tonight, lovers torn apart by the pandemic. an expectant mother going in to labor alone. her foreign fiance stranded overseas. >> i would have loved to be there are and just hold her hand and talk her through it and give her encouragement. >> travel restrictions forcing the expect ant dad to watch and wait. >> i'm praying that sean can get here and we can be a family. >> plus, long distance longing. couples half a world away, taking extreme measures to reunite. >> you don't know when you will see your partner next after not seeing them in five months. i think you would be ready to do a lot of things you would not do otherwise. >> this is a special edition of "nightline." love, under lockdown. >> good evening, thanks for joining us. tonight, couples divided by the

coronavirus kept worlds apart by the global health emergency. and their love put to the ultimate test. here's abc's maggie ruly. >> hey, babe, i actually just spoke to the lawyer and she said that we should be good to go with everything. that's good. >> hey, babe, it's me. i want to let you know i'm thinking of you all the time, i'm so proud of you, everything that you are doing for me and the baby is amazing. >> i'm just looking forward now to seeing you. so give me a call whenever you can. i love you. >> i just love you and can't wait to see you, goodnight. >> she didn't think she'd be in labor racing to the hospital like this. >> oh. >> it's terrifying. and isolating. >> my water has broke. i'm so cold, i keep getting the shakes. >> her fiance, sean donovan, is

trapped thousands of miles away. banned from traveling to the united states thanks to covid-19. >> i'm so nervous. >> in the modern word, increasely interconnected, relationships are no longer bound by borders. but as coronavirus swept the globe, governments around the world invoked travel restrictions. separating bi-national families and couples, leaving them in limbo, not knowing the next time they will see each other. since february, america has closed i.t. doors to a growing list of nations. >> in the beginning most did not argue that there needed to be a system in place to contain the spread of covid-19. but, the impact, the ripple affect has just gotten out of control. on okay. and it's gotten out of control because of the unintended consequences. >> as couples wait for answers, thousands are taking to social media. pushing for action with

campaigns like love is now tourism and love is essential. making the case that we are not tourists. we do not wish to travel and site see, we have one destination. the armed of our loved ones. >> we are in the middle of a pandemic, so i actually understand the travel bans. tourism is not necessary right now. but, love is not tourism. you have got a group of people who are willing to quarantine upon arrival and willing to present negative covid tests at the gate. and do temperature checks at the gate. they are willing to follow every cdc guideline that has been suggested thus far. >> facebook groups have been a safe space for lovers around the world to offer support and guidance as they navigate new roadblocks to their long distance relationships. >> and i don't want to be fou4, miles away. >> i know, i love you.

>> for them, it's been going on for months. >> we have never gone six weeks without seeing each other. i did not panic until mid to end of april. >> that left coursey in texas, going through all of her pregnancy alone. >> he always doted on the fact that he would have loved to take care of me during this time and i feel like he is missing out on so. >> the dad to be stuck in ireland. sean had already filled out his k-1 visa application, known as a fiance visa, it was at a stand still, since processing was put on hold, and even kbrfed visa holders are not expect from directly entering the u.s. and coursey said she should have been married by now. >> immigration is complex in the best of times. in the best of situations. it is extremely difficult. then you add the lay er of the covid-19 restrictions, then it's

amplified. >> it's the nursery, it's the corner of the room. all of the swaddles are down there, all of his diep diapers picture of daddy. right there. >> thyme tiime ticks by, and da in to weeks and weeks months. >> if sean would have been here that whole time, could have avoided months of emotional turmoil. >> nearly half of americans report that covid-19 is hurting their health. the cdc has ways to deal with the stress of the pandemic. >> there's so much pressure in my back and groin area, i don't think that people understand just how hard it can be to do it alone. >> with her so close to her due date, the mental and it will strain is starting to add up. >> it's any day now, i i can't believe i have made it this far

