Hiring a lawyer for J-1 waivers doesn’t mean using a directory site, since it will mean that you may never speak with a local Montana immigration lawyer, instead it can be any type of attorney. Directory websites work on one of two principals; one is called a lead generating system, which means that the highest paying attorney will be the one to get your information, no matter what type of law they practice. The lead generating website will mean that attorneys pay a fee and when someone submits their contact information for a legal issue, instead of being contacted by a lawyer that specializes in that area of the law or that is even local to where the person lives does not get the lead, unless they pay the highest fee. The second types of these sites are filled with advertising, to make money. In both cases there is no guarantee of obtaining a competent or even local attorney that is experienced in immigration law. This is not the way you want to find an immigration lawyer, when there is the experienced Montana immigration lawyer that understands and keeps up on all the changes in immigration law and the J-1 waiver.

Doing an internet search for immigration attorneys can bring up many of these directory websites, but it is possible to find an experienced immigration lawyer Montana, by searching either immigration lawyer Montana or Montana immigration attorney. Another way to find the experienced immigration attorney Montana is by looking in the telephone book. It is important when dealing with J-1 visa and J-1 waiver issues in the state to have the immigration lawyer advice who is a local Montana immigration lawyer. The legal consultation or representation by an experienced immigration attorney Montana that is local is not going to be found on the directory website and it could result in not having the legal information or protection, while dealing with the J-1 waiver applications and documents that are necessary to submit months in advance. When these documents are not submitted properly it can hold up being approved and could result in the physician having to leave the United States for a two year period to return to their home country of origin, before they are able to return and file to become a permanent resident.

The J-1 visa holder when filing for the J-1waiver will have specific requirements they must adhere to in order to have their waiver approved and that means having the right legal advice and this cannot be provided by any type of attorney that gets a lead from the directory website. Attorneys that do not specialize in immigration do not know the laws, rules and regulations necessary to handle immigration issues, especially the J-1 waiver. It is the choice between the local immigration lawyer Montana or an attorney that might have no immigration experience and may not even live in the same state as the physician that has J-1 visa or J-1 waiver issues and questions.

Immigrant physicians that want to establish themselves in the United States can benefit from practicing in one of the designated medical shortage areas in Wyoming.

The obvious advantage is of course that those physicians will be able to obtain their J-1 visa waiver. The J-1 visa waiver will do away with the requirement having to return to their home country at the end of their exchange visa program.

But those that work and live in the States by getting a J1 visa waiver job in Wyoming will get far more in exchange than that.

Working and Living in Rural Wyoming – A Blessing, Rather Than a Sacrifice

The medically underserved areas in the United States where physicians can work in exchange for their visa waiver are often rural areas, away from the hectic and busy cities. What those foreign physicians that plan to stay in the United States need to be aware of is that living in rural areas in the United States can significantly increase their quality of life.

Rural life in America provides so many benefits over the hectic life in big cities that it should be seen as an added bonus the J-1 visa job will provide rather than a disadvantage or “sacrifice” in exchange for the J-1 visa waiver.

The physician will be able to live the American dream without all disadvantages such as high crime rates in the city, clogged streets, pollution just to name a few. The costs of living in rural areas in Wyoming or in other states will also be significantly lower as compared to living in the greater metropolitan areas in America.

Less costs, less stress and a more relaxed way of life: A better quality of life for the J-1 physician

The big positive side of living in rural America will in particular become evident once a foreign J-1 physician at some point wants to get their family over into the United States as well. The low crime rate and more relaxed life as compared to bigger cities is perfect for any family. In addition to this, schools are generally better and of a higher standard as compared to the crowded schools in city centers. Rural life in America therefore means better education for your children!

Getting a J-1 visa waiver job in Wyoming will be rewarding on many levels. You will be able to establish the American way of life for yourself and your family without the many negative side-effects such as if you were to live in a major city. Know that obtaining a J-1 visa job is much more than your visa waiver, it is an entirely new and better quality of life!

A bill named S. 616 – Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act.  was introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN], Susan Collins [R-ME], Heidi Heitkamp, [D-ND], and Jerry Moran [R-KS].

The purpose of bill S.616 is to improve the Conrad State 30 program. The Conrad State 30 program (also known as J-1 visa waiver program) is a national initiative aiming at improving medical healthcare access in underserved, mostly rural areas through the United States. With the J-1 Visa Waiver, eligible immigrant physicists that are practicing in those areas are not required to return to their home country at the end of their exchange visa program.

The Conrad State 30 program has brought many physicians to rural and other medically underserved communities since it was introduced in 1994.  Foreign-born, American-trained doctors can obtain a J-1 visa waiver if they agree to practice medicine in designated areas for at least three years. In exchange, the physicists can get waived visa restrictions such as the requirement to return home after a certain time.  The State 30 program has already helped to bring many qualified foreign doctors to rural communities all over the United States.

