Family & Work Visa Plan : Physician Program J1 visa
Under the Physician Program, non-US physicians can participate in graduate medical education programs or clinical training programs at US schools of medicine that are members of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Physician Program J1 visa
The J1 is a non-immigrant visa issued to a person participating in a United States Exchange Visitor Program, or EVP. The Physician Program is one of the 15 categories of the EVP.
The EVP is among the most diverse visas for going to the United States and is designed to enable non-Americans to travel within the United States and study or work there as a sponsored exchange visitor while immersing themselves in the local culture. The visionary EVP was created to foster greater understanding between the United States and other countries through educational and cultural exchanges. If you visit the US under the Physician Program you will be expected to return to your home country after the completion of your physicianship.
Over 550,000 persons representing 200 countries and territories visited the United States under the aegis of the J1 Exchange Visitor Program every year before the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently California hosts the largest number of exchange visitors, followed by New York and Florida. Internationally, China, Great Britain and Germany are the top three countries from where J1 visa holders come.
What is the J1 Physician Program visa?
Under the Physician Program, non-US physicians can participate in graduate medical education programs or clinical training programs at US schools of medicine that are members of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). This would give them an opportunity to experience American culture and lifestyle while receiving hands-on experience in their chosen area of medicine. Once the program ends, the participating physicians are expected to return to their home countries.
Unlike other exchange programs under the EVP, which publish long lists of approved sponsor agencies online, the Department of State has authorized just one global institution, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) for coordinating and sponsoring candidates for Physician Program’s J1 visa. The ECFMG can sponsor foreign national physicians for J1 visas as exchange visitors for participation in accredited clinical training programs or fellowships.
NOTE: In a few cases, the ECFMG’s sponsorship extends to research programs in the J-1 Research Scholar category. Since this is a J1 visa category by itself, a separate booklet contains details about it.
Who is eligible for a J1 Physician Program visa?
To be eligible for a J1 Physician Program visa, you should —
1. Be a graduate medical student with sufficient prior education and training outside the United States.
2. Have passed either Parts I or II of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), which is run by the National Board of Medical Examiners
OR
The Visa Qualifying Examination (VQE) prepared by the National Board of Medical Examiners
OR
the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences (FMGEMS).
3. A contract or letter of offer from a medical school, an affiliated hospital or a scientific institution accredited to the ACGME agreeing to provide you with the training you need. This should be signed by you and the official responsible for your training.
4. Provide an original Statement of Need (SoN) from the Ministry of Health of your home country or the country where you last had permanent legal residence. The instructions and wording requirements for this letter are exacting and must be followed to the letter as prescribed. The SoN must provide written assurance to the ECFMG that the country needs specialists in the area in which you will receive training and that you have given an assurance that you will return to your country upon completion of the program.
5. Be competent in oral and written English.
How long can you stay in the US with a J1 Physician Program visa??
In plain English, with a J1 visa under the Physician Program, you can stay in the US as long as you need to complete your advanced medical education program, with a maximum limit of 7 years. For those in clinical training programs, the period of allowable stay includes the medical specialty and subspecialty certification requirements published by the American Board of Medical specialties (ABMS).
As a J1 visa holder, you will be required to return to your home country once the physicianship ends. However, you and your dependents are allowed a 30-day grace period to settle your affairs and prepare to return. You cannot take on employment during this period, and overstaying can have serious repercussions for any future trip you may undertake to the US. During the grace period, you will not be under the J1 visa any longer but under the jurisdiction of the Immigration and Naturalization Services. If you cross the US border to Canada or Mexico, you may not be allowed re-entry.
How do you apply for a Physician Program J1 visa?
1. Get accepted by a US teaching hospital: Unlike other exchange programs under the EVP, where the sponsor actively helps you find a placement as a trainee, temporary worker and so on, the Physician Program requires you to have been accepted by an American teaching hospital or clinical program that is accredited to the ACGME, or be directly associated with a fellowship program of graduate medical education or training. Once such an institution has accepted you, they will designate an individual to serve as your Training Program Liaison or TPL and only then can you start the sponsorship application process.
The TPL plays a key role in everything that follows, including the coordination of the entire process of sponsorship with the ECFMG
2. Submit a sponsorship application to the ECFMG: Once you have an offer for medical training at your chosen institution and have been assigned a TPL, the next step is to submit an application for J1 visa sponsorship from the ECFMG. The TPL will work with both you and the ECFMG to ensure that your host training site and you yourself are in compliance with federal requirements for participation.
