Iowa J-1 Visa Waiver Program

Cristie Duric
515.229.3913
cristie.duric@hhs.iowa.gov

Kevin Wooddell
515.343.4125
kevin.wooddell@hhs.iowa.gov

The Iowa State Conrad 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program offers a J-1 Visa waiver to foreign physicians who commit to serving for 3 years in an underserved area of Iowa, waiving the foreign medical residency requirement and allowing them to remain in the United States.

The program is intended to provide physician services in areas which typically have difficulty attracting and retaining physicians.

Eligible physician specialties include:

• Primary care:
  • Family practice
  • General internal medicine including hospitalists
  • Obstetrics/gynecology
  • General pediatrics
  • Geriatrics
• Mental healthcare:
  • General psychiatry
  • Geriatric psychiatry
  • Child/adolescent psychiatry
  • Substance use disorders
• Specialty care in disciplines other than those of primary or mental healthcare

The highest priority is given to primary care or mental healthcare providers in shortage designated areas. Other priorities are listed in the J-1 Visa Waiver Program Guidance document.

This is an incentive program that offers foreign physicians a visa waiver, allowing them to work in the U.S.

Links to application instructions and additional guidance are available on the program website.

Completed applications should be mailed to:

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Public Health
J-1 Visa Waiver Program
321 