It's unfortunate that the game – like most other similar interactive games – slightly but obviously overplays its hand, which throws doubt on the other very real points it makes.
For example, it stated that since I was not from a country where English is the official language, I'd have to pay for a translator (I don't need one!), pay to t…
It's unfortunate that the game – like most other similar interactive games – slightly but obviously overplays its hand, which throws doubt on the other very real points it makes.
For example, it stated that since I was not from a country where English is the official language, I'd have to pay for a translator (I don't need one!), pay to travel to the embassy (no matter if you live nearby and it'd be a fifteen minute bus ride at most), or pay $200 for a local passport and birth certificate (I already have that, and it was free).
Most of that isn't really the point, which is that it's really hard to immigrate to the US, and it makes one suspicious that the other issues are similarly tweaked to seem harder than they really are; e.g. perhaps employers know a bunch of tricks that make the issues in the "employer-sponsored green card" section not as difficult in practice?
I think that the frictions of applying to immigrate should be shown somewhere. As someone who immigrated to Canada I can tell you that I spent way way more than what this game simulates. I can only imagine that real immigration to the US is much more expensive. Nevertheless, you amke a good point in that the way it's done in the game might detract from the intended objective of the game.
I don't know how it is in other countries, but in Sweden I can simply request an English version of the document and I'll get that – at least for things that might be relevant for foreign authorities, like the Swedish analogue of a birth certificate or proof of vaccination etc. My passport is already in both English and Swedish.
It's unfortunate that the game – like most other similar interactive games – slightly but obviously overplays its hand, which throws doubt on the other very real points it makes.
For example, it stated that since I was not from a country where English is the official language, I'd have to pay for a translator (I don't need one!), pay to travel to the embassy (no matter if you live nearby and it'd be a fifteen minute bus ride at most), or pay $200 for a local passport and birth certificate (I already have that, and it was free).
Most of that isn't really the point, which is that it's really hard to immigrate to the US, and it makes one suspicious that the other issues are similarly tweaked to seem harder than they really are; e.g. perhaps employers know a bunch of tricks that make the issues in the "employer-sponsored green card" section not as difficult in practice?
I think that the frictions of applying to immigrate should be shown somewhere. As someone who immigrated to Canada I can tell you that I spent way way more than what this game simulates. I can only imagine that real immigration to the US is much more expensive. Nevertheless, you amke a good point in that the way it's done in the game might detract from the intended objective of the game.
You'd have to pay for a translator because all documents you submit must be either in English or translated into English by a certified translator.
The game is significantly tweaked to make it easier than reality along several margins. For instance, we don’t repeat questions.
Excellent point. If anything they should tweak it to understate the real difficulties.
But I think it's fair for the website to at least *mention* those obstacles that do apply to many people (even if not in every case).
That does make more sense.
However:
> your documents are going to be in non-English
I don't know how it is in other countries, but in Sweden I can simply request an English version of the document and I'll get that – at least for things that might be relevant for foreign authorities, like the Swedish analogue of a birth certificate or proof of vaccination etc. My passport is already in both English and Swedish.