Very few of our users are aware that the idea behind the Travel Restrictions app has LoveIsNotTourism running in its veins.
Long-distance relationships are not easy. With coronavirus in the play, things got a lot more complicated. Prior to March 2020 it was about having or “making” the time to go visit your lover and of course, being able to afford it.
Alex and Nunthiya are the reason why the Travel Restrictions App exists. Alex, an expat living in Spain, met Nunthiya in Thailand in the beginning of 2019. It was Songkran (Thai New Year) and there was positive energy flowing in the air. The chosen path of life was LDR. Different time-zones, different cultures, full incompatibility of work schedules. Recipe for disaster. Nevertheless, they persisted. Both didn’t give up despite all the odds against them. Alex went back for couple of weeks in August, 2019 and then in January 2020. Everything was going great and Nunthiya got a visa in February to visit Alex in May. Then Covid19 appeared. No one expected it. There were some tears but hope as well. Alex was checking the EU travel restrictions and bans hundred times daily. This is where the idea for the Travel Restrictions App was born. No unified info for the EU was available at the time. EU’s ReOpen came much later. So Alex was going crazy trying to verify which Schengen country could Nunthiya travel to so they could meet. Since he was checking all EU countries entry requirements and respective legislation, Alex figured an app integrating all travel restrictions could be useful for other travelers as well. That’s how it all started…
By the end of May it was clear, that reuniting would not be an easy task. Nunthiya’s short-term visa had expired, as well. However, the universe did lend a helping hand and the visa was renewed for August 2020 despite all the coronavirus craziness. Would there be flights? Would they let her on the available flights? After a few refusals to check in and board with different, otherwise 5 star airlines, Nunthiya made it to Europe thanks to Qatar Airways. She came to Alex. But why does it have to be so hard?
So it is only natural for the team of Travel Restrictions & Open Borders App to support LoveIsNotTourism. Because love is above everything.
* Qatar Airways and their representatives at BKK simply did their job following all current laws and regulations, but without overthinking it like some other major European airlines. BTW, Qatar has never disappointed any of our team members. Truly a 5-star Airline. Kudos.
So here’s the list.
EU countries to allow the entry of unmarried partners of EU citizens and residents:
Denmark
Switzerland
Norway
Iceland
Netherlands
Austria