US Immigration Law Kresses & Piasecki Legal, PC

Physicians
_{Kresses & Piasecki provides handles all areas of physician immigration and licensing services, start to finish for one flat fee. No additional fees will ever be charged. You and your employer will know up front what to expect, how long it will take, and how much it will cost.}

1. J-1 VISA IMMIGRATION

A disadvantage of the J visa is that many, but not all, exchange visitors are allowed to enter the US only on the condition that they return to their home country for two years (maybe fulfilled in increments) after their program is completed. Exchange visitors are subject to the two home residency requirement if:

Obtained money from either their home government or US government;
Their occupation is listed on the Exchange Visitor Skills List; or
They are coming to the U.S. to obtain graduate medical education or training*.

The last requirement subjects the physician to the two-year home residency requirement. A physician may be eligible for a waiver of this rule under certain circumstances. The foreign residency requirement attaches not only to the principal alien, but to the spouse and children who are present in the U.S. in dependent J-2 status. The physician's field of practice will dictate what (if any) waiver would be available.

2. LICENSING

Many Immigration firms provide a wide array of immigration services, very few have experience preparing physician waivers, and fewer still, have the knowledge and skill to provide representation at the State Licensing levels. Each State has different licensing criteria, which may or may not be equivalent to the physician's credentials. Many times, a state law will allow a petition for endorsement for full licensure to be filed with the State Department of Health. This requires a detailed comparison of the foreign credentials with the US State's requirements, retrieval of certified copies from the foreign hospital or university in which the physician trained or studied. Letters of Verification from Medical Department Chairs or persons in a supervisory role. Our firm will retrieve the necessary documents from foreign educational institutes, medical bodies; ECFMG, FCVS, and work with the State Department Health to provide the necessary documentation, remove obstacles and achieve licensing.