Typically, the TPL sets the ball rolling by sending in an online application request for J-1 visa sponsorship on your behalf and uploading supporting documentation through ECFMG’s Exchange Visitor Network (EVNet). Shortly after, you will be notified by e-mail that your online application has been filed with ECFMG. The e-mail will also include instructions for completing the applicant portion of the sponsorship application through the Online Applicant Status and Information System (OASIS). Once you and the TPL have completed your respective portions of the online application and all supporting documentation has been received by the ECFMG, the process of evaluating your eligibility for J-1 sponsorship will begin.
A checklist of documents needed while applying for an initial ECFMG sponsorship is available online.
Please note that a good application requires close coordination between you and your TPL. The EVSP can require between four and six weeks to review your application. Submitting every document needed, properly filled and signed, all in the same day, can significantly shorten the processing time.
Words matter. The EVSP will look for an exact match between the words in the original Statement of Need (SoN) received from the home country government with the words in your application. You can check all documents, correspondence, updates and status reports directly online at OASIS regularly.
If there are any gaps in your application or if additional documentation is needed, this may be communicated directly by the ECFMG to the TPL by e-mail. Both you and your TPL can access your OASIS file, add documents to it and respond to queries and requests.
3. Get a DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status: Once the ECFMG ascertains that you are eligible and accepts you, they will issue a document called the DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status, attesting that you are eligible and have been selected to participate in the Physician Program. Form DS-2019 is a key document in your J1 visa application.
4. Enter your name in the SEVIS database. The ECFMG will enter your details in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database. There is usually a $220 charge for this.
5. Apply for a DS-160 J1 non-immigrant visa: This is a nonimmigrant visa application form DS-160 that can be completed online here.
6. Book an interview appointment with the US consulate.
What documents are required for a J1 Physician Program visa interview?
The following is a minimum list of documents that you must carry to the interview.
- Passport: Valid for at least 6 months after the end date of your program.
- Letter of Offer: A contract or letter of offer from a medical school, an affiliated hospital or a scientific institution accredited to the ACGME agreeing to provide you with the training you need.
- Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status). This will be issued by the ACFGM once they have ascertained your eligibility to take part in the Physician Program.
- SEVIS fee payment confirmation. This is normally $220.00
- Receipt for Form DS-160 non-immigrant visa application. Once you apply for the DS-160 online and pay the visa fees of $160, you will receive a receipt, which you must carry to the interview.
- Photograph. A complete description of the format requirements is here.
- Consulate appointment confirmation.
You will be informed if you are required to furnish any other documents.
How much does a J1 Physician Program visa cost?
Unlike other exchange programs that are mediated through approved third-party sponsor agencies, which levy their own rather high fees, the Physician Program is coordinated by the ACFGM, which levies no charge. The only two applicable fees are listed below —
DS-160 Non-Immigrant Visa Application processing fee: This is currently US$ 160 but may be subject to change. Check with the local US Embassy or Consulate for up-to-date fees.
Visa Issuance fee: In some countries, an additional Visa Issuance fee may be charged when the visa is issued and could be around $220. Check with the local US Embassy or Consulate for up to date fees.
The most challenging part of applying for a Physician Program is securing a training offer from an approved medical institution in the United States. If the organization that accepts you is not a member of the ACGME, then your application may be turned down. However, in a few such cases, the ECFGM has moved the application into the Research Scholar category.
Restrictions of the J1 Physician Program visa
The J1 Physician Program visa is subject to a so-called Home Residency Requirement. This means that certain other US visas will be unavailable to you until you have been resident in your home country for an aggregate of two years.
Need more help?
If you still feel that you would like to have professional help in making your application or would like to consult a lawyer who specializes in immigration and visa matters, click here to see some of your options, including how to access our exclusive list of professional immigration lawyers.
If you have questions or would like clarifications, please send us an email and we’ll do our best to get back to you within 24 hours with an answer.
Physicians were not prohibited from entering the USA under the Physician Program J1 visa by Proclamation 10052, titled Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak.
The proclamation, which suspended entry into the United States of many non-US citizens, became effective from June 24, 2020. The proclamation expired on March 31, 2021, and has been neither renewed nor replaced by the Biden administration. In all cases, participants of the Physician Program were not affected.
Please check with your nearest US Embassy or Consulate for up to date information.