Visa
To do your residency in the US as a foreign medical graduate, there are 2 different types of visa you can get:
- The J1 visa, most common. This is a nonimmigrant visa that most programs offer (as it's sponsored by the ECFMG). It is quite easy to obtain at the US Embassy with some paperwork.
- The H1b visa, which very few programs offer because they have to sponsor it themselves and it is extremely expensive. The advantage is that it's an immigrant visa so you can stay in the United States at the end of your training.
Here's a little more information about the J1 visa. To obtain it, you will need:
- DS160 form that you can to download online from the Embassy website
- Photo with a specific size 5x5cm - you might want to ask if there's a photo booth at the embassy
- Proof of payment of SEVIS fees ($ 180, specific fees for this type of exchange)
- DS2019 form that the program you've been accepted to will send you - this is the time limiting factor to get an appointment at the embassy
- Letter / contract of employment, also sent by your program
- A "statement of need" signed by the Ministry of Health from your country of origin. The instructions are very specific and the letter must arrive in an envelope sealed with the stamp of the Ministry of Health, otherwise it will not be accepted. I asked them for an envelope sealed in another envelope in my name so I could send it myself and be sure it was posted properly.
- With this you can create an account and pay the visa fee (135 €). Then you can make an appointment at the embassy to get your visa (delays varies with countries). After this it was pretty fast to get my passport back - about a week. I don't know how different it might be in other countries.
The main problem of this it that the J1 visa is a non-immigrant visa. One of the conditions to obtain it is to theoretically want to return to your country of origin at the end of your training. You must return to work 2 years there before you can apply for an immigrant visa. It is possible to get pass this rule by working 3 years for a specific job (J1 waiver job) that fills the needs of the country: isolated populations (native Americans, isolated places ..), federal agency like veterans hospitals or some academic positions . The marriage does not cancel this rule (you should get married 1 year before you start to have time to get a green card). You might read that this rule does not apply to certain countries (except for physicians) and that it is also possible to get around it with a letter of the consulate indicating that the country of origin agrees to give up your services (except that it does not work for physicians either!).
In summary, administrative paperwork and some delays but no real difficulties. :)
- The J1 visa, most common. This is a nonimmigrant visa that most programs offer (as it's sponsored by the ECFMG). It is quite easy to obtain at the US Embassy with some paperwork.
- The H1b visa, which very few programs offer because they have to sponsor it themselves and it is extremely expensive. The advantage is that it's an immigrant visa so you can stay in the United States at the end of your training.
Here's a little more information about the J1 visa. To obtain it, you will need:
- DS160 form that you can to download online from the Embassy website
- Photo with a specific size 5x5cm - you might want to ask if there's a photo booth at the embassy
- Proof of payment of SEVIS fees ($ 180, specific fees for this type of exchange)
- DS2019 form that the program you've been accepted to will send you - this is the time limiting factor to get an appointment at the embassy
- Letter / contract of employment, also sent by your program
- A "statement of need" signed by the Ministry of Health from your country of origin. The instructions are very specific and the letter must arrive in an envelope sealed with the stamp of the Ministry of Health, otherwise it will not be accepted. I asked them for an envelope sealed in another envelope in my name so I could send it myself and be sure it was posted properly.
- With this you can create an account and pay the visa fee (135 €). Then you can make an appointment at the embassy to get your visa (delays varies with countries). After this it was pretty fast to get my passport back - about a week. I don't know how different it might be in other countries.
The main problem of this it that the J1 visa is a non-immigrant visa. One of the conditions to obtain it is to theoretically want to return to your country of origin at the end of your training. You must return to work 2 years there before you can apply for an immigrant visa. It is possible to get pass this rule by working 3 years for a specific job (J1 waiver job) that fills the needs of the country: isolated populations (native Americans, isolated places ..), federal agency like veterans hospitals or some academic positions . The marriage does not cancel this rule (you should get married 1 year before you start to have time to get a green card). You might read that this rule does not apply to certain countries (except for physicians) and that it is also possible to get around it with a letter of the consulate indicating that the country of origin agrees to give up your services (except that it does not work for physicians either!).
In summary, administrative paperwork and some delays but no real difficulties. :)
Bonjour. J’ai un copain aux USA. Si on se mari au début de l’interna, j’aurai le temps d’avoir ma green card non? Et je pourrai donc rester sans problème ?
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