Hiring a lawyer for J-1 waivers doesn’t mean using a directory site, since it will mean that you may never speak with a local Montana immigration lawyer, instead it can be any type of attorney. Directory websites work on one of two principals; one is called a lead generating system, which means that the highest paying attorney will be the one to get your information, no matter what type of law they practice. The lead generating website will mean that attorneys pay a fee and when someone submits their contact information for a legal issue, instead of being contacted by a lawyer that specializes in that area of the law or that is even local to where the person lives does not get the lead, unless they pay the highest fee. The second types of these sites are filled with advertising, to make money. In both cases there is no guarantee of obtaining a competent or even local attorney that is experienced in immigration law. This is not the way you want to find an immigration lawyer, when there is the experienced Montana immigration lawyer that understands and keeps up on all the changes in immigration law and the J-1 waiver.

Doing an internet search for immigration attorneys can bring up many of these directory websites, but it is possible to find an experienced immigration lawyer Montana, by searching either immigration lawyer Montana or Montana immigration attorney. Another way to find the experienced immigration attorney Montana is by looking in the telephone book. It is important when dealing with J-1 visa and J-1 waiver issues in the state to have the immigration lawyer advice who is a local Montana immigration lawyer. The legal consultation or representation by an experienced immigration attorney Montana that is local is not going to be found on the directory website and it could result in not having the legal information or protection, while dealing with the J-1 waiver applications and documents that are necessary to submit months in advance. When these documents are not submitted properly it can hold up being approved and could result in the physician having to leave the United States for a two year period to return to their home country of origin, before they are able to return and file to become a permanent resident.

The J-1 visa holder when filing for the J-1waiver will have specific requirements they must adhere to in order to have their waiver approved and that means having the right legal advice and this cannot be provided by any type of attorney that gets a lead from the directory website. Attorneys that do not specialize in immigration do not know the laws, rules and regulations necessary to handle immigration issues, especially the J-1 waiver. It is the choice between the local immigration lawyer Montana or an attorney that might have no immigration experience and may not even live in the same state as the physician that has J-1 visa or J-1 waiver issues and questions.

The J-1 visa or J-1 waiver holder that has a spouse and minor children, who are under the age of 21 and accompany the J-1 holder in the United States will apply for a J-2 visa. This is a dependent visa and will end the same time as the J-1 visa holder’s visitor status ends. This is a non-immigration visa classification that is not eligible for extended family members, such as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or siblings.

Applying

The J-2 visa is primarily for the spouse, the co-habitating partner or domestic partner, of the opposite or same sex, whose reason in entering the United States is to accompany the J-1 visa holder can apply for a B-2 visa. The eligibility of the individual applying for the J-2 visa is dependent on the specific exchange program of the J-1 visa holder and the application process includes the same as required for the primary visa holder. The sponsor must approve of the accompanying dependents and each dependent must be issued their own From DS-2019, which is required for the spouse and children to obtain a J-2 visa. The spouse and children will be issued a unique SEVIS ID number, but it will be signed by the J-1 primary applicant.

Study

The J-2 dependents are permitted to study in the United States, without being required to apply for an F-1 student visa or change to the F-1 status. The spouse or children under 21 years of age are permitted to enroll in academic programs as recreational or seeking a degree. They are permitted to enroll full or part-time and can discontinue their studies at any time.

Work

The J-2 visa holder is permitted to apply for work authorization, in most cases and can make the request for work authorization by submitting Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization. When Form I-765 is authorized the J-2 visa holder is permitted to work for a period up to one year. The Employment Authorization Document may take between 3 and 5 months to be authorized and the J-2 visa holder can apply for extensions that are submitted annually.

Travel to the U.S.

The spouse and children holding the J-2 visa cannot travel to the United States ahead of the J-1 visa holder and must leave the United States when the J-1 visa holder must leave. The J-2 visa holder is able to freely travel in and out of the U.S. and do not have to be accompanied by the J-1 visa holder.

Information

When more information is needed for the amount of time the dependent spouse and children can remain within the United States with the J-1 waiver holder or need immigration attorney advice about employment or study allowance the immigration lawyer Montana can answer these questions. The dependent of the J-1 waiver may have questions about travel to their home country and the Montana immigration lawyer can help to answer these questions.

The Conrad State 30 program for the J-1 Waiver was enacted January 12, 2007 and signed into public law by the President, Public Law No: 109-477. This extends the State 30 J-1 visa waiver program for two years and permits state health agencies to hire up to 30 foreign physicians to practice in inner-city and rural communities, where it can often be difficult to recruit physicians. Then October 1, 2009 H.R.5571, was sent by the house to the President to extend the Conrad J-1 program, through March 6, 2009. The bill passed the House in May, but was then amended by the Senate shortening the extension from five years to six months.

