Physicians: Federal IGA Waivers

Former INS Attorney Shusterman (1976-82) discusses how a physician can obtain a J waiver through a Federal Interested Government Agency (IGA). Schedule a legal consultation (by Skype, telephone or in person) at http://shusterman.com/schedule-immigration-consultation.html

Interested Federal Government Agencies include:

(1) Veterans' Administration (VA)

If a VA hospital hires a physician who has completed his medical residency or fellowship as J exchange visitor, they can sponsor the doctor for a waiver of the two-year home residency requirement.

The doctor must sign a three-year contract with the VA.  There is no need for him to work in a HPSA or a medically-underserved area.

(2) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

HHS will sponsor both primary care physicians with job offers in medically-underserved areas as well as researchers for J waivers.  These physicians/researchers must fulfilled the obligations of their  3-year contracts.

(3) Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

Under certain circumstances, the Appalachian Regional Commission will request a waiver of immigration requirements for foreign-trained physicians doing residency work in the United States under a J-1 visa. Physicians receiving these waivers must practice for at least three years in rural Appalachian areas that suffer significant shortages of health care providers. These areas, called Health Professional Shortage Areas, are identified by the U.S. Public Health Service.


(4) Delta Regional Authority (DRA)

The DRA recommends J-1 visa waivers to the State Department. A J-1 visa waiver obtained under the Delta Doctors program allows graduates to stay in the US if they spend at least 3 years in a medically under-served area. The physicians must provide primary care in their specialty fields for at least 40 hours a week. The Delta Doctors program also accepts waiver requests for medical specialists.  Physicians must also provide care to the indigent, Medicaid recipients, and Medicare recipients.

For more information, please see http://shusterman.com/internationalmedicalgraduatesimmigration.html