Indiana J-1 Visa Waiver Program

The Indiana State Department of Health, in collaboration with
The Indiana Primary Health Care Association

The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, successor to the Immigration and Naturalization Services of the U.S. Department of Justice, is the federal agency that grants J-1 Visa Waivers.

The goal of the Indiana J-1 Visa Waiver Program is to improve accessibility to health care for underserved areas by supporting J-1 Visa Wavier requests on behalf of Foreign medical graduates who have obtained a J-1 Visa for graduate medical studies in the United States (“J-1 physicians”). Based on the information provided with a request, The Indiana State Department of Health may recommend a waiver of the requirement that a J-1 physician must return to the physician’s home country for a period of two years after completing the graduate medical studies.

The Indiana J-1 Visa Wavier Program gives first preference to primary care physicians (family or general practice, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology and general internal medicine) and psychiatrists in federally designated Primary Care Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA), Medically Underserved Areas (MUA), of Medically Underserved Populations (MUP). Psychiatrists can be in any of these shortage areas or in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (MH HPSA). Consideration will be given to J-1 Wavier specialists who practice in these areas. Consideration for recommendation will be given to up to five (5) applicants who meet the criteria of not being in a designated area but who serve patients from a designated area. Please click here to view the J-1 guidelines.

The Indiana Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) is under contract with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) to handle the initial processing of the J-1 Visa Waiver Applications for Indiana. Please click here for the application and the affidavits.

Prior to October 31, 2008 and not before October 1, 2008, please send 3 copies of your application and the affidavits to the following:

Natalie Brown Shortage Designations and National Health Service Corps Program Director
Indiana Primary Health Care Association
1006 E. Washington Street, Suite 200
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Ph: 317-630-0845
Fax: 317-630-0849
nbrown@indianapca.org

If you are interested in submitting a J-1 Visa Waiver Application for Indiana after the deadline of October 31st please contact Natalie Brown at (317) 630-0845.