I read the wiki and just wanted a bit more clarity on our particular circumstances. My wife relocated to the U.S. around the start of the pandemic (April 2020) and just recently got her green card here. She’s already working under her work authorization. I’m a U.S. citizen and also work FT here. We live in the PNW so we’re close to a consulate, but they haven’t been able to give much information each time I’ve called.
Preface aside, I wanted to know if it’s possible for us to take residence both here in theU.S. and Japan. I’m going to apply for a COE and then visa under spousal visa eligibility but my main concern is whether issues will arise or not with my wife being a green card holder here in the U.S. and not having a permanent residence in Japan anymore (she dropped her apartment lease long ago). We do plan to live in Japan 4-6mo out of the year so that I can help her dad with his business. IIRC we can keep her valid green card as long as we’re not away from the U.S. for longer than a year, so that part of covered. I can’t find any information on mandatory residence requirement for spousal visa holders anywhere so if anyone has any information on that too, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks for reading!
2 comments
Are you trying to go right now? Because 4-6 months a year would/could be covered under a tourist waiver and would save you a lot of grief re: taxes, health insurance, pension etc. Your wife is a citizen, so she could have access to banking if you needed it.
For such a short stretch, I don’t really see the need for a visa of your own, unless you’re trying to work while in Japan. But even then, your tax situation would get complicated quickly.
That does sound kinda messy.
It seems like you want her green card to work as if she was a citizen of the US. Based off what I have heard, I think your wife might have a hard time keeping her green card for resident purposes. Its not really true that you can keep it by just going into the country once a year. It does help that she has a Japanese passport, but you really are leaving things up to chance. Basically the immigrations guards at the airport seem to have a lot of power and can take her green card away if they feel she isn’t fully residing in the states.