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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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 Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:09 am Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
On their Japanese passports. They get those too, till they are 20, right? The wife is afraid that if they are born in the US, that we can not give them a name in kanji. As they are foreign born and will be stuck with katakana only. |
It doesn't matter if they are foreign born, they can still have kanji names registered with the Japanese authorities when you apply for their Japanese citizenship whether you register them in Japan or the US first, they will not be stuck with only being able to use katakana in Japan. Register them with a kanji name and they will have a kanji name.
I'm allowed to use a kanji name (the surname of my married name which I have registered as an alternative name) for most official matters here and I'm not Japanese, so of course Japanese citizens can use a kanji name in Japan, no matter where they were born.
As for passports, as kingkakipi says, their names will be written in romaji, just like every other Japanese person's. I'm looking at my husband's passport now, and his kanji name is nowhere to be seen, romaji only. |
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Mr_Monkey
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 5:36 am Post subject: |
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| Inflames wrote: |
| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
With regards to your kids getting passports "until they are 20", you could just not tell the Japanese government about their US passports.
It's not ideal, but how will the Japanese govt ever find out? |
Pretty much everyone born in the US (there are a very small number of exceptions) and at least the embassy people know. |
Eh?
I'm sorry, I don't follow. |
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Inflames
Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 486
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:27 am Post subject: |
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| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
| Inflames wrote: |
| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
With regards to your kids getting passports "until they are 20", you could just not tell the Japanese government about their US passports.
It's not ideal, but how will the Japanese govt ever find out? |
Pretty much everyone born in the US (there are a very small number of exceptions) and at least the embassy people know. |
Eh?
I'm sorry, I don't follow. |
Pretty much any Japanese person will register their kids with the embassy. The embassy staff know that (provided the parents aren't embassy or consular staff) the kids will be American and can simply ensure that they get registered as being dual citizens. The Japanese embassy website has a part that talks about dual citizenship and points out that people born in the US automatically are US citizens (actually, if the kid leaves and comes back into the US on a Japanese passport there might be problems as the US tolerates dual citizens but doesn't recognize them [in the eyes of the US government you are only an American] so dual citizens are required to enter the US on their US passport). |
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Mr_Monkey
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:02 am Post subject: |
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Ah! I see - the situation is different for Britons.
Regardless, my kids enter Japan on their Japanese passport and enter the UK on their British ones. No problem!
Are the Japanese authorities going to check the citizenship status of foreign born kids when they reach the age of majority? |
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Inflames
Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 486
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 10:46 am Post subject: |
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| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
Are the Japanese authorities going to check the citizenship status of foreign born kids when they reach the age of majority? |
I believe they get sent a letter or something telling them to make a choice. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you for all your help. everyone. I appreciate it. It is a long process, but I think we will be ok, save for one question. My wife has been married before. She has her divorce form. Though it is in Japanese. I can't seem to find a form online that we can translate it into English. Should we do it ourselves? Or am I blind?
BTW I didn't realize the Green Card was multiple thousands of dollars@_@
I guess the immigration dept is in the black, eh 
Edit; she wants to change her family name to mine. Should she have that finalized in Japan, before applying for her visa? Or should we do it once we are in the US? |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
| So, it'll be up to them, where they want to live when they grow up. Though US citizenship is super hard to get, while Japanese is not that hard at all. |
What? Try the other way around. If they surrender Japanese citizenship it will very difficult for them to get it later. US citizenship would be a right as of birth and parentage based on what you've said here. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
Thank you for all your help. everyone. I appreciate it. It is a long process, but I think we will be ok, save for one question. My wife has been married before. She has her divorce form. Though it is in Japanese. I can't seem to find a form online that we can translate it into English. Should we do it ourselves? Or am I blind?
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You are blind. :)
Look, seriously, take a look at some of the specific recommendations made on the thread for how to do all this. The process is simple and easy, just expensive. You keep coming back with questions that show you aren't paying any attention to the details, and dealing with USCIS is all about the details.
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BTW I didn't realize the Green Card was multiple thousands of dollars@_@
I guess the immigration dept is in the black, eh :cry:
Edit; she wants to change her family name to mine. Should she have that finalized in Japan, before applying for her visa? Or should we do it once we are in the US?
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Do not, under any circumstance, go changing names if you've started the immigration process. US officials simply cannot cope with things like that changing *during* the process. It's easier to do in Japan and only involves a single visit to the local town/ward office, so if you haven't started the process then do it there. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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| G Cthulhu wrote: |
| rxk22 wrote: |
| So, it'll be up to them, where they want to live when they grow up. Though US citizenship is super hard to get, while Japanese is not that hard at all. |
What? Try the other way around. If they surrender Japanese citizenship it will very difficult for them to get it later. US citizenship would be a right as of birth and parentage based on what you've said here. |
True, but Japanese perm residency is fairly easy to obtain. That or work visas.
I had met some Japanese born in the US. They said that at 20 they had to choose which country they would like to have citizenship in. As they couldn't have both.
