H1 Visa

[Suresh2000]

Hi,
Is it essential to have completed USMLE step 3 to be eligible for a H1 visa?

Do H1 and J1 visa sponsoring instiutions also sponsor your wife?

 

[psychmd7]

it is essential to have passed the usmle 3 to get the H1B visa. your wife can be sponsored for either the J2 or the H4. she cannot work on an H4.

 

[hadron]

You need step3 for an H1b.

Try to get an H1b, even if it means waiting a year and taking a less desireable spot, in the long run it is a far better option.

For your spouse you have a couple of options:

- if you are on J1, you can get J2 for your spouse. With J2 she can work, but she is not allowed to make more than you. Cave: Your spouse will be subject to the same 'Foreign Residency Requirement' (HRR) as you.

- if you are on H1, you can get an H4. This won't allow her to work. But if she has a college degree, she might be able to find a job that can sponsor her for her own H1b.

- if you are on J1, it might be better to bring your spouse on a F1 visa or resort to shorter stays on B2 visas. This allows her not to get a HRR and quietly look for a job to sponsor her for H1 or green-card.

 

[Suresh2000]

Thanks a lot for your help, but as far as I know the US embassy here (Sri Lanka) gives tourist visas(B1) for only 6 months max, any idea how I would be able to extend this to one year to be able to sit for Step 3 as well?

 

[hadron]

Why would you need a year to do step3 ? Do you have step1 and step2 at this point ?

The B1/B2 was meant as an alternative to a J2 for your wife.

 

[Suresh2000]

Hi Hadron,
I havent done step 1 and 2 yet. I'm hoping to start the exams next year. Right now I just want to get as much information as possible about visa process residency etc.... before I invest a whole lot of money.

I thought you mentioned I might have wait an extra year if I wanted to sit for step 3. Is it possible to sit for CSA, step 3, get scores, apply for residencies etc.....etc...and get an H1 within 6 months, or would I have to make multiple trips to the US?

 

[hadron]

- you don't have to take step1 in the US. It is offered in Sri Lanka.

- for step2 CS you have to come to the US.

- it takes a couple of weeks to maybe 3 months to get your ECFMG certificate after step2CS

- at that point, you are eligible to sit for step3 in a number of states, e.g. Connecticut and Maryland. (it doesn't mean you physically have to take the test there, it just means that you apply through the CT or MD medical board.)

- if you need an extended period in the US to interview and sit for step3, enroll with a test-preparation company such as Kaplan. It is unreasonably expensive, but you can get an F1 student visa for the period of the course.

- if you are shooting for an H1b (and you should), you will have to make some compromises regarding the types of hospitals. You might have to take a position outside of the match.

Try to sort out your priorities:
A. If you want to immigrate into the US as fast as possible: Come on H1b, do a family practice residency (3y), find a job in a rural area that sponsors you for a green-card . After a total of 6 years you will be a permanent resident,. (If you choose to add a second residency in an area of your interest at that point, you might be able to do that .)

B. If you don't want to immigrate but rather get the best education there is: Come on J1, seek out a good medicine, surgery or specialty residency. Do your 7 years on J1, return to Sri Lanka for 2 years and come back on H1b or green-card.

Be sure to follow the VERY LETTER OF THE LAW in all matters regarding your immigration status.
- don't overstay visitor visas
- don't extend visitor visas
- don't work on student visas


(the issue with waiting a year was meant in this manner: There is residency A which requires a J1 but you can start tomorrow and residency B that offers you an H1 but for next year, take B rather than A. It was not meant to imply that it takes a full year to take step3.)

 

[Suresh2000]

Thanks a whole lot for your info, it has been really helpful.

Unfortunately according to the US embassy in Sri Lanka they no longer conduct USMLE step 1 and 2 in Sri Lanka and the closest test center would be India, so I was planning on doing USMLE step 1 and step 2 CK in India and then do Step 2 CSA in the US.

One of my main restraints is my finances and I dont think I would be able to enrol for a program at kaplan. So I was wondering whether there is a possibility of working if I come on a B1/B2 visa for the CSA?

I also have one more query regarding the visa for the CSA.
My wife's aunt lives in New York and we were thinking about going on a tourist visa with her sponsorship. But I heard that it is very difficult to get tourist visas from Sri Lanka and that one has to prove that there is no immigration intention. Is going to the USA to the sit for the CSA suggestive of immigration intent? I do not have any other significant financial ties to my home country, so could you please tell me what my best options are?

I am thinking about doing a residency in internal medicine. Do you think a tourist visa would give me enough time to sit for Step 2 CS, register with ECFMG, sit for step 3 apply for residencies etc? Or would it be better to make two trips? One for step 2 cs and ECFMG registration and the next for Step 3, residency applications and the match?

 

[hadron]

> Unfortunately according to the US embassy in Sri Lanka they no
> longer conduct USMLE step 1 and 2 in Sri Lanka and the closest test

The embassy has nothing to do with USMLE. Contact ECFMG on where they are offering the test.

> so I was planning on doing USMLE step 1 and step 2 CK in India
> and then do Step 2 CSA in the US.

I believe only step1 is offered overseas, all the others (step2CS and step3) have to be taken in the US.

> I dont think I would be able to enrol for a program at kaplan. So
> I was wondering whether there is a possibility of working if I come
> on a B1/B2 visa for the CSA?

DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO F&**@@ UP YOUR CHANCES TO EVER RETURN TO THE US, THIS IS THE WAY TO DO IT !

> My wife's aunt lives in New York and we were thinking about going
> on a tourist visa with her sponsorship. But I heard that it is very difficult to

You are visiting your aunt, period. You get an invitation letter from her, she might have to file an affidavit of support (I am not sure about that). You have to assemble some stuff like your rent receipts, work papers, the deed to your property etc. to show that you have roots in your home country. It might be difficult, but you should be able to get one or more tourist visas.

> Is going to the USA to the sit for the CSA suggestive of immigration
> intent?

It is usually not interpreted in that way. People do get B1/B2 visas for steps and CSA. It might be harder from Sri Lanka though.

> I am thinking about doing a residency in internal medicine. Do you
> think a tourist visa would give me enough time to sit for Step
> 2 CS, register with ECFMG, sit for step 3 apply for residencies etc?

No, it probably won't be enough. Not unless you start dabbling with extensions of stay. The interview season is usually in the fall from the end of september into December. You don't want to be stuck interviewing and taking the steps at the same time. Waiting on a visitors visa till june to start your residency is too long a time on that particular visa.

I know some Nigerians who tried to pull this off. One managed to do it, the other one overstayed her visa and is now in a unsalvageable situation.


> Or would it be better to make two trips?

At least two.

> One for step 2 cs and ECFMG registration

What do you mean with ECFMG registration. You don't actually have to go to ECFMG at any point in the process (they don't want you to go there, you would see how they blow out your hard earned money on a lavishly appointed office suite in downtown Philadelphia.)

> and the next for Step 3, residency applications and the match

Again, you don't have to be here for the applications per se, or for the match. The applications get filed electronically. It helps to have a US address on your application (e.g. your aunt), but you don't have to be here.
You have to in the US for step3 and interviews, probably for the months of october to december. After that you return and wait for the match (in march). If you got a slot, you have to set up your visa through the hospital for a start in July. (If someone offers you an H1b position out of the match, you grab it and hold on to it for dear life.)