Nightline. Love under lockdown. Good evening. Thank you for joining us, a voice on the phone from oceans away. No substitute for the arms of a loved one. Couples across the globe divided by covid19, reunions uncertain but love undiminished. Maggie rulli has the story. Hey, babe, i actually just spoke to the lawyer. Good news. She said we should be good to go with everything. Thats good. Hey, babe, its me. I just want to let you know that im thinking about you all the time and im so proud of you. Everything youre doing for me and the baby is amazing. Im looking forward to seeing you. Give me a call whenever you can. I just love you and cant wait to see you. Goodnight. Reporter she didnt think shed be in labor, racing to the hospital like this. Oh. Reporter its terrifying and isolating. My water has broke. Im so cold. I keep like getting the shakes. Reporter her fiance, sean donovan, is trapped thousands of miles away, banned from travel together United States thanks to covid19. Im so nervous. Reporter in the modern world, increasingly interconnected, relationships are no longer bound by borders, but as coronavirus swept the globe governments around the world invoked travel restrictions, separating binational families and couples leaving them in limbo, not knowing the next time theyll be able to see each other. Since february, america has closed its doors to foreign visitors traveling from a growing list of nations. At the beginning, i think most people wouldnt argue with the fact that there needed to be some system in place to contain the spread of covid19. But the impact, the Ripple Effect has gotten out of control, okay. And its gotten out of control because of the unintended consequences. Reporter as couples wait for answers, thousands are taking to social media, pushing for action with campaigns like love is not tourism, and love is essential. Making the case that we are not tourists. We do not wish to travel and sight see. We have one destination. The arms of our loved ones. We are in the middle of a pandemic. So i actually understand the travel bans. Tourism isnt necessary right now. But love is not tourism. You have a group of people who are willing to quarantine upon arrival. You have people who are willing to present negative covid tests at the gate and do temperature checks at the gate. Theyre willing to follow every cdc guide line that has been suggested thus far. Reporter Facebook Groups have now become a safe space for lovers around the world to offer support and guidance, as they navigate new roadblocks to their longdistance relationships. What, are we 4,000 miles away . I miss you. Reporter for coursy and sean, this struggle has been going on for months. We never went six weeks or so without seeing one another. I didnt start to panic really until mid to end of april. Reporter that left coursy in texas, going through nearly all of her pregnancy alone. He always doted on the fact that he would have loved to take care of me during this time. And i just feel like hes missing out on so much. Reporter the dadtobe stuck in ireland. Sean had already filled out his k1 visa application, also known as a fiance application. But it was at a stand still since processing was put on hold due to the pandemic. Even visas are not directly exempt from entering the u. S. , but coursy says she should have been married by now under normal circumstances. Even in the best of times, even in the best of situations, its extremely difficult. Then you add the layer of the covid19 restrictions, then its amplified. This is the nursery. Its just a corner of the room. All of his little swaddles are down there, his diapers and picture of daddy right there. Reporter time ticks which, days turn into weeks, weeks into months. The stress, anxiety, depression, if sean could have been here i could have avoided months of turmoil. Reporter nearly half of americans report covid19 has harming mental health. The cdc has issued guidelines on dealing with stress during the pandemic. There is so much pressure and pain in my back and groin area. I dont think people understand just how hard it can be to do it alone. Reporter with coursy so close to her due date, the mental and physical strain is starting to add up. Just any day now. Cant believe ive made it this far without sean. Reporter thousands of separated couples are desperately awaiting reunions inside the u. S. , others are losing hope and patience. Some are meeting up on the border of the u. S. And canada, in a park thats shared territory. This is it, guys. This is peace arch park for you. Home away from home. It looks like everyone here is having a really nice time with their loved ones and family and friends. Reporter other couples stuck oceans apart are embarking on more extreme journeys. With much of the world still shuttered, croatia has emerged as a tourist destination, welcoming visitors in the country if they can show proof of a negative covid19 test. Going to get a covid test, loads of fun. Reporter i traveled there and met some couples using croatia as a safe haven. A lot of people arent traveling to gallon event. This is the only way we can see each other. Rememb. Reporter she is a u. S. Citizen. Her boyfriend lives in the czech republic. I thought, maybe it wont be that long. And im sure it will work out. But there was really, it was looking like there was very little hope. Reporter the pair plans to move to europe together, but for now thats all on hold. Did you ever feel helpless . Absolutely. All the time. Reporter another couple, joshua from philadelphia, naomi from slovenia had plans to marry when the pandemic hit. Determined to walk down the aisle, they booked their flight to croatia. Its important to not put anyone anyone in jeopardy with this pandemic, thats why we made it a small circle with just family. Do you agree to marry . Yes, i do. Reporter with only the brides parents and best man in attendance, they tied the knot. You can now congratulate. Reporter a growing number of countries are starting to hear these couples cries. On july 27th, the netherlands joined the list, welcoming partners who can prove they are in a longterm relationship with a dutch citizen. It is essentially a documentary on what my relationship looks like from start to finish. Reporter they have prepared a binder to verify her re i was aut to hav r tuy to decide whether or not im eligible to travel. Reporter she got on a plane on the very first day the exempting went into effect, after 11 months away from her partner chris. She just called me, and she ended my nervous break down by telling me the good news. I havent seen him in 11 months. Im so excited. I made it through customs. There you go. Jfk has landed just now, and now its just going to wait for hannah to walk through these gates. Ah, im so happy we made it we made it reporter despite their happy reunion, hannah says governments have to do better. Its kind of a blow to all the people who are not married, because their relationships are basically being classified as less than. Tourism. Reporter sometimes being with the one you love means bending the rules. All right, its 6 00 a. M. , time to go to mexico, i guess. Reporter when we come back, couples finding loopholes in those travel bans. All right, this is the moment of truth. Hope it goes well. Going to have to go through customs. Reporter plus, sean in a race against time to reach the u. S. As coursy faces an emergency delivery. Oh, my god, the phone is shaking, because i cant stop. Im freezing. Im so nervous. Reporter stay with us. So im gonna hold on promoting you this quarter, cool . Drop the taco, get in the car. 