International Medical Graduate Visa Requirements

University of Minnesota Medical School (UMMS)
Graduate Medical Education (GME) Administration

Policy
To qualify for a residency/fellowship at the University of Minnesota, international medical graduates outside the United States or Canada (this includes American citizens), must have one of the following: a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), an unrestricted license to practice medicine in a U.S. state, or successful completion of a Fifth Pathway Program in an LCME accredited medical school in the United States.

Acceptable visas for a residency/fellowship at the University of Minnesota are:

1. J-1 visa: the standard visa for graduates who are not United States citizens or permanent residents, issued by the Education Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
2. J-2 visa: issued to the dependent of a J-1 visa holder.  Please contact Visa Manager when any candidate is considered and will be on a J-2 visa for proper procedural information. 
3. H-1B visa: requires GME approval (read Procedure below).
4. O-1 visa: requires petition to GME; contact Visa Manager for requirements and procedure

NOTE: F-1 and M-1 visas are NOT acceptable for a residency/fellowship at the University of Minnesota.

Procedure
At the discretion of the individual training programs, the H-1B visa may be considered for candidates who have passed the USMLE Step 3 exam and who PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION THAT MEETS one or more of the following criteria:

1. Applicant currently holds a valid H-1B visa at this university or another institution (show copy of Form I-797, Notice of Action)
2. Applicant is the spouse/registered domestic partner of a U.S. citizen,  permanent resident (“green card” holder), or individual holding an  H-1 or O-1 visa (show marriage certificate or H-4 document)
3. Applicant/applicant’s spouse has a permanent resident petition pending with a likely chance of success (show proof of petition)
4. Applicant is not eligible for or would face a hardship on a J-1 visa due to unique immigration circumstances, examples include (provide letter explaining reason for hardship):

1. applicant already obtained a J-1 waiver, and

2. applicant who has to return home periodically  to care for ill parent faces higher risk of being denied re-entry on J-1 visa

5. Applicant’s spouse/registered domestic partner is employed by the University in a faculty or other continuing position (provide letter identifying spouse’s position)
6. The department has offered or is strongly considering the applicant for a faculty or research position after applicant completes the  training program (provide letter identifying intentions of department after applicant finishes training program)

Prior to scheduling an interview, the program must provide all applicants with a copy of the institutional visa policy and the program-specific policy on offering H-1B visas.

To obtain GME approval for all H-1B visas, the program must submit a completed H-1B Visa Request Form and the documentation that supports one or more of the criteria for offering an H-1B visa to an incoming resident or fellow.  The GME office will respond in writing to the department/program indicating whether the request to apply for the H-1B visa is approved or denied. 

Training programs are responsible for the costs and fees associated with preparing and filing H-1 B visas for residents/fellows.  Training programs are required to use the services of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) or work through the Office of the General Counsel at the University to obtain outside legal counsel for this purpose.

If a training program terminates or non-renews a resident/fellow appointment before the individual’s H-1B visa expires, the training program is responsible under U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations to pay the H-1B physician’s airfare back to his/her home country.

All international medical graduates must be in a residency/fellowship program for two years before they are eligible for licensure in Minnesota. 

If a resident/fellow on J-1 visas wishes to do an elective rotation to a site not within the host institution, special permission must be obtained from ECFMG—contact the Visa Manager in the GME office for more information. 

Moonlighting:

• Moonlighting for residents/fellows on J-1 visas is not permitted under any circumstances.
• A resident/fellow on an H-1B visa wishing to moonlight must obtain a separate H-1B visa for each facility where the resident/fellow works outside the training program.