The documentary, Hearts Suspended, points to one way that immigration policy disadvantages women. When a non-U.S. citizen is granted the permission to live and work in the U.S., their spouses are often given permission to accompany their spouse, but not to work. These spouses, wives more often than husbands, find themselves completely dependent on their husbands. The trailer gives us a pretty good idea of how this sometimes plays out:
I recognize the difficulty these women face, and am particularly saddened by the situation of people under the H4 category who have been abused.
but over all, the attitude of this piece is somewhere between boring an insulting. work=equality? gross.
@ Anxiety. I think they’re after equality of opportunity here. The problem is that they aren’t allowed to work (and subsequently also to pursue all the other opportunities that might be predicated on having one’s own source of income), not simply that they aren’t working.
I cannot access this video right now (bad internet connection), but I wanted to chime in and say that this is a big problem. I’m a Norwegian, and my wife is Chinese. Currently, I am doing my MA in Toronto. Canada gives spouses of students open work visas that last as long as their spouse is studying. It’s not a perfect system, lot’s of paperwork, costs money, long wait etc, but the idea is sound, and it works. In the US, as you mentioned, this isn’t the case. I am going on to do a PhD, and although there are some excellent schools in the US, they are ruled out from the get go, because my wife cannot work there. She has been working for years, and I am certainly not going to ask her to become a housewife again. I personally think that if you allow someone to come to your country, you should let them work and provide for themselves.
My husband is currently in the country on a K1 visa. To get this visa I had to prove that I could support the household independently, i.e., that I make at least 125% above “the poverty line.” I am a graduate student, on a PhD track and this was not feasible for me. I had to get my father to act as a “joint-sponsor” for the visa. Right now we are still waiting for his temporary green card to get approved so that he can work.
I think this is another way that immigration policy disadvantages women. If my father was not able to act as a financial sponsor, I do not think our visa could get approved. Women, on average make less than men, and I can imagine many U.S. born women having trouble getting their fiance’s visa approved due to the financial stipulations that, frankly, favor men.
[...] Sociological Images [...]
hi, please help me some information.
i am indonesian woman married to Danish man, he is EU citizen and live in Norway for 35 years. and i already apply for resident permit for familyreunification. My D-visa is rejected by norwegian embassy.. i was suprised but maybe i wrong apply that.. D-visa for spouse EU citizen if already married for 3 years, ahhhh crazy..
and please help me, we already waiting for 7 months, i really totally streesed.. if i apply for a tourist to Norway, can’t.. because my application for familyreunification is still being prosseced in Norway..
if i apply a shcengen visa, but my account bank is not enough, must be $5000 more.. also dont have a sponsor..
how can my husband apply visa for wife to join him?
please reply soon. i need help 
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((
© 2010 Sociological Images
