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In Need of Repatriation Advice?

Posted by Cliff on from the turning-japanese-and-back-again dept.

kir asks: "I've been living in Japan for the last 10 years -- 6 in the USAF, 4 in 'freedom'. My wife and I recently decided to move to the U.S. (back for me, not for her). I am wondering what advice the vocal Slashdot minority might give me. I'm most interested in tips on finding a job from here and gauging a proposed salary based on a location of which I know nothing. I'd also find helpful tips on preparing for culture shock (both my mild case and my wife's possibly severe one). Thanks!"

3 of 231 comments (clear)

  1. Start working on immigration now... by afabbro · · Score: 4, Informative
    The INS (now BCS) is the most backward, retarded, morass of a bureaucracy you can imagine. My wife's been in the country for five years and still doesn't have her green card...it was "lost in the mail" once and the replacement will take 24-30 months. They're the worst government agency I've ever dealt with.

    Also, don't assume that just because you're a citizen and are coming back, your wife can come back. If you married her overseas, she has no more legal right to enter the US than any other alien (IANAL, but that is my understanding).

    My advice is to talk to an immigration attorney ASAP.

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    Advice: on VPS providers
    1. Re:Start working on immigration now... by pclminion · · Score: 5, Informative
      The INS (now BCS) is the most backward, retarded, morass of a bureaucracy you can imagine. My wife's been in the country for five years and still doesn't have her green card...it was "lost in the mail" once and the replacement will take 24-30 months. They're the worst government agency I've ever dealt with.

      I have an extremely important piece of advice with regards to this:

      When you deal with the INS, you always deal with the office/branch at the location you first immigrated to. In my fiancee's case, this means the California INS. Even though she lives in Portland and hasn't lived in California for 5 years.

      This absolutely sucks. The California INS is swamped with millions of Hispanic/Latino immigrants. I am not trying to make a negative comment about those folks, but the system is overloaded by the sheer mass of people and it will take YEARS longer to get through it than it would if you were going to a different office.

      By no means should you enter the United States at California, or any other location with a heavy immigrant load!

      Also, don't assume that just because you're a citizen and are coming back, your wife can come back. If you married her overseas, she has no more legal right to enter the US than any other alien (IANAL, but that is my understanding).

      Would it be possible to get a divorce in Japan and re-marry in the US?

      My advice is to talk to an immigration attorney ASAP.

      I second, third, and fourth this advice!

  2. Regarding salary information... by Xaroth · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'd start with salary.com, actually. There's a lot of information on cost of living, expected salary ranges by geographic location for virtually any position, and comparisons between different areas so you can start to guage how expensive it is to live somewhere.

    As a personal recommendation, Saint Paul or Minneapolis, MN (or the surrounding area) is probably one of the best places for a tech-minded person to find work right about now. The salaries are still high versus the cost of living, and there are a lot of positive things about Minnesota... just so long as you don't mind the freezing cold in the winters or the massive snowdrifts. ;)

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    That green slime had it coming.