without sean. >> thousands of couples are waiting for reunions inside the u.s. and others are losing patience. some are meeting up on the border of u.s. and canada, in a park that is shared territory. >> this is it, guys. it's home away from home. looks like everyone here is like having a really nice time with their loved ones and family and fre friends. >> others that are oceans apart are embarking on extreme journeys. croatia has welcomed visitors in the country if they can show proof of a negative covid test. >> i have to get a covid test. it's going to be a lot of fun. >> i traveled there and met some couples using croatia as a safe haven. >> i think they are realizing that a lot of people are not traveling to galavant, we are just traveling because this is the only way we can see each

other. >> kate is a u.s. citizen. her boyfriend, charles, lives in the czech republic. >> did you think when you separated that we will not be able to see each other for three months and not know where to move? >> i thought maybe it won't be that long. and yeah, i'm sure it will work out. but, you know, there was, it was looking like there was little hope. >> the pair plans to move to europe together. but for now, it's on hold. >> did you feel helpless? >> absolutely. >> all the time. >> another couple, joshua from philadelphia, and naomi from slovenia had plans to marry when the pandemic hit, determined to walk down the aisle, they------ they booked their flight to croatia. >> we made it a small tight circle. just family. >> do you agree to marry -- >> yes, i do. >> with only the bride's parents and best man attending, they

tied the knot. >> a growing number of countries are starting to hear the couples cries. on july 27th, the netherlands joined the list. welcoming partners that can prove they are in a long-term relationship with a dutch citizen. >> it is essentially a documentary on what my relationship looks like from start to finish. >> they have prepared a five pound binder to verify her relationship. >> i was about to have a panic attack. standing there waiting for this guy to decide whether or not i'm eligible to travel. >> she got on a plane on a very first day the exemption went in to affect after 11 months away from her partner, chris. >> she just called me and she ended my nervous break down by telling me the good news. >> i have not seen him in 11 months. so, i'm so excited. made it through customs. >> there you go, jfk just landed just now, and now, it's just going to wait for hannah to walk

through the gates. >> i'm so happy! >> you made it! >> we made it! >> despite their happy reunion. hannah said governments have to do better. >> it's kind of a blow to all the people who are not married because their relationships are basically being classified as less than. tourism. >> sometimes being with the one you love means bending the rules. >> all right, it's 6:00 a.m., time to go to mexico. i guess. >> when we come back, couples finding loopholes in the travel bans. >> all right, this is the moment of truth. i hope it goes well. going to have to go through customs. >> plus, sean in a race against time to reach the u.s. as coursey faces acknowledge emergency delivery. >> the phone is shaking, i can't stop, i'm freezing. i'm so nervous.

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emily o'donnell and her girlfriend amelia franklin's love story has spanned contin t continents. one is from paris and the other from san francisco. >> i met up with emily in ireland where her grandparents live and was in paris and she was set to come back here in late march. and that never happened. >> yeah, never happened. >> when covid-19 hit, they were not ready for countries to close borders and ban travel. the united states does not allow foreign visitors to fly in directly from the european union or other parts of the world like china where infection rates were high. >> she was asleep when the news hit, so i had on to wait a few hours before talking to her about it. >> it did not feel like an emergency and then it went on and on and on and we didn't know it was going to end and there's something about going through such a hard time and not being able to be there and you realize there's a limit to what words can do. >> after six months, being

forced to connect only virtually, the young couple had enough. ♪ >> all right, it's 6:00 a.m., time to go to mexico. i guess. >> now, emily's embarking on a long round about journey from france to california. >> they let me up. we will see. >> emily had learned about other people successfully going to had mexico to get to the u.s. >> we created a group chat, we are all taking the flight from can coon. >> she has to quarantine for 14 days and then she can go to the united states. but there's no driving in order. >> the travel ban has essentially forced people to rethink how they are going to be able to be reunited. you know, even though at first, they may have had the process in mind and it was supposed to go

along smoothly. now they have to think outside the box. do they need a business visa. she they go to a different country? >> she was in a city that was nearly brought to its knees by the stop in travel. >> this is the dorm, we have lockers here had. all the top bunks are closed down. and we share a bathroom, and we share a shower. probably every other person i meet here is here doing the same thing i am. >> emily wishes there was an easier and safer way to reunite. mexico has had nearly twice the number of covid-19 cases compared to france. >> currently everyone is supposed to be wearing a mask. even in the car. >> emily said that these travel bans end up putting people in a higher risk. they need to be revised. >> i can see how people who see us do this travel to mexico, take planes. share a dorm.

