Struggling to reunite with a partner in New Caledonia

[sailor Martin]

Hi all

The current elimination of our freedom of movement is taking it's toll on me.

Perhaps there is someone here with some border procedures knowkedge that could advise me. I'm looking for relevant fresh open minded ideas. Preferably with some knowledge behind them.

Background- I'm an Israeli citizen living in Australia as a student. My unmarried partner is a New Zealand citizen living and working in New Cledonia. We are trying to reunite.

If we could manage to meet (anywhere) then we could get married and that would solve the problem because I would then be allowed to sail into New Caledonia. Problem is we have no option to meet.

She can only leave New Caledonia to NZ. Even if she could legally go somewhere else, like Europe to meet me, the company she works for will fire her. I can only go to Fiji since they are now open.

I'm wondering about any option to somehow get married with her. Or just permission to land in New Caledonia.

Perhaps get married on-board in New Caledonia?
Perhaps arriving in New Caledonia and claiming to have a technical failure on-board?

Another important note is that if I leave Australia, I'm not allowed back. So I cannot just try my luck in entering New Caledonia.

[Dogscout]

Making life changing decisions to solve a short term problem is not always the best plan.

[tkeithlu]

Dogscout speaks with both wisdom and grace.

It's a frustrating jam. Hurts like hell. But, the consequences of a reckless reunion are also nasty, really more so, and waiting six months may well solve the problem.

So the view from 75 years of life and 38 years of a marriage I certainly never deserved is that patience is the better approach.

[belizesailor]

Do 2 people have to be in the same physical place to get married?

Also, be careful about choice of legal venue for a marriage, laws vary greatly, and you may later regret choice of venue.


A more important question: would you marry her if not for the crisis?

[sailormed]

I know that in the "old time" there always existed a procedure called marriage with the gauntlet, whereby both partners give their consent before the official at their place of living. But that was maybe inside the same national administrative framework, maybe not possible between different national administrations. But worth checking out this possibility.

[bjp447]

Have you tried Dear Abby yet?
I go with tkeithlu above
have patience all things change. 6 months
from now there will be a whole different thing to
worry about
Jimmy Buffett even wrote a song about it
see dogscout post above

[Siberian Sea]

Your Israeli, she is a New Zélander, your in Australia and she is working in an overseas department of France. Perhaps like so many others separated due to this sh#t Covid-19 your going to have to accept things not as you desire but rather as they unfortunately are for a time longer. I know this is not the solution you seek but even if you were to somehow get married right now you would still need to go through the process of immigration to join her and that can be a very timely matter. I know, I’m an American who married a French citizen and was forced to jump through the many hoops put before me and this was pre-Covid. As she is not a French citizen and in New Caledonia on some sort of working visa I doubt very much France is just going to let you in just because you get married neither of you are French citizens nor from the EU. Right now it’s French law you need to overcome. Your answer comes from the French console for it is they who can give you the path to walk. I truly wish you both the best. Shanah Tovah

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by bjp447

Have you tried Dear Abby yet?
I go with tkeithlu above
have patience all things change. 6 months
from now there will be a whole different thing to
worry about
Jimmy Buffett even wrote a song about it
see dogscout post above

https://youtu.be/6H2O4AX3EpI

[Geoff H.]

OP states that Fiji is "now open." Really? To whom? Would love this to be true, as my boat waits for me in a cyclone pit at Vuda and I would truly love to get to her!! (I'm in the states -- I'm pretty sure Fiji has not opened to me.
Any fresh rumors on when it will?
Or ideas on how to get my baby to Australia or NZ where I will likely sell her?

Thanks!
Geoff
s/v Un Mundo

[introverted]

Been married happily for 25 years. My advice: Don't do it. Sympathetic to your dilemma, unfortunately I don't have any advice to offer to help you reach your goal. If you don't reach a solution, know that your eventual reunion will be that much better.

[Jono as 2234]

Cup of cement, mate. Public safety trumps romantic whimsy

[sailor Martin]

Originally Posted by sailormed

I know that in the "old time" there always existed a procedure called marriage with the gauntlet, whereby both partners give their consent before the official at their place of living. But that was maybe inside the same national administrative framework, maybe not possible between different national administrations. But worth checking out this possibility.

Thank you for actually giving an idea.
many others here accidentally think I asked for their opinion about wether I should get married.... Obviously wrong impression.

About the Gauntlet, it doesn't really show up online. As far as my research went, an online marriage is called a "proxy marriage" and is not exceptable is nearly ant territory.

[sailor Martin]

Originally Posted by Geoff H.

OP states that Fiji is "now open." Really? To whom? Would love this to be true, as my boat waits for me in a cyclone pit at Vuda and I would truly love to get to her!! (I'm in the states -- I'm pretty sure Fiji has not opened to me.
Any fresh rumors on when it will?
Or ideas on how to get my baby to Australia or NZ where I will likely sell her?

Thanks!
Geoff
s/v Un Mundo

No rumers

Fiji is open (to yachtys)
You cannot arrive by air

Just look it up mate
It's all there

[sailor Martin]

Originally Posted by Jono as 2234

Cup of cement, mate. Public safety trumps romantic whimsy

All wise people who have no way to help but still want to write they wise opinion please dont

[sailor Martin]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Dogscout speaks with both wisdom and grace.

It's a frustrating jam. Hurts like hell. But, the consequences of a reckless reunion are also nasty, really more so, and waiting six months may well solve the problem.

So the view from 75 years of life and 38 years of a marriage I certainly never deserved is that patience is the better approach.

All wise people who have no way to help but still want to write they wise opinion please dont