State Library of Queensland > Find... > Virtual exhibitions > Travelling for Love > Chiaki and Adrian

Chiaki and Adrian

Adrian and Chiaki’s wedding day 2004
Private collection

Boarding pass and air ticket 2003
Private collection

Telephone calling card c.2000
Private collection

Have you travelled for love?
Tell us your story

Long distance love in the 21st century

Chiaki first ‘met’ Adrian when they started corresponding in 1998 so that Adrian could improve his Japanese. After four months of letters and e-mails, Chiaki flew to Sydney to meet Adrian and his family and they fell in love. Although they had the same feelings for each other from the beginning, they didn’t know how to ‘make it real’ when they lived so far apart. Over the next five years, they crossed the equator 17 times to sustain their relationship.

In the 21st century, when immigration laws are strict, love not only has to bridge languages and cultures but embassies too. Sometimes falling in love can be a legal affair. How do you prove that you’re in love with someone? For nearly ten years now, Chiaki and Adrian have had to document their relationship in order to prove to immigration officials that they do in fact love each other and intend to spend the rest of their lives together. They have meticulously kept telephone bills, e-mails, photographs, airline boarding passes, joint credit card statements and receipts as evidence of their on-going relationship. Chiaki has applied for three visas: a Prospective Marriage (Temporary) Visa; a Partner (Temporary Residence) Visa; and, finally, a Partner (Residence) Visa. The sentimental ephemera of a long-distance love affair is now legal evidence.

On 20 March 2004, Chiaki and Adrian celebrated their marriage at a church in the Hunter Valley (NSW). After living in Brisbane for a few years, they now live in Sydney and have two children. Chiaki says, ’Of course I miss Japan very much, I miss language, family, friends . . . I miss my whole history, whole career . . . I am quite happy living here, even so, I left lots of things behind.

E-mail 1998
Print-out of original correspondence
Private collection

E-mail 1998
Print-out of original
correspondence
Private collection

Letter from the Department of
Immigration and Citizenship 2006
Private collection

Finally, in 2006,
Chiaki received a
Partner (Residence)
Visa so that she
can stay in Australia permanently with Adrian.

E-mail 1998
Print-out of original correspondence
Private collection

Chiaki and Adrian
started corresponding
via e-mail in 1998. Notice how
their relationship blossomed in
these first few months.

The State Library of Queensland would like to thank Chiaki and Adrian for sharing their story and lending items for the exhibition.

More information

If you have an enquiry, you can contact us in any of the following ways:

Telephone +61 7 3840 7885
Email publicprograms@slq.qld.gov.au
Visit us
Ask us

Last updated: 17th November 2009

Creatively engaging people with information, knowledge and community