Self help - J1 waiver process

PA conrad 30

please share your experience on recent PA conrad 30 waivers. how long does it take?
how long does it take to get the H1B?
is it better to go back to the home country or can i go to canada for the visa?
 
J-1 waiver in NJ or PA

Hi
Just wondering when will u continue after Mississippi. How difficult is it to get J-1 waiver job in NJ or PA? are there any websites to look for waiver jobs?

If I do 3 years of waiver(and I guess in that 3 years I don't get my green card or even the process started from whatver I have read in the forum) and then move to NYC on H-1, how much time will it take to get GC?

Thnx
 
pennsylvania waiver

i got approved for a Pennsylvania waiver. it was an easy and efficient process. it took 2-3 weeks for approval from department of health and 2 weeks for department of state to make a favorable recommendation.
i would recommend PA as a state for J1 waivers. the health department is friendly and contacts you immediately after approval. Licensure is also relatively easy.
 
I am interested in J-1 waive rjob in PA. Can anyone suggest any site or agnecy to contact or how could I look for the job? PsychMD what about u?
Thnx
 
waiver jobs

the new england journal of medicine, other journals depending on your speciality, physician recruiters like med source consultants. the best way is by networking- ask your training directors, supervisors, friends, colleagues. PA is one of the few states that does not accept FCVS. In PA- you can't file for your waiver application before 6 months of your intended start date and you need a license to apply. once they receive a complete application, they take 2-3 weeks.
NJ has a 4 year waiver program. if you find a good job and you intend to go the NIW route, then it is okay. west virginia is a very J1 waiver friendly place. i think west virginia also has a 4 year waiver program. it is important to know what you are looking for and places that you are willing to relocate. it is never to early to start looking.
the north east and california seems to cater more to primary care while middle america seems more friendly for specialist waivers.
psychiatry waivers are easy to get since the jobs are plenty and areas are classified as mental HPSAs. even if you are a specialist, you can work as a general psychiatrist yet see children, geriatrics, treat substance abuse and do consulation-liaison. i am not sure if one can testify as a forensic psychiatrist during waiver if they have a general psychiatry job.

the prison system usually offers J1 waivers and some of them have outpatient primary care and psychiatry clinics.

does anyone know about the future of the conrad 30 program beyond 2006?
 
Thanks for reply. So it means even if I find a waiver job in PA, I cann't start any paperwork till last 6 months. So its only in the end I will find out if I will be approved and if I am not, I would lose out on other places too. So it's a Gamble?!!

Does anyone know how can I llok for J-1 waiver job for IM in Brown University, Rhode Island. Will appreciate anyones input.
 
Hadron, thanks for sharing this information. I will finish my IM residency in june 2007. Im planing on doing my J1 waiver process by myself. I found a medical group in TN who is willing to go ahead and work with me in the J1 process since one of the two main partners was also J1 waiver, shares with me the same principles of faith and is also hispanic, so I feel good about this practice. This county is MUA for the whole county. For HPSA that is what it says:
http://hpsafind.hrsa.gov/HPSASearch.aspx
I talked to the person encharged of J1 waivers in TN and she said that TN has a requierement that says that the county has to be not only MUA/HPSA but also belongs to the top 30 health resource shortage areas: (page 27 in the PDF form)
http://www2.state.tn.us/health/rural/HAPU.pdf

Basically, this county is not one of those, so she said I could apply through the ARC, altough it seems that I have to send all the documents to the person that is encharged of the waiver in TN.

In the DS 3035 form (question 5)
http://travel.state.gov/pdf/ds3035.pdf
Do I have to check IGA (for physicians)? or do I check State Health Department? (since I'm sending the documents through the state). If I choose IGA and lets say in 1 or 2 months I have a better offer, can I change my selection to State Health Department? Do I need to pay a waiver fee again? Any one has ever done a waiver using the ARC? Thanks a lot for your time and help.
 
rajavica said:
I found a medical group in TN who is willing to go ahead and work with me in the J1 process since one of the two main partners was also J1 waiver, shares with me the same principles of faith and is also hispanic, so I feel good about this practice.

I wish you all the best. However, from my limited experience 'feeling good' and joining someone of the same ethnic heritage can be red-flags when it comes to J1 waiver jobs. A good idea would be to ask the TN J1 coordinator whether this practice has sponsored J1s before and if they are not willing to tell you, check with the local medical establishment whether that practice had J1s before. If yes, it is paramount to talk to your predecessors.


I talked to the person encharged of J1 waivers in TN and she said that TN has a requierement that says that the county has to be not only MUA/HPSA but also belongs to the top 30 health resource shortage areas: (page 27 in the PDF form)

Some of the states south of the mason-dixon line have such unreasonable requirements. It is part of the 'old boys' making sure that there are not too many funny looking foreign doctors raining on their parade.

altough it seems that I have to send all the documents to the person that is encharged of the waiver in TN.

I have no expericence with ARC. But it is my understanding that you essentially send everything to the state and the state sends it to ARC and gives you a letter: 'yes, we think its a good idea if you work there, but we won't sponsor you for a,b,c reasons'.

Do I have to check IGA (for physicians)? or do I check State Health Department? (since I'm sending the documents through the state).

I do believe that you would put IGA there, because they are sponsoring you. The fact that you send your documents to state health shouldn't make a difference, they just provide an opinion, they are not the sponsor.

If I choose IGA and lets say in 1 or 2 months I have a better offer, can I change my selection to State Health Department? Do I need to pay a waiver fee again?

