Hi all, hope you’re good.
Me (USA 34M) and my wife (UK 30) met in Japan as teachers. We had to leave during covid in 2020 for various reasons.
We went back to the UK, her home country, and I’ve been fortunate enough to get an actual teaching license (known as QTS in the UK) and I’m looking into a TEFL course too. I love teaching, and it’s my goal to be a home room teacher in an international school.
Since moving back to the UK have also had two kids, a boy and a girl, both below elementary school age.
**The time has come where we feel we are ready to return to Japan to stay permanently. However, the move seems much more difficult with kids involved, but is it impossible?**
**We think the best plan of action is:**
I get a teaching job, and head over to apply for their dependant visas while they wait in the UK.
Then, my wife and kids come over, and we sort out childcare and so on so that my wife can then also return to working in Japan.
**Our worries are:**
1. How long it can take for a dependant visa to be approved
2. Salary requirements for bringing dependants
We also wonder if it would be easier if we BOTH got teaching jobs that supplied our visas, but not sure how we’d then go about obtaining dependant visas for our children.
Would appreciate any advice or shared experiences.
Thank you!
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by Heck_Tate