In Need of Repatriation Advice?

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!"

Comments

Re:Start working on immigration now...

[pclminion]

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!

Re:My Advice?

[fruitbane]

"Love it or Leave it" is one of the most retarded and unhelpful (not to mention inappropriate) responses to criticisms of the US. My friends and family all live in the US. I want good things for them and for the US. Sure, there are much better places to live, but what I have, in terms of both stuff and people, is all here.

By quoting statistics and data that show the US is failing to achieve, people are hoping to spread awareness and interest in the hopes that people can and will work hard to change the US.

The US now is a superpower with nowhere to go but down, and we will fall, and continue to fall, unless we take the bold steps necessary to change our ways. Only through criticism and willingess to force change will we ever become the nation we think we are instead of the nation we really are.

Re:Culture Shock Advice

[jazman_777]

Culture shock? The shock is in moving from a country with a culture to a country with no culture.