In June 2008 Mary Amundson from the University of North Dakota for Rural Health, testified to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law. She warned of physician shortages in rural communities and explained the current state of access to rural health care and cited statistics on the declining rates of medical students choosing family medicine and physician shortages.

The Conrad State 30 program was initiated in 1994 and designed to provide each of the 50 U.S. states with up to 30 waivers for physicians each federal fiscal year. States have been given some flexibility to implement their own guidelines, with some basic requirements that affect all State 30 programs. Physicians that qualify for the Conrad State 30 programs have the ability to obtain a waiver. Each state usually has their own application materials that are separate from the DHHS program and the DOS application for a waiver. The medical professional that is interested in this program should contact the state they are interested in finding employment.

The requirements can vary from state to state, and the general requirements include:

• Full time employment must be offered at 40 hours per week as a primary care physician in a health professional shortage area or medically underserved area in the particular state.
• There must be a three year employment contract.
• A letter of support from the State Director of Health for the particular state supporting the physicians Conrad State 30 request.
• A letter of no-objection from the physicians foreign home country.

The immigration attorney Montana can explain the rules of the J-1 waiver and the necessary documents for the physician that holds a J-1visa or J-1 waiver, who may need to file for an extension.

The Conrad State 30 programs are important for having qualified physicians in rural areas where there is a shortage and the enacted legislation contains specific provisions, including:

• The program is nationwide, open to all states and has the flexibility to allow the state to place up to 5 of their 30 state J-1 physicians in an area not designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA). The facility must serve individuals that reside in the HPSA area.
• HHS will maintain authority to designate the Health Professional Shortage Areas.
• The Federal HHS J-1 waiver program is exempt from the H1-B visa cap.
• The Federal HHS J-1 waiver program applies to specialist and primary care physicians. The sponsoring agency must determine the area to be served by the specialist has a shortage in that particular specialty.

The Montana immigration lawyer advice can be invaluable, when dealing with J-1 waiver issues and help to avoid the two year return to the home country of origin, which is a part of holding a J-1 visa prior to being permitted to file for permanent residence in the United States.

The individual that is applying for the J-1 waiver will apply at the American consulate that has jurisdiction over their permanent place of residence and there will be many forms and documents needed. Form DS-156, DS 2019, Form DS-7002, Form DS-158, Form DS-157 a passport that has a validity date of at least six months from the end of the intended stay, Form IAP-66, a passport style photo, a residence in a foreign country, along with a statement that ensures the applicant is coming to the United States on a temporary basis. The immigration lawyer Montana can explain the process and may know the average time that it takes to process the J-1 visa and the J-1 waiver.

Obtaining this visa it is recommended to begin midway through training and to be prepared to enter programs, such as fellowships to retain status, if you begin your search within one year or less before finishing your program. This is a time consuming process and does not begin until a contract is signed. What is necessary to begin the process for the J-1 visa includes:

• A state license is necessary to begin the processing the J-1 waiver and in some states this could take as long as six months to process.
• In order to get a state license a practice type will need to be decided, which can be a hospital, solo or group practice.
  a. Decide on an acceptable salary range.
  b. Decide on benefits, such as relocation expenses, malpractice insurance, health, life and disability insurance licensing expenses, CME and vacation.
  c. Prepare a Curriculum Vitae and cover letter.
  d. Obtain three letters of recommendation from your attending.
  e. Apply and get a case number.
  The individual that wants to obtain a J-1 waiver has to possess a license and the individuals credentials will need to be verified, which can take a lengthy amount of time. Medical school verifications can take an extremely long amount of time to verify by FCVS. It is possible to have the credentials verified by another entity to save time to obtain your state license, for the state you will be employed. Most stated require FCVS, with the exception of five states.

Normally the physician must return to their own country for at least two years, prior to applying for a permanent visa in the United States. The J-1 visa waiver will eliminate the two years of residency in their country of origin. This will allow the physician to remain in the United States and continue practicing medicine. It is possible that state government agencies will sponsor the J-1 physician waiver request, under the Conrad State 30 programs. There are five requirements to apply for a waiver of the two year residency in the foreign country of origin, which include:

1. A request from U.S government agency on your behalf, which is referred to as an International Government Agency Waiver. This takes an average of four months to be approved.
2. There is no objection statement from your host government, which is referred to as a No Objection Letter. This takes an average of four months from the date it is filed.
3. A request from a state health agency or its equivalent. This will take an average of five months.
4. Hardship claim, which is if the individual is required to return to their country of residence it will create a hardship for a spouse or child that is either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident. This is referred to as a Hardship Waiver and takes an average of nine months to be approved.
5. Claims of persecution, if the individual fears they will be persecuted if they return to their country of residence. This is referred to as an Asylum Waiver and takes approximately nine months to be approved.

This can be confusing and complex, without the assistance of an experienced Montana immigration attorney. The immigration lawyer advice can make the process smoother, since they are aware of all of the laws and any changes that are recent in the J-1 waiver process.