I believe (and this is pure speculation), that you would file another DS30something. Just like the people who apply for hardship and state health at the same time.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
J1 waiver available

We have a position open for a j1 waiver in tennessee for a Pediatrician. if you guys know anyone looking for a job pls email me at saji.gopi@gmail.com. hope this helps. I am in the middle of the waiver job and the employer is excellent.
 
Dear Psychmd Can U Please Walk Me Trough The Steps Of Applying And Securing A Jiwaiver Job In Pa. I Am In Distress, Please Help
 
Ds3035

Hello everyone, I need help in answering the D3035 form.

1. In question no. 12 where it asks for your SEVIS no. I dont know what "purpose of the form", "subject/field code", "funding Amount" mean.

2. and as for the supporting documents which asks for "a statement demonstrating why the exchange visitor is eligible to receive a waiver of the two year home country requirement of the exchange vistor program". How did you guys answer this?

Thank you very much.
 
This is an update for the New Mexico J-1 Waiver Program.

As of 11-30-2007, the office has 6 J-1 Waiver Applications.

The office will continue to accept Applications beyond today's deadline until we have filled our 30 waivers.

The New Mexico J-1 Waiver Review Committee will meet on December 18, 2007. If you believe that you will submit an application before December 18, 2007 let them know so it can included it in this first review.

Any application received after December 18, 2007 will be review as they come into the office.

Contact information:

Gabriel D. Chavez, Jr.
Program Coordinator
New Mexico Department of Health
Health Systems Bureau
Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
300 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Suite 900
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
E-Mail: gabriel.chavez1@state.nm.us
Phone: (505) 841-5866
Fax: (505) 841-5885 or (505) 222-8675
 
Hi Guys
I am failrly new to the forum and will really appreciate if anybody can answer my query. My wife is currently pursuing her residency on J1 visa and is going to be completing the same by June 2010. Thereafter she needs to pursue her J1 waiver. Following are my questions:
1. By when should we initiate the above process i.e apply for case number and NORI?
2. Do we need to have a J1 waiver job in hand before we can initiate the above 2 requirements i.e. apply for case number and NORI or it is independant of the above neccessities?
regards
Saket
 
Hi Guys
1. By when should we initiate the above process i.e apply for case number and NORI?
2. Do we need to have a J1 waiver job in hand before we can initiate the above 2 requirements i.e. apply for case number and NORI or it is independant of the above neccessities?

- You don't need job to apply for case number.... and you can get it anytime, i.e. now.

- What is NORI????
 
You do not need No Obligation to Return to India for a Physician underserved area J1 waiver.

You don't need it from the immigration services side. Some states require it, mainly to defend against the accusation of stealing physicians from poor countries.
 
Many Oregonians do not have access to a primary care doctor in their community. This is true in the majority of rural areas, as well as in some urban and suburban communities. In order to address this problem, Oregon started its Physician Visa Waiver Program (also known as the "Conrad Program" or "J-1 Visa Waiver Program ") in August 2002.

International medical graduates who study in the United States are required to return to their home countries for two years upon completion of residencies or fellowships. The Physician Visa Waiver Program allows these doctors to remain in the United States, if they accept employment in a federally designated shortage area.

The 2003 State Legislature enacted House Bill 2151, enabling creation of Administrative Rules 333-005 and collection of a $2000 application fee needed in order to implement and fund the program.
 
J1 waiver in georgia

I was about to sign a contract with a hospital in Georgia. I have found that Georgia SORH has requirement that they dont approve J1 visa waiver until complettion of residency. I am worried because J1 visa grace period is only 30days. Is it advisable to go for J1 visa waiver in Georgia? What states are IMG friendly in terms of J1 visa waiver requirements? Am I too late for this now? Thanks in advance.
 
Me and my wife used a lawyer. A very nice guy, very professional, but don't think he was worth the money. He charged $700. He filed the paperwork which was easy - now we realize! As soon as he filed, the told us that we need an NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the Pakistani Government. That is the hard part (and to be honest with you that's what I thought I was hiring him for). Anyway, after some major headbutting we managed (after 7 mths) to get an NOC. That is the HARDEST part. Once all the paperwork was with the state department then we just left things with them. Feb 14th 09 - Nov 10th 09 to get the J-1 Waiver. The longest wait was for the NOC.

My wife needed a J-1 Waiver. he did the paperwork, but to be honest with you, I now realize that it's not rocket science. I would do it myself next time if needed. After all we did 90% of the running around for the important stuff, the easy stuff 10% the lawyer did for which I paid him $700. Not worth it in my opinion.

Seriously, I find it funny how well educated people find it hard to fill out a form that has instructions attached to it. Using a lawyer does not mean 'approval' by any means. In complex cases, by all means, hand it to a lawyer, but for most peoples skill level the forms can be filled out and one can save a few hundred (sometimes thousand) bucks.


Everything said and done I would say if you can avoid a J-1 visa, then by all means, please do so!
 
I was about to sign a contract with a hospital in Georgia. I have found that Georgia SORH has requirement that they dont approve J1 visa waiver until complettion of residency. I am worried because J1 visa grace period is only 30days. Is it advisable to go for J1 visa waiver in Georgia? What states are IMG friendly in terms of J1 visa waiver requirements? Am I too late for this now? Thanks in advance.

I gather you'll finish residency June 2010. I did not look in GA.. but most of them require that you have the license to practice in that state. To get the last you don't need to finish residency. Double check by calling them.

I don't think you're too late... try Maine, NM.

Good luck!
 
Top