[Zein]

"Doctors who participated in clinical training sponsored by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) cannot apply for a no objection letter to waive the two year home residency requirement."

What does this phrase mean? Is the J1 always sponsored by the ECFMG? Or can you sponsor yourself to be eligible for a No Objection letter?

 

[lee-usmle]

Where did you read it?

Where did your read that statement?

J1 Visa is sponsored by the ECFMG. They have a condition that says "you have to return to your home country for a period for at least of two years to serve your country back there"

As far as I know, people have been able to apply for a waiver of this condition by asking their ministries of health (or other official bodies) in their home countries to grant them that waive.

Am not sure if this is a new rule that's why am asking where did you read.

 

[Zein]

It was on that site:
http://j1visawaiver.net/j-1-waivers/j-1-waiver-no-objection-letter/

So that means that after you finish your residency you can't apply to a fellowship, unless you stay in your country for two years?

Any experience?

 

[lee-usmle]

That's not correct

That's not correct.

Here's the official information from the ECFMG website itself.

In accordance with Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, all J-1 Exchange Visitors who are sponsored by ECFMG for the purpose of graduate medical education or training (and all accompanying J-2 dependents) are automatically obligated to return to their country of most recent legal permanent residence for an aggregate of at least two years. At the initiation of J-1 sponsorship, the J-1 applicant declares his/her country of most recent legal permanent residence and submits the corresponding Statement of Need, thereby committing to return to that country. The 212(e) obligation may not be fulfilled in a different country. An individual must fulfill (or obtain a waiver of) this obligation before being eligible for a change or adjustment of visa status to certain types of U.S. visas. These visa types include: H (temporary worker), L (intra-company transferee), and U.S. permanent resident.

Source:
http://www.ecfmg.org/evsp/j1fact.html#physpres

It means that you can waive that obligation if you get an H or L visa or get a green card.

 

[Zein]

So as I said, after you finish residency, you have to return home for 2 years then apply for another j1 or h1 to get fellowship, you can't apply to fellowship after you ended your j1 ( with residency)..
I don't know if that applies also to preliminary years on j1, if you finish a prelim with a j1, you can't apply for match unless after 2 years?

 

[lee-usmle]

Yes and No!

The J1 Visa can be extended to include your fellowship. Though this is taken on case-by-case by the ECFMG.

However, if you get the waiver then definitely you can stay after residency.

By the way those who are on J1 visa can get fellowships quite easier than residencies because fellowships are usually sponsored by NIH and this institute lot's of money and hospitals won't pay from their pockets for it.

Did I answer your question :notsure:

 

[lee-usmle]

Helpful resource on this
http://www.ecfmg.org/evsp/evspccln.pdf

 

[Zein]

Yes and No!

However, if you get the waiver then definitely you can stay after residency.

Did I answer your question :notsure:

Good point, but any experience with the waiver? How's the job and the pay? I mean, what are its problems?

And by the way, I heard that your J1 can include the prelim and the rest of the residency, but I think it must be negotiated. tell me if that's true.

 

[khanar]

Good point, but any experience with the waiver? How's the job and the pay? I mean, what are its problems?

And by the way, I heard that your J1 can include the prelim and the rest of the residency, but I think it must be negotiated. tell me if that's true.

J1 Visa can be extended up to a maximum of 7 years which can include your prelim, residency, and even fellowship. However, I know a friend who has been trying to extend after residency and all his attempts have failed.
He tried to switch to H1 but nobody gave him a job! He then was forced to go back to his country (Syria) and he's really upset.
Am not saying this will happen with you but am just telling what happened with my friend.

 

[Zein]

He tried to switch to H1.

He tried to switch to H1 when he's on J1? I thought you have to retrun home before attempting this?

 

[khanar]

He tried to switch to H1 when he's on J1? I thought you have to retrun home before attempting this?

I meant he tried to "arrange" for an H1 before he goes back but he could not.

 

[Zein]

Thank you all for your replies, Does anyone know about this part?

Good point, but any experience with the waiver? How's the job and the pay? I mean, what are its problems?

 

[khanar]

It depends

Thank you all for your replies, Does anyone know about this part?

It depends on who's giving you the H1 visa to get the waiver. If it's a fellowship program then the salary is low and it's not very difficult to get. But if you are looking for a staff job (regular doctor job) then the salary is very high (depending on the specialty of course) and it's very difficult to get.

 

[Zein]

It depends on who's giving you the H1 visa to get the waiver. If it's a fellowship program then the salary is low and it's not very difficult to get. But if you are looking for a staff job (regular doctor job) then the salary is very high (depending on the specialty of course) and it's very difficult to get.

So you mean you can apply to a fellowship, and use it to be your waiver? ( And the same for the attending job), while you wait for your H1 to be processed?

 

[khanar]

So you mean you can apply to a fellowship, and use it to be your waiver? ( And the same for the attending job), while you wait for your H1 to be processed?

Yes, that's how you get the waiver

 

[Zein]

Till today I thought waivers were only given in areas of need places, like a rural hospital, never thought of a normal attending or fellow as a waiver..

 

[Zein]

Thought of adding another point I read elsewhere..

If youattend residency on a J1 visa, it's typically 3-5 years visa (depending on the residency)..after you finish residency, can that J1 be extended to include the fellowship (up to 7 years as said) if that wasn't negotiated before?

Or is the J1 issued as a solid document i.e. no changes?