequisite-both parties must provide "proof of affection."
Data map: Germany and Switzerland block the border, and the people of the two countries gather for dinner by the fence.
Norway is one of the earliest countries that allowed transnational couples to reunite during the epidemic. According to the Norwegian official previously stated that starting from July 15th, if both couples can provide proof that each other has a true relationship, the couple from outside the EU is welcome to enter the country. According to the requirements of the Norwegian government, the "love relationship" consists of two indicators: Both parties must be together for at least 9 months, and they must be in close contact at least once.
American citizen Luke De Boer and his Norwegian fiancée Ada Marie Rigg are such a pair of transnational lovers. The two have been reunited in Norway. De Boer recorded the whole process of meeting his fiancée on social media. “The flight I took was one of the first flights from Nebraska to Norway. I wanted to choose an earlier time, but I had to The proof to be provided has been prepared for some time."
Currently, the lovers are planning a wedding in Norway. De Boer said that when the travel restrictions are relaxed, he hopes that his family can come to Norway to participate in our complete wedding ceremony.
There are many long-distance couples like De Boer and Rigg, but unfortunately, there are still not many people who can meet smoothly like them. Reuters reported that Florian Mailer, who lives in Germany, and Renata Alves, who now lives in Brazil, are such a pair. Distressed by the epidemic, Mailer's plan to visit Alves in Brazil at the end of March failed to take place due to entry and exit restrictions. "We can only communicate through video calls now." Mailer said: "The worst thing is that we don't know when we will meet."
Recently, the hashtags #Love Is Essential and #Love Is Not Tourism have become popular on social media recently. Many couples from different places have initiated petitions to cross the EU and Schengen borders in order to communicate with others. Half reunited. At present, some European countries including France and Germany have taken note of this call and plan to introduce "couple visas."
According to Agence France-Presse, on the 8th, the European Commission has urged 27 member states to allow European citizens and their unmarried partners to enter the country and exempt them from travel restrictions imposed on some countries. Germany, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, has sent a questionnaire to 27 member states requesting detailed domestic policies.
The German weekly "Star" reported that starting from the 10th of this month, lovers from non-EU countries will be allowed to enter Germany. At the same time, the couple must prove that they have a "long-term relationship", and must also submit an invitation letter from their partner residing in Germany and a relationship statement signed by both parties.
The French government also stated that for lovers who have separated the two places due to the epidemic, the government will fill the gap as soon as possible and allow a party outside the EU to reunite in France. According to the French "Sunday Weekly" report, the couple who enters France must provide a "proof of affection" of the two, such as travel bills, bank accounts, and social media records with the names of both parties. "Partners must report to the French consulate with documents that certify living together, an ID card, a proof of residence in France, and travel documents to and from France." Jean-Baptiste Lemoine, French government secretary of state for tourism, introduced According to the statement, "These special procedures must be approved by the Inter-Ministerial Crisis Committee, and pass permits will be issued to applicants when necessary."