Last March, the United States enacted a travel ban preventing the entry of foreign nationals that have been in China, the European Schengen Area, Iran, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and Brazil in the last 14 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For countless unmarried couples around the globe, this has meant months of physical separation. Though there are a few narrow exceptions to this ruling, unmarried partners of US citizens are largely prohibited from entering the US. 

I would like to urge the United States government to include unmarried partners of US citizens in the list of travel/entry exceptions. A few countries (such as Germany) have conceded that love is, in fact, NOT tourism -thereby permitting the entry of non-married partners of German citizens so long as they quarantine for the necessary period and provide documentation with proof of their relationship. I believe that, if done correctly, allowing unmarried couples to reunite in the United States after months of separation will pose very few public health risks if done correctly. It is unclear how long this pandemic will last, and it has caused anguish for so many people. I am not asking that restaurants or nightclubs open back up, or that travel resume as normal- my only wish is for my partner of one and a half years to meet my family for the first time. 

Please sign, share, and help build awareness for what I believe to be an incredibly important cause. Thank you!