step 3 for IMG's

[guacharaca]

Hi all,
I don't know if you can help me with this, does somebody know if it's better to take the Step 3 before the match for IMG's because of the visa? I mean, if we take the Step 3 will we get the H1 and if we don't, we would get the J1, is this true? Thanks for your help.

[StepTaker]

J1 Visa is sponsored by ECFMG. They require that you are ECFMG certified and they don't need USMLE Step 3 score. Read this Official ECFMG Fact Sheet.

H1B Visa sponsor is the hospital that you are going to do the residency or fellowship in it. They send your paperwork to USCIS. The USCIS will not accept H1B Visa sponsorship for an IMG unless and until you pass USMLE Step 3.

PS- H1B Visa is preferred because it does not have that 2 Year home country requirement found in J1 Visa.

[guacharaca]

Hi Steptaker,
Sorry to bother you again, but I just want to make sure of something, if I take the Step 3 before the Match, will I get the H1 while doing my residency? or would I do my residency with the F1 and then after I finish it I will get the H1? Sorry, but I'm new at this and I want to be sure. One thing I don't understand is if the J1 lasts for a limited period of time, what shall I do if I'm doing a 5 year residency? Thanks again for your help.

[StepTaker]

Originally Posted by guacharaca

Hi Steptaker,
Sorry to bother you again, but I just want to make sure of something, if I take the Step 3 before the Match, will I get the H1 while doing my residency? or would I do my residency with the F1 and then after I finish it I will get the H1? Sorry, but I'm new at this and I want to be sure. One thing I don't understand is if the J1 lasts for a limited period of time, what shall I do if I'm doing a 5 year residency? Thanks again for your help.

First let me make it clear for you. When you pass USMLE Step 3 you are eligible for H1B Visa but you are not guaranteed to get it. It all depends on the residency program and whether they are willing to sponsor you or not. Most residency programs prefer the J1 Visa over H1B Visa as they don't want to take the headache of paperwork and they want to leave it to ECFMG to sponsor you.

You cannot start residency before getting a Visa. So there's no Visa status that you are going to acquire while you are in residency training. You get a J1 or H1B Visa then you start residency.

Can I Switch from J1 to H1B Visa?
The answer is typically No. Because once you are on a J1 Visa you have to finish its validity and then you have to return to you home country for at least 2 years before you can reenter the United States in any other Visa status including H1B Visa. The exception to that is you get a waiver from your home country "ministry of health" or any recognized authority asking them to waive their rights of having you working for them at least two years after you finish you residency. Such a waiver is usually difficult to get and it's a painful long time process.

Duration of J1 Visa validity?
The ECFMG will sponsor you for as long as it takes to finish your training up to a maximum of 7 years. This is mentioned in the fact sheet that am attaching to this post.