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What Is the J-1 Conrad 30 Waiver? (for Intl Med Grads)
What Is the J-1 Conrad 30 Waiver?
What Is the J-1 Conrad 30 Waiver?
What Is the J-1 Conrad 30 Waiver?
The J-1 Conrad 30 Waiver program allows certain international medical graduates (IMGs) to remain in the United States after completing their medical training, without having to fulfill the two-year home residency requirement normally attached to the J-1 visa.
It is designed to bring physicians to underserved communities that need their expertise.
The Conrad 30 waiver is just one type of J-1 INA § 212(e) two-year home residency requirement waiver. Additional ways are described at end of this page.
Who Qualifies
What Is the J-1 Conrad 30 Waiver?
What Is the J-1 Conrad 30 Waiver?
The waiver is available to J-1 physicians who:
- Have completed (or are close to completing) U.S. residency or fellowship training
- Have an offer for full-time employment at a health care facility located in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or Medically Underserved Area (MUA)
- Agree to work in that location for a minimum of three years
- Obtain a “no objection” letter from their home country or qualify for a waiver of the two-year home residency rule
Key Requirements
What Is the J-1 Conrad 30 Waiver?
Application Steps
- Full-time employment: At least 40 hours per week of clinical work
- Location: Practice site must be in an HPSA, MUA, or serve a patient population with special needs
- Service term: Three consecutive years in the approved location and specialty
- Timeline: States often have annual filing windows with strict deadlines
Application Steps
Other ways to waive 212e foreign residency requirement
Application Steps
- Secure a job offer in a qualifying location.
- Apply to the state health department for one of its 30 available slots (per federal fiscal year).
- If approved by the state, submit the waiver request to the U.S. Department of State.
- Upon DOS approval, file a change of status to H-1B with USCIS.
Special Considerations
Other ways to waive 212e foreign residency requirement
Other ways to waive 212e foreign residency requirement
- Spousal work authorization: If the spouse changes to H-4 status, they may be eligible for work authorization in certain situations.
- Concurrent NIW strategy: Some physicians begin the EB-2 National Interest Waiver process while serving their J-1 waiver obligation.
- Early planning: Waiting until late in your final training year can severely limit options.
Other ways to waive 212e foreign residency requirement
Other ways to waive 212e foreign residency requirement
Other ways to waive 212e foreign residency requirement
The Conrad 30 waiver is just one type of J-1 INA § 212(e) two-year home residency requirement waiver. The Conrad 30 is actually a specific type of IGA waiver designed for physicians working in underserved areas, and each state administers it separately. For a full explanation of all J-1 waiver categories, see our J-1 Waivers overview page.
There are four other main waiver categories:
- No Objection Statement (NOS) – Your home country’s government sends a formal letter to the U.S. State Department saying they do not object to you not returning for two years. Not available if you got U.S. government funding.
- Persecution Waiver – You show a well-founded fear of persecution in your home country based on race, religion, or political opinion if you return.
- Exceptional Hardship Waiver – You prove your U.S. citizen or LPR spouse or child would face exceptional hardship if you had to leave for two years.
- Request by an Interested U.S. Government Agency (IGA) – A U.S. federal agency asks that you be allowed to stay because your work is in the public interest (e.g., NIH, HHS).
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