The Physician H-1B Visa is a temporary nonimmigrant work visa that allows Physician H-1B Visa holder to work at a sponsoring US employer for an initial period of 3 years, and it is renewable up to 6 years (sometimes longer in certain circumstances). It is often considered preferable to the J-1 Visa because it carries no 2 year Home Residency Requirement (this 2 year J-1 Home Residency Requirement always attaches to J-1 Visa Physicians who provide direct patient care, and it is difficult to waive).

The Physician H-1B Visa is available to eligible physicians entering the US to perform teaching or research or to provide direct patient care.

Physician H-1B Visa Requirements

Physicians entering the US to provide direct patient care that is not merely incidental to teaching or research must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the Physician H-1B Visa:

1. Must have a license or other authorization required by US state of intended employment to practice medicine, or be exempt by law therefrom if the state requires such a license or authorization to provide direct patient care.
2. Must have full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a foreign state, or be a graduate of a medical school in the US.
3. Must have passed all steps of the USMLE, or be a graduate of a US medical school.
4. Must demonstrate competency in oral and written English by passing ECFMG English proficiency test; or, must be a graduate of a US-accredited medical school (many Canadian medical schools are US-accredited).

Physicians of national or international renown in the field of medicine are exempt from the above requirements.

Physicians entering the US to perform teaching and/or research with direct patient care that is only incidental to such teaching and/or research may also be eligible for the H-1B Visa. As mentioned above, the H-1B Visa is preferable to entering on the J-1 Visa because the Physician H-1B Visa has no 2 year Home Residency Requirement, which often attaches to J-1 Visa holders, and always attaches to J-1 Visa Physicians who provide direct patient care.