Girlfriend visa hurdles to starting postdoc in USA
#17
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,618
Re: Girlfriend visa hurdles to starting postdoc in USA
Initial contract is 12 months, with a view of it to be extended up to 2-3 years. NC state caps post docs at 5 years. In my head 24 months would be a nice amount of time, but I guess you can't predict the future. Right now, I don't see us gaining residency or emigrating.
The overarching appeal of this is it being a good career move (for me) due to the groups expertise, my expertise and the value of an American post doc on your CV (plus the publishing that could come with that) to gain a permanent role in academia in the long term (in the UK or EU). I also would hope it would be a fun experience, expanding both of our horizons and opening up the world to us a little. I appreciate this is a lot of sacrifice on my girlfriend's part and I know that without work and a "life" whilst there we won't be able to enjoy the experience that may come along with it.
Ironically I was looking at fellowships in Japan before this, moving there would obviously come with more of a culture shock, language barrier as well as expense (I would be able to get money for relocation however) but based on senior colleagues who have worked in Japan on the same fellowships (who took their long term girlfriends whom they married afterwards) it seems like the visa situation and partners finding work is much simpler (albeit the work was mostly teaching English to adults and children, or lecturing at the same university).
The overarching appeal of this is it being a good career move (for me) due to the groups expertise, my expertise and the value of an American post doc on your CV (plus the publishing that could come with that) to gain a permanent role in academia in the long term (in the UK or EU). I also would hope it would be a fun experience, expanding both of our horizons and opening up the world to us a little. I appreciate this is a lot of sacrifice on my girlfriend's part and I know that without work and a "life" whilst there we won't be able to enjoy the experience that may come along with it.
Ironically I was looking at fellowships in Japan before this, moving there would obviously come with more of a culture shock, language barrier as well as expense (I would be able to get money for relocation however) but based on senior colleagues who have worked in Japan on the same fellowships (who took their long term girlfriends whom they married afterwards) it seems like the visa situation and partners finding work is much simpler (albeit the work was mostly teaching English to adults and children, or lecturing at the same university).
If I remember correctly, the few J2's we have had on the forum, have been partners of academics (such as yourself) and found work in the same University as J1 partner.
She might be lucky and get a really good job in her field locally, but better to not depend on this.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do. I agree, it would be a great experience.
#18
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,156
Re: Girlfriend visa hurdles to starting postdoc in USA
Initial contract is 12 months, with a view of it to be extended up to 2-3 years. NC state caps post docs at 5 years. In my head 24 months would be a nice amount of time, but I guess you can't predict the future. Right now, I don't see us gaining residency or emigrating.
The overarching appeal of this is it being a good career move (for me) due to the groups expertise, my expertise and the value of an American post doc on your CV (plus the publishing that could come with that) to gain a permanent role in academia in the long term (in the UK or EU).
The overarching appeal of this is it being a good career move (for me) due to the groups expertise, my expertise and the value of an American post doc on your CV (plus the publishing that could come with that) to gain a permanent role in academia in the long term (in the UK or EU).