For context, my fiancé (planning on getting married in 1.5 years) and I have been together almost four years. He is half Japanese and half American; he was born in America, but lived half his life in rural japan, but then moved to American for his middle and high school years. He is a citizen in both Japan and America; he even has both passports. I, however, am solely American.
I am working on earning an English Bachelors Degree, and he, a Chemical Engineering Bachelors Degree.
After we have both graduate in 2027, I want to apply to the JET Programme so that we can move to Japan (I know it is a year long process so I will prepare for that as needed). I am hoping to get accepted to this program specifically because the base salary is pretty good, and when we move, our housing and my working situation will be set in stone and we don’t have to worry about that. Basically, the beginning of our “living in Japan journey” will be more secure than us just winging it and moving to Japan on a whim after we graduate.
Side question: Can my future husband come with me when I’m accepted into JET? (Will he be able to stay at the hotels that are provided for incoming JETs, will we be on the same flight, will his name also be on the apartment where we are stationed, etc).
By marrying a Japanese citizen, am I able to get a different type of visa and eventually become naturalized? Do people that work in JET usually leave Japan, or do they find other jobs after the five year cap? If people have moved on from JET and stayed in Japan, how did they do it (I hear it’s difficult finding a job where your only work experience is being a “side” teacher).
JET is a stepping stone for me. I want our children to know their Japanese culture and be raised in it. Also, Japan is safer than America. I know it won’t be an easy transition for me, but for my fiancé’s and my future children, I want to make this change.
TL;DR
My future husband is a Japanese citizen. I have visited Japan twice and met his family, so I know a bit about what it’s like living there, especially as a woman; my final decision is I’d rather be in Japan than America, especially for the sake of our future children.
Does having a Japanese husband who is a citizen make staying in Japan after the JET program easier? Or does it complicate it? How do I move on after being in JET since employers don’t know what an AET is?
Apologies for the lengthy post, but thank you for reading, and any and all advice is welcomed.
by GingerLyli