and might think that we are being pretty irresponsible in the time of a pandemic. i do not disagree with that, it's risky, but when you don't know what you would be willing do do, you would be ready to do a lot of things you would not do otherwise. >> after 15 days in mexico. she finally lands in san francisco. >> this is the moment of truth. going to have to go through customs. i will let you know. >> now, just a short walk away. amelia is waiting anxiously. >> she got her phone back. 45 minutes later. the person she has been waiting to see.

>> it's okay. we made a promise to each other that we were not going let it happen again. that once we were reunited we would stay together. >> the pair head home together for if first tithe first time i year. >> coursey is waiting to be back with her fiance sean. there was no way for him to make it before the baby comes. >> the u.s. does allow exemptions for the travel ban for parents but sean does not technically qualify as a parent until the baby is born. that means he has to watch her deliver her son over facetime. >> he is six hours ahead of me. but he has been so supportive and so has his family. you know, just on facetime, and the phone, and oh, my god, the phone is shaking because i can't stop.

i'm freezing. i'm so nervous. >> i'm so nervous. >> i would have loved to be there just hold her hand or talk her through it and give err encouragement. >> coursey labored for a grueling 24 hours and eventually the doctor makes the call and an emergency c-section. >> i remember just wishing that sean could be there for that. because i needed, i needed him. and it was, it was terrifying. >> it was tower identifying for me as well, and watching her have the c-section and then she was -- she was exhausted after and passed out after the baby was delivered. so i could hear the baby crying and then the doctors kind of just shut off the laptop and hours had passed before i knew ifcorsey was okay, i didn't know where my son was. >> say, hi, daddy, we love you and miss you.

so i'm just praying that sean can get here and we can be a family. >> now, officially a father. sean finally jumped a flight to america. in just a day later, he met baby tous for the first time. >> i walked in and seen corsey's face and we broke down crying and it was just one of the best feelings i have ever experienced in my life. >> they realized they were the lucky ones, others are stuck in different locations. >> i want our story to be heard because we have been robbed of something that we are never getting back. it should be family first, family over politics. family is essential. >> they know in tend love wins. even this reunion is temperature. sean will have to go back to ireland eventually. and until they can officially get a visa. >> i am not being separated from my family, i will fight as hard as i have to fight.

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♪ and you should know since we last aired the story, emily and amelia landed in france together last night. amelia plap plans the study wi there this fall. and corsey and sean are enjoying being parents and the baby is happy and healthy. that is "nightline," thanks for staying up with us, goodnight, america. and happy labor day. >> dicky: from hollywood, it's "jimmy kimmel live," with guest host, david spade. tonight, lauren lapkus and music from the avett brothers. and now, here's david spade! >> david: hey, guys, welcome to "jimmy kimmel live," wow, it's me again, david spade, wah, wah.

what a ripoff, right? my second night at uncle jimmy's creepy dungeon. so excited to be here. they never even let me leave. this is a big gig for me. if it goes well, i can charge a little extra on my cameo. mee-mop. you actually get a lot of power as a guest host, but it's harder to be a diva in a pandemic. it's not as fun to throw coffee in a pa's face when it bounces off the face shield. it's tough to host jimmy's show because i'm really his best guest. in the end, who really suffers? you, the american people, right, guillermo? there he is. >> guillermo: that's right! >> david: that's it? hey, by the way, what's going on in that room? a little bleak there, you got a couch and a plant. is that a house or a crate and barrel that went out of business? >> guillermo: look, it's my meditation room. you know?