As for the divorce certificate. All there is is this 'EVIDENCE OF MARITAL STATUS (IF APPLICABLE): Bring evidence of marital status, such as a family register or marriage/divorce certificate.'
and
'Marriage, Divorce, Death or Adoption Certificates: If applicable, applicants must present these documents, certified by the office of record, along with their English translations. All visa applications on behalf of adopted orphan children must also include a certified, irrevocable statement of release for adoption and emigration, written in the native language of and signed by the natural parents as well as any other intervening authority which had legal custody of the child.'
it doesn't really tell me, if there is a form to fill out, or if we have to translate it. As there was a form for the marriage certificate, but I can't seem to find one for divorce. |
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Inflames
Joined: 02 Apr 2006
Posts: 486
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
Thank you for all your help. everyone. I appreciate it. It is a long process, but I think we will be ok, save for one question. My wife has been married before. She has her divorce form. Though it is in Japanese. I can't seem to find a form online that we can translate it into English. Should we do it ourselves? Or am I blind?
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You don't need any special form and you or your wife can translate it. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Inflames wrote: |
| rxk22 wrote: |
Thank you for all your help. everyone. I appreciate it. It is a long process, but I think we will be ok, save for one question. My wife has been married before. She has her divorce form. Though it is in Japanese. I can't seem to find a form online that we can translate it into English. Should we do it ourselves? Or am I blind?
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You don't need any special form and you or your wife can translate it. |
Ok, thanks. I def don't want to make a mistake with this. Can set us back months potentially. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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| timothypfox wrote: |
Been through this process myself before, but I was living in the states at the time. The government website was all I used, but you have to read the details several times. Follow the directions verbatum in each of the forms you are submitting for whatever visa you will apply for.
Just be aware that the costs for various forms is not cheap. On the US immigration site, each form should be listed in a table with the cost - so prepare the money ahead of time. I think if I recall correctly - the amount I was paid was something close to $3000 for a permanent resident green card. This was a standard spouse visa route leading to a green card.
Also since you don't have a job yet, do everything you can to prepare for the transition. Get a master's degree if you don't have one already. A master's degree in education (even better with public school certification) is helpful for employment in the US. Language schools will give you only part-time work in the US, and private primary and secondary schools don' pay that well either. But options will open considerably with a master's degree in Education with public school certification. Options include working at a community college, public school teaching, teaching adult literacy, being a sessional university instructor, and others. Just my 2 cents worth.
As for your wife, she won't straight up be able to start nursing work with a work visa. All licenses require extra coursework when you change countries. I suspect it won't take long to do, but she will have to go through a relicensing process one way or another... |
My wife is actually studying to take a nursing exam here. They have a test for US nursing in Tokyo. It is good for all US states now. So if she passes she can get a job fairly quickly. Though, i think she should start as an LPN, and not as a full RN. As nursing in Japan is vastly different.
As for me, I used to manage a warehouse. Which is kinda a trade, and will prolly return to that. I helped my wife get through her masters, not sure if I want to do that myself. Also, we plan on moving in march/april, which really isn't enough time for me to get my masters. It is good adivce though. |
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king kakipi
Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
Ah! I see - the situation is different for Britons.
Regardless, my kids enter Japan on their Japanese passport and enter the UK on their British ones. No problem!
Are the Japanese authorities going to check the citizenship status of foreign born kids when they reach the age of majority? |
My kids do similar, Mr Monkey. The depart Aus on Aussie passports and arrive in Japan on their Japanese passports. As I am dual British/Aussie they are also eligible for UK Passports. So one day I want to take them to the UK via Japan ex Aus and let them use all three passports!
I have heard here in Aus that Japanese authorities don't police whether they have more than one passport when they reach 20. Anyhow, by the time they are 20 they can choose (J or UK+Aus). And, who knows, with falling population of J they may eventually allow dual citizenship.
Off topic but it reminds me of the time I left Aus on my Aus passport; entered the UK on my British one and stayed six months then re-entered Aus on my Aussie one. As the Aussie one was new when I left six months earlier it was only stamped that I had left Aus (and never actually arrived anywhere). When the Aussie immigration asked me where I had been for 6 months I said "that's for me to know and you to find out" to which he replied "look, mate don't give me the shits or you are going to be here for a long time" after which I sheepishly showed him my UK passport and then thanked him for his time.........I loved the bluntness and was happy to realise I was indeed back in Aus.
Still Off topic, but is there ANY country where Immigration officials have even a modicum of humour.....?! |
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cat mother
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 62
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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This might be relevant to the OP's question:
"Effective August 15, 2011, most Americans will no longer be able to use the US Consular Sections in your country of residence for immigration matters. The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will require that you petition directly with the USCIS in the United States to bring your foreign family with you when choose to move back to the US. (form I-130,Petition for Alien Relative). "
more here: http://1.usa.gov/17A2pz |
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Mr_Monkey
Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Dunno about humour, but the immigration officer at my local airport let us through the priority entrance when we arrived this time because we were loaded down with very grumpy kids.
I've also been told (in Japan) that immigration/domestic authorities don't check whether Japanese nationals are also nationals of other nations. |
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