Denmark to let cross-border lovers meet if they can prove relationship

Denmark eased its border controls with other Nordic countries and Germany on Monday, allowing cross-border couples separated by the coronavirus lockdown to meet again if they can prove they have been in a relationship for at least six months.

The government said that within a couple of days, partners of residents of Denmark living across one of its borders would be asked to produce a written declaration to be granted entry.

“If you say, you are in a relationship and put it in writing, that is enough,” Justice Minister Nick Haekkerup told local broadcaster TV2.

Danish officials eased coronavirus restrictions for travelers from other Scandinavian countries and Germany, providing they are visiting the country for a legitimate “purpose,” authorities said on Monday.

The new regulations allow entry for people seeking to reunite with their spouse or fiancee in the Scandinavian country. The easing also applies to other romantic couples who had been in a relationship for at least six months.

However, the partner who is attempting to cross the border would be required to present evidence of the relationship and its duration.

“They can bring along a photo or a love letter,” deputy police chief Allan Dalager Clausen told Danish broadcaster DR.

“I realize these are very intimate things, but the decision to let in the partner ultimately rests on the judgment of the individual police officer,” he added.

Later, the government said that within a couple of days, partners of residents of Denmark living across one of its borders would be asked to produce a written declaration to be granted entry.

“If you say, you are in a relationship and put it in writing, that is enough,” Justice Minister Nick Haekkerup told local broadcaster TV2.

Online relationships do not count

The police would also acknowledge text messages or personal information as evidence. Notably, the partners would need to prove they had regular in-person meetings before the crisis, as relationships which consisted “solely of written or telephone correspondence” would not be recognized “in the context of the current entry restrictions,” Danish authorities said. They added it was up to the visitor to decide what information he would present to border officials.

For now, though, couples will need to show shared text messages, private photos or personal information about their partner, Danish police said earlier in the day.

That had sparked an outcry on Monday from lawmakers over privacy, leading to the hasty change being pushed through by the government.

“They can bring along a photo or a love letter,” deputy chief Allan Dalager Clausen told Danish broadcaster DR.

“I realize these are very intimate things, but the decision to let in the partner ultimately rests on the judgment of the individual police officer,” he said.

While good news for separated couples, the move highlights some of the issues lawmakers and authorities around the world face as they gradually reopen their countries’ borders.

Denmark closed its borders for non-citizens on March 14 to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, meaning only people with a clear purpose could enter the country.

Since then, elderly couples have been seen on the Danish-German border drinking coffee on each side of border and holding hands over the barriers to stay in touch with each other.

Some lawmakers took to social media to express their displeasure with the new guidelines, saying it was a violation of the right of privacy.

“I’ve never heard of a country where entry requires the showing of intimate texts or photos from a partner. We finally allowed couples to visit each other, but did not abolish the right of privacy,” Kristian Hegaard of the Social-Liberal Party said on Twitter.

Summer cabin owners and grandparents of Danish citizens will now also be seen as having a creditable purpose to visit Denmark, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have issued a new set of guidelines for business travel in and out of Denmark.

If you have a partner in Denmark, you might be allowed to visit them — but only if you show evidence of your relationship to the Danish police. The rule applies to travelers from Germany and the Scandinavian countries.