Job Discussion Forums

chushki2 · Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 8 Location: Sacajawea, Erika

I would appreciate hearing the experiences of those from "developed" countries (US, EU, etc.--in other words, those who generally have an easier time getting visas) who have married citizens of another country (especially those whose citizens tend to have problems getting visas) and have worked in a third country (i.e. a nation of which neither of you is a citizen).

I am a US citizen engaged to a West African who is concerned about

1. Being able to get him into countries where I might work in future
2. Experiencing prejudice against an interracial couple.

I'm a well-qualified TEFL teacher who has never had trouble finding jobs, but my life is about to become more complicated, I fear.

Hondo 2.0 · Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Posts: 69 Location: Canada

I can tell you that international schools tend to shy away from hiring teachers with non-teaching spouses. They don't like the trouble of getting a visa for your spouse. I can only imagine how an added level of complication would affect the affair.

zaneth · Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 1:50 am Post subject:

You are asking for years of headache, hassle, and pain. You might, MIGHT get used to it, but I doubt if you will ever get out from under it.

Is it absolutely essential that you marry this particular person? Have you thought about what you will do about kids? How this will affect the grandparents? What it will be like when you are old and your parents' health is failing?

My wife's Russian (not necessarily a developing country but definitely a visa problem). I'm from the U.S.

Problems with visas and work permission, etc. can be a major stress.

Check out the respective lists of visa friendly countries. There ought to be some overlap. And you have the two home countries. Will you get automatic citizenship there? Then perhaps you could both travel on the same passport. There are bound to be countries that you can both go to. Just don't assume that the problems will be short lived.

And take it into account as a major factor on whether you're actually going to marry this person. It has nothing to do with their worth as a person or how much you like them. But I suspect it will have a major effect on your marriage.

Good luck.

Ariadne · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 960

Chushki, don't let folks scare you too much. I tend to live under a lucky star, but I've been married for 30 years to the same man and we are vividly different colors. We have gorgeous children, 2 of whom are also ESL teachers. I know lots of mixed couples have a tough time, but we never have. Just remember that people will look at you. Heck, I look at mixed couples. Folks are curious, interested. No big deal. If some of them really hate you, well, those aren't the folks you will be friends with. The difficulties in respect to developing countries and visas I can't comment on. There are lots of jobs in the US for ESL teachers. Lots of
people from those aforementioned developing countries need to learn English. Good luck to you.

lucy k · Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 82 Location: istanbul, turkey

I'm no expert on this topic, but I can just share what I know. An American friend of mine here in Istanbul is married to a West African. They are moving to Abu Dhabi soon where she will teach English. He does not yet have a job there, and he is not teacher. But she did not have any trouble getting job offers UAE, and the contracts included bringing your spouse. There didn't seem to be any problems with that according to her experience. So, I think it can be done, don't get discouraged!

As far as attitudes there and people staring, I don't know. I guess people stare everywere? I live in Istanbul with my African boyfriend, and I don't feel discriminated against or really stared at. I think some parts of the States would be much worse. I guess it partly depends on the friends with whom you surround yourself.

As for the visa problem.... won't he be a US citizen after you get married?

Good luck!

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

If the genders were reversed you would have no trouble getting a visa in the Gulf. It's still possible, but slightly more problematic with you being the woman.

I'd try and get both you and your husband into the States sufficient time for him to get citizenship at some time or other.

Expect minor hassles, and put a little money aside to get over them.

Bindair Dundat · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123

Chris_Crossley

lucy k wrote:

matthews_world · Guest

Examples and definitions of developing countries are?

I guess those could be countries that are not included in the green card lottery.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

They must have changed the UK laws in the last few years. My sister-in-law was Romanian, and she got the nationalitly after one year.

A colleague of ours who went by the name "Pete the Suit" married a Chinese girl. She walked out on him at one minute past midnight on their first wedding aniversary as she was then able to get the nationality. A brave girl. Few would have survived cohabiting with Pete the Suit for a year, even if you got a winning lottery ticket at the end.

zaneth · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 5:30 am Post subject:

In my experience, marriage has not been an automatic approval in either direction. I was told at one point that it actually made getting a visa for my wife harder because they were required to assume that she was immigrating, and we had to prove otherwise.

If you start the process for immigration, you have a hard time getting a visa to visit before your paperwork is finished. Then when you come to the states, I believe there is some amount of time you have to spend there each year. Not sure how it would work out if you just wanted to visit during the summers. Have to get a visa for your spouse each time?

True about the citizenship transfer, though. I got a US birth certificate for my daughter at the embassy. She will only be able to transfer citizenship to her children if she actually lives for some time in America, though.

Russia and America both have major immigration issues. If one of your countries didn't have any major issues, the whole process might be a lot smoother.

There's also the question of military - dang what's the word? transcription, prescription, ah, conscription, that's it. Check into it. Not sure what I'll have to do if I ever have a son.

Ludwig · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 8:14 am Post subject:

Some of the above posters are certainly correct when they suggest that the 'smoothness' of visa applications will often depend on contemporary political events. I have a friend from the US who is married to a girl from the Philippines and they had been going to the US from HK very easily once a year in the summer. Since the Philippines pulled their police out of Iraq, however, the relevant authorities have been dragging their feet, somewhat. So much, in fact, that this summer they actually missed their holiday as the visa has not yet been approved (they applied in May and are yet to hear). Informally, he claims to have been told in an from-the-cuff way, not to 'bother'.