Reunion of International Couples in Formal and Informal Relationships during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Youngcho Lee, Pilar Wiegand, Laura Odasso and Jacques Wels

No eb9gj, OSF Preprints from Center for Open Science

Abstract: The COVID-19 epidemic has generated major social disruptions, including the implementation of border enforcement measures in many countries to contain international travel. As tourism has been the most frequent means for international couples to reunite, a minority of countries have implemented specific measures to allow foreign partners to cross the borders. The purpose of this article is to provide a global overview of the regulations of cross-border travel for couples respectively in formal and informal relationships. This research is based on data on travel guidelines from 175 countries and a typology that distinguishes countries that have not implemented travel restrictions (46%), countries that have enacted border enforcement regulations but with special measures to allow formal and informal couples (15%), countries with border enforcement and special measures for formal couples only (15%) and countries that have implemented a travel ban with no special measures (23%). Results show that the specific measures for formal and informal couples are implemented independently from the region but with much higher propensities in high-income countries. However, the administrative requirements, particularly for informal couples, vary greatly among the countries that allow couples to reunite. The article concludes that exemptions are key when analysing border closures and that specific measures could be applied more inclusively to allow informal couples to reunite.

Date: 2021-10-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-law
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:osf:osfxxx:eb9gj

DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/eb9gj

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