“Seeing other people that got exempt without even giving much evidence about their relationship is such a blow. I know it sounds bad, but I feel hopeless and less motivated because it seems like they’re not even reading our applications,” says Stella.

Stella met Jackson through mutual friends while studying finance at the University of Sydney in 2019. Within a month, they had developed a thriving relationship, spending endless weeks together that would soon eventuate to love. Just before Australia shut its border, Jackson and Stella were planning a trip to Indonesia to meet her family.  And yet, the Australian Border Force fails to recognise the legitimacy of their relationship.

The Australian Border Force website dictates that bi-national partners are classified as an immediate family member if they are a spouse or in a committed de facto relationship. To achieve this, couples must provide evidence of “a marriage certificate, de-facto or civil partnership registration, shared financial commitments, joint residence arrangements or birth certificates”.

“We are willing to pay the quarantine costs and follow all transmission procedures necessary. I have my valid student visa, and we have proven our relationship under the guidelines that are on the Australian Border Force’s website. We have a valid reason to reunite but still nothing,” says Stella.

The couple share frustration and confusion with thousands of other bi-national couples who have been separated by Australia’s border closure. A survey of 100 separated bi-national couples reveals that just 26% of them have received an exemption to enter Australia. Of the other 74 rejected couples, 45% of them have included either a marriage certificate or evidence of a registered relationship.

“It just makes me feel hopeless, angry and a little bit depressed, I worry about Mitch too,” Loes says.

She met sheep shearer Mitch in April 2018 while working on a farm in Nyngan in rural New South Wales.

Within the year they were living together and considering their future as a bi-national couple. Love had driven Loes to extend her working holiday visa for one more year so she could be with Mitch.

“The waiting and hoping are terrible, when you love someone you just want to be together. This flight cannot get cancelled,” says Mitch.

Loes and Mitch have felt the financial strain to reunite, paying more than AUD$3,000 for her one-way flight ticket. The additional $3,000 cost of mandatory quarantine has jeopardised their plans to buy a home and start a family together in rural New South Wales.

Greens Senator Nick McKim is a key figure in drawing political attention to separated bi-national couples.

“The cost of flights is a problem that is affecting Australian citizens, permanent residents and temporary visa holders alike,” says Senator McKim.

“Families and couples have a right to be together, and reuniting them should be a high priority for this government.”

Despite the disappointment of four exemption rejections and two flight cancellations, Loes remained hopeful that she would eventually board her flight to Sydney and finally be with Mitch.

“I’ve been thinking about how I could do it differently, but there is no way but to keep trying. If you really want something you go get it, no matter how much effort and stress it has, it will be worth it.”

“It builds a lot of tension, and we had hard conversations about what would happen if I wasn’t exempt from entering the country. I remember just feeling so isolated, and my life just revolved around trying to get into Australia,” says Emma.

Emma planned to continue her relationship with Alex in Australia after being accepted for a study exchange program at the University of Technology Sydney in April 2020.

However, Australia’s border closures subsequently cancelled Emma’s program, and she was unable to enter the country.

“It was really hard to balance your hope and to think realistically. Each step was a constant stressful experience, and it consumes your whole life,” says Alex.

The couple has faced a rollercoaster of hope and despair; however, after nine exemption rejections and multiple flight cancellations, Alex is finally set to reunite with Emma.

“It is nice to go to bed without feeling so anxious now that I am finally here and know when I will see Alex. I’m excited to get out, but also I have some nerves settling into a new country. There was just so much emotional baggage that was attached to this whole experience,” says Emma.

Emma plans to study full time at the University of Technology Sydney and start an internship with a local advertising firm.

While the experience has been undoubtedly traumatising, Alex and Emma feel that they can face any adversity as a couple.

“No matter what happens between Alex and I, it’s a story that I’ll have for the rest of my life. It’s a very rare situation and I think it definitely has brought us closer as a result,” says Emma.

Alex and Emma’s story is triumphant and extraordinary. They battled against the odds and managed to reunite during a pandemic, a feat that thousands of couples are still yet to achieve.