My son is in his 1st yr of an Elec. Eng. grad program, and doing very well. He's interested in sustainability, and working with a team to build an energy-efficient home for the US Dept of Energy's Solar Decathlon. We're proud of course.
Last year, my son met a lovely woman, a Japanese national, at school. I don't know what the future holds for them, but we love her. She's brilliant, and sweet, and wants to illustrate books for children, and maybe others.
So here's the thing: she graduates next June, then has just 3 months before she has to return to Japan. Can she get a Green Card, or a working visa before she has to go away? She says it has to be a job related to her degree, so that's tricky. She has already been looking at the paperwork, which I imagine is endless.
Now maybe they could just get married, and she would be all set. I don't know if that even works. They haven't spoken of doing that, but maybe by June that would be an option. I think they would both like to know what other options might be out there to help her stay in the US.
With Republicans leading the House and Senate, I don't imagine immigration will become any easier, soon. I hope that someone, or a couple someones, might know the ins and outs of this kind of thing, and give me some suggestions or leads.
I thought my son might be an asset in Japan, with his degree, but his girlfriend tells me that Japan corporations aren't keen on paying for someone with an advanced degree. I also wondered if she might have an easier time immigrating to Canada, and then we figure it out from there.
Anyway, I know there are lots of smart people, expats, immigrants, and other wise counsel here at DKos. So, any suggestions you have, but we're looking for better ideas than "Anchor baby," even though it worked for Bobby Jindal.
Thanks!
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