What is a J1 Waiver?

[dkpwalker]

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Hey board, i am an IMG applying to IM residency and i already have my step 3 so i qualify for a H1B visa but i was told by a PD during an interview that it is difficult to acquire a fellowship with a H1B visa and that i may want to look into getting a J1 instead and then applying for a J1 waiver after fellowship..or some such thing. My question is what is a J1 waiver, how hard is it to get and if i were trained on a J1 would i have to leave the country for 2 years if i don't get the waiver? I am confused😕

 

[f_w]

Hey board, i am an IMG applying to IM residency and i already have my step 3 so i qualify for a H1B visa but i was told by a PD during an interview that it is difficult to acquire a fellowship with a H1B visa and that i may want to look into getting a J1 instead and then applying for a J1 waiver after fellowship..or some such thing. My question is what is a J1 waiver, how hard is it to get and if i were trained on a J1 would i have to leave the country for 2 years if i don't get the waiver? I am confused😕

H1B OR NOT TO BEEEEE !!!!

Here are the cold hard facts:
- The H1b visa costs the hospital about $2500 (or more if they hire an attorney to process it)
- The J1 visa costs the hospital about $0 (zilch, nada, nuthin)

As a result, they will make up all kinds of stuff in order to convince you that it is better for you to take the J1.

If you can't find a fellowship on H1b, you can still switch to a J1 (or do what many people in that situation do, get a job, get a green-card, do fellowship on green-card)

The J1 is a royal pain in the arse later on. It precludes you from obtaining permanent residency (through a job or marriage) for years to come.

A J1 waiver is a buerocratic process that relieves you from the requirement to return to your home country for 2 years after residency. The typical way to get this waiver is by practicing in a medically underserved (--->undesireable) area for 3 years. Other options are jobs with the veterans administration (goverment hospitals for retired career soldiers and war veterans).

 

[dkpwalker]

A J1 waiver is a buerocratic process that relieves you from the requirement to return to your home country for 2 years after residency. The typical way to get this waiver is by practicing in a medically underserved (--->undesireable) area for 3 years. Other options are jobs with the veterans administration (goverment hospitals for retired career soldiers and war veterans).[/QUOTE]


I get that, but say you finish out your J1 waiver time, what next? can you then apply for your green card?

 

[f_w]

I get that, but say you finish out your J1 waiver time, what next? can you then apply for your green card?

Yes. At 3 year and 1 day you can submit your application, either at the consulate or with the immigration service here (assuming that you either managed to get a petition approved through your employer or you have gotten married in the meantime 😉 ).

If you have an H1b for residency, you can submit your application anytime, even during residency (e.g. if you have a future employer willing to sponsor you).

 

[dkpwalker]

Yes. At 3 year and 1 day you can submit your application, either at the consulate or with the immigration service here (assuming that you either managed to get a petition approved through your employer or you have gotten married in the meantime 😉 ).

If you have an H1b for residency, you can submit your application anytime, even during residency (e.g. if you have a future employer willing to sponsor you).[/QUOTE]

great, thanks for the info, so i guess all in all a H1B IS the best way to go then. If fellowships don't want to accept you on one, then get a J1, do the fellowship, get the waiver and then apply for a greencard. Sounds like a plan.

 

[f_w]

great, thanks for the info, so i guess all in all a H1B IS the best way to go then. If fellowships don't want to accept you on one, then get a J1, do the fellowship, get the waiver and then apply for a greencard. Sounds like a plan.

Or
- get a job as internist/hospitalist, live frugal, bank some money, get a green-card, work a year past green-card, go for fellowship.
- get a wife, get green-card, do fellowship.

 

[dkpwalker]

Or
- get a job as internist/hospitalist, live frugal, bank some money, get a green-card, work a year past green-card, go for fellowship.
- get a wife, get green-card, do fellowship.

Thanks a lot f_w, you've been a big help. Do you know how hard it is to step down from a H1B to a J1 and when should you start in your residency years if you're considering fellowship but the fellowship sponsors only J1? Personally i would want to get done with my training before i start working on staying in the country so i would prefer stepping down from the H1 to the J1 to facilitate fellowship options or get a wife (which i am not in the market for right now at all, too much stress).

 

[f_w]

so i would prefer stepping down from the H1 to the J1 to facilitate fellowship options or get a wife (which i am not in the market for right now at all, too much stress).

LoL, your from Jamaica. Nurses and physical therapists will be lining up to date you, so while you might not be in the market right now, the market will be out for you pretty soon 😉

Moving from H1b to J1 is as easy as filling out the application and a change of status request, no buerocratic hassles involved.

 

[dkpwalker]

LoL, your from Jamaica. Nurses and physical therapists will be lining up to date you, so while you might not be in the market right now, the market will be out for you pretty soon 😉

Moving from H1b to J1 is as easy as filling out the application and a change of status request, no buerocratic hassles involved.

thank you for your kind words...😀 and the info. i hope i will have to be fending them off when i start training

 

[Dreaming]

A J1 waiver ... Other options are jobs with the veterans administration (goverment hospitals for retired career soldiers and war veterans).

For the waiver, you can work in a VA hospital instead of an underserved area??

 

[f_w]

For the waiver, you can work in a VA hospital instead of an underserved area??

Yes.

Some head honcho in the VA administration has to certify that they haven't been able to find a US citizen to fill the job posting. The VA will then act as the 'interested goverment agency' to obtain a waiver. This is most interesting for specialists who are interested to stay in some sort of academic environment. You have to work 5/8 of your time for the VA and you are allowed to work 3/8 for the affiliated university hospital.