Immigration Services for HealthCare Providers

From Zollinger Law

If you are a physician seeking temporary or permanent residency in the United States, we can help you. Call Zollinger Immigration Law today in New Orleans at (504) 799-2244 for a consultation.

The immigration services we provide to physicians and other healthcare providers include, but are not limited to:

Visas for Physicians

If you are a physician coming to or attempting to stay in the United States to study or practice, these permits and waivers could apply to your case.

  • J-1 Visa – A J-1 visa is a temporary visa, which is awarded to physicians participating in exchange programs to study or practice in the United States for a set amount of time. To be eligible for this visa, you must be able to demonstrate that you have residency and/or citizenship in another country and that you do not intend to abandon that country. You must also obtain a certificate of eligibility for the program in which you are to participate.
  • J-1 Waiver – Exchange visitors working or studying in the United States under a J-1 visa are required to return to their country of residence for a minimum of 2 years after their study or work time in the U.S. is completed. Obtaining a J-1 waiver allows physicians who have obtained positions at medical facilities or educational institutions to waive that requirement and stay in the United States.
  • H-1B Visa – This non-immigrant temporary visa allows foreign citizens to stay in the United States in order to work in a specialty field. Though there is a cap on the number of H1-B visas distributed per year, physicians and other medical professionals can often make use of this kind of visa, as their work is highly specialized and very important.
  • O-1 Visa – This is another non-immigrant temporary visa that some physicians and other medical professionals may be eligible for. It stipulates that the individual may stay within the United States to work, based on an extraordinary ability. O-1 visas are issued to workers with exceptional skills in the sciences, arts, business, education, and athletics.

Establishing Permanent Residence

If you are attempting to gain permanent residency in the United States, Zollinger Immigration Law can help you with this, as well. Here are a few of the visas you may be eligible for:

  • EB-1-1 Visa – An EB-1-1 visa is issued when the person is proven to have extraordinary skills in a much needed field, such as medicine. These permanent visas are often given to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary professorship or research, and they are contingent upon employment within the United States in their stated field.
  • EB-1-2 Visa – This permanent visa is specifically issued to extraordinary researchers within a given field and is also contingent upon employment.
  • EB-2 Visa – This visa is issued to an immigrant of exceptional ability, contingent upon an offer of employment within their field.
  • EB-2 NIW Visa – Like the EB-1-1 and EB-2, the EB-2 NIW is issued to persons who show extraordinary abilities in their fields. To gain an EB-2 NIW, which waives the contingency for current employment, it must be demonstrated that it is in the nation’s interest that the person applying for the visa be allowed to stay within the United States indefinitely.
  • EB-2 NIW Visa With 5 Year Obligation – This visa is the same as the EB-2 NIW, but the recipient must fulfill 5 years of work within their field in the state in which their visa is issued.

Visas for Nurses

If you are a nurse seeking temporary or permanent residency in the United States, you must be able to provide proper documentation from a credentialing organization recognized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Your healthcare worker certification must verify your education and training, as well as any and all applicable licensing.

To enter into training or further education, or to practice temporarily in the United States, you will have to acquire either an H1-B or H1-C visa (which applies to working in an area where there is a shortage of healthcare workers). You may also be qualified for a Schedule A visa, as many healthcare workers’ jobs fall on the Department of Labor’s list of careers that do not adversely affect the likelihood of U.S. citizens to find gainful employment.

Visas for Other Healthcare Professionals

If you work in the field of healthcare, but are not a nurse or doctor, you may still be eligible for an H1-B visa or a permanent residency. You are more likely to gain either temporary or permanent residency if you can obtain a healthcare worker certification. We can walk you through the process of applying for the proper visa for your needs.

If you are a U.S. citizen and/or represent a U.S. institution that wishes to sponsor J-1 visitor exchange programs or admissions for foreign students, we would be happy to walk you through this process, as well. Call Zollinger Immigration Law today at (504) 799-2244, and let us help you with all of your immigration needs.