Their Wedding Was Delayed by COVID-19 Travel Bans. Now They Don’t Know When They’ll See Each Other Again

The U.S. is not the only nation shielding itself from the outside. Countries around the world have imposed restrictions or completely shut their borders, in an attempt to curb the spread of the disease. And with no cure in sight, it’s unclear when those borders will open again.

Some analysts believe Trump and other world leaders are using COVID-19 as a pretext to close borders. A crisis like this allows governments to advance agendas in ways they could not in normal times, says Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow with the Migration Policy Institute.

“We’re not surprised that immigration restrictions are being put in place, because they have been part of the President’s narrative almost since he took office and certainly during his campaign,” said Chishti. “The instinct in this administration is to be more careful. There is much more emphasis on screening people.”

When Malakoff, 19, and Schmidt, 23, learned of the travel restrictions on March 11, they still had hope. The ban wouldn’t take effect until Friday, which would give Schmidt 48 hours to make the trip from Germany to the U.S. But then they realized he would only be able to enter as a tourist. His K-1 “fiance” visa hadn’t yet been approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and without it, the government wouldn’t allow him to become a legal permanent resident based on their marriage.

So Schmidt reluctantly canceled his plane ticket and the couple postponed the wedding. The florist returned their money and so did the men’s clothing store where Schmidt was purchasing his suit. The hotel for the honeymoon offered a credit, not a refund, one they hope to eventually cash in.

“My wedding dress we’re keeping, of course,” said Malakoff.

More than 25,000 people were admitted on K-1 visas in 2018, based on the most recent data available, though the number dropped by 35% from just two years earlier. Couples like Malakoff and Schmidt have to pass a rigorous review in order to obtain the visa. In addition to providing police records, a medical examination and evidence of financial support, they need to show that their relationship is real.

Proving they were in love wasn’t hard for the young couple. They met at a bible school in Quebec in late 2017 and started dating the following summer. They stayed in touch when they returned to their respective countries and visited back and forth for the next two years, staying with each others’ families.

“They require you to write out your whole love story with every detail to show that it’s an authentic relationship,” Malakoff recalled.

For her it included presenting photos, private text messages and boarding passes from their flights to visit each other. “People say that you do crazy things for love. But [you’ll do it] if that’s what it takes,” she added.

It took Malakoff about a month to complete the petition, which she submitted in early December. Many couples hire an immigration lawyer to help fill out the form, something she and Schmidt couldn’t afford. She’s taking college classes and teaching math, and he worked in sales for a construction machinery business in Germany. The fiance visa petition alone cost $535, plus another $265 for Schmidt’s travel document and additional fees for things like his medical exam, birth certificate, passport and document translation.