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We didnt know when it was going to end. And theres something about going through such a hard time and not be able to be there, and you kind of realize that theres a limit to what words can do. Reporter after six months, being forced to connect only virtually, the young couple had enough. All right. Its 6 00 a. M. , time to go to mexico, i guess. Reporter now emilys embarking on a long, roundabout journey from france to california. Thats if they let me in. Well see. Reporter emily had learned through a Facebook Group about other people successfully traveling to mexico in order to get into the u. S. We created a group chat because were taking the same flight to cancun. Reporter multiple buses and planes to get to mexico where emily will have to quarantine for 15 days. Only after that will she be able to try to go to california. There was no option to drive across the border. Its official. I made it to cancun, mexico. The travel ban forced people to rethink how theyre going to be reunited. Even though at first dthey may have the process in mind, now they have to think outside the box. Do they need a Business Visa . Should they go to a different country . Reporter emily made it to mexico, staying in a lohostel. This is the dorm. We have lockers here. All the top bunks are closed down. And we share a bathroom. And we share a shower. Probably every other person i meet here same thi am. A ser to r emilyhe reunite. Mexico currently has about twice the number of covid cases compared to france. Apparently, everyone is supposed to be wearing a mask, even in the car. Reporter emily says these travel bans end up putting people at a higher risk. They need to be revised. I can see how people who see us do this, travel to mexico, take planes, share a dorm, share a shower, might think that were be being pretty irresponsible in the time of a pandemic, and i dont disagree with that. Its risky, but when you dont know when youre going to see your partner next, i think youd be ready to do a lot of things that you wouldnt do otherwise. Reporter after 15 days in mexico, she finally lands in san francisco. This is the moment of truth. I hope it goes well. Goning gonna have to go through customs. Ill let you know. Reporter now, just a short walk away. Amelia is waiting anxiously. 45 minutes later. The face shes been waiting to see. Its okay. Im sorry you had to wait so long. Youre out, though. We kind of made the promise to each other that we werent going to let this happen again, and once wed be reunited wed Stay Together and stick together. Reporter the pair head home together, for the first time in half a year. Down in texas, coursy is waiting for reunion just like that with her fiance, sean, but it turns out there was no way for him to make it before the baby comes. Like the one i just had, that was pretty gnarly. Reporter the u. S. Does allow for some, exemptions to the travel ban, including parents, but sean doesnt qualify as a parent until the child born. That means he will have to watch the baby be born over face time. Hes six hours away from me, hes been so supportive, the phone is shaking. I cant stop, im freezing. Im so nervous. Im so nervous. I would have loved to be there, just hold her hand or talk to her, give her encouragement. Reporter coursy labored for a grueling 24 hours. Eventually, the doctor makes the call, an emergency csection. I just really remember wishing sean could be there for that, because i needed. I needed him, and it was terrifying. It was, it was terrifying for me as well, and watching her have the csection, and then she was, she was exhausted after it, and she actually, you know, passed out after it, after the baby was delivered. So i could hear the baby crying, and then the doctors kind of just shut off the laptop and hours passed before i knew if coursy was okay. And i didnt know where my son was. Say hi, daddy, we love you, and we miss you. So im just praying that sean can get here and we can be a family. Reporter now officially a father, sean finally jumped a flight to america, and a day later, he met the baby for the first time. I just walked in, seen coursys face, and we both broke down crying, and it was just one of the best feelings ive ever experienced in my life. Reporter coursy and sean realized theyre the lucky ones, maybe most separated couples are still stuck in different locations. I still want our story to be heard, because weve been robbed of something we are never getting back. It should be family first. Family over politics. Family is essential. Reporter they know in the end love wins, but even this reunion is temporary. Sean will have to go back to ireland eventually until they can get a visa. We just want to enjoy this moment together. I am not being separated from my family. 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The European Commission today urged all eu members to permit unmarried partners of their citizens and residents to enter their territories despite the pandemic entry ban. As of tonight, only eight eu countries have relaxed their restrictions. Thats nightline for this evening. See you back here next week same time. Goodnight, have a safe weekend. Hello. Im craig kilborn. And welcome to the Jimmy Kimmel Live summer bash pool party. Its the Jimmy Kimmel Live summer bash pool party. With guest host, joel mchale. Tonight, russell wilson. And music from billy strings. And now heres your host, joel mchale. That was not a crew member, and im not lying. Unfortunately, this is what a pool Party Looks Like now. Instead of jimmy kimmel, you have a guy who used to host a basic cable clip show. Yes, the despair of covid continues. But the good news is, im currently relieving myself on national television, and there isnt a damn thing the fcc can do about it. Im kidding. I have a terrible urinary tract nothing comes out. You know, guest hosting a talk show in a Global Pandemic isnt a job many people would say yes to, but it could be worse. I could be hosting the peoples Choice Awards again. No okay. Nice crew you got there, jimmy. Theyre yelling through masks, by the way. A lot of soft droplets are flying. It was a dark time. I apologize. Im here because jimmy is gone for the summer. He bought part of wyoming, and its way more responsibility than