Half the world separates a Three Oaks man from his wife and young daughter.

His wife, a native of Japan, was told she couldn't come back into the U.S. after a trip abroad, and that was back in December.

Richard Cooper and his wife Yuriko were married in 2006, and welcomed a daughter the following year.

But due to some “miscommunication,” Yuriko stayed in the U.S. during her pregnancy longer than she was allowed.

Now, the family is waiting to see when she and the couple's daughter can come back home to Michigan.

Cooper says it's hard to miss a big part of the first year of his daughter's life.

"We didn't have our Christmas and New Year’s, our baby's first birthday, Valentine’s, and Easter will just go into the past now," Cooper said.

Cooper says immigration officials told them Yuriko could stay in the country while she was pregnant, as long as she had proper doctor’s paperwork. However, he says, it turns out that must not be true.

The couple was shocked in December, when customs officials at O’Hare airport said Yuriko couldn't come back to the U.S.

"In hindsight, it was probably our negligence of not knowing what needed to be done and when. It still begs the question of why a spouse of a U.S. citizen with a U.S. citizen child should have to endure this," Cooper said.

"This" is waiting for Yuriko's visa paperwork to go through, with no answer as to when it will happen.

"Could be months yet, could be sometime this year, could be next year, depends on their backlog, there's just no answer," Cooper said.

Cooper says his church has been a big source of support, but they're missing Yuriko too.

"There’s a real loss in not having her among us and Ayame, who's a beautiful child, and we've just grown to love them," said Rev. Sherri Swanson with Three Oaks United Methodist Church.

They're trying to get something done too, in their own way.

"We have been praying for Yuriko and I’ve told her that, but of course, you know we believe God wants us to do everything we can... So, we've been active in writing letters and talking to anyone we know who might make a difference," Swanson said.

They know the immigration rules are there for a reason, but they're hoping something can be done to bring Yuriko home.

"When there are issues of family… that's something that needs special attention," Cooper said.

Cooper says the best case scenario is Yuriko could be allowed to come home, while her visa is being processed, which isn't impossible, but might require an official to “bend the rules.”

Or, he hopes her paperwork could be expedited, because he says he's been told there's a huge backlog.

Cooper actually just got back from Japan, that's the only way he can see them is by visiting.

His daughter could come back, because she was born here, she's a U.S. citizen.

However, they decided Ayame should stay with her mother until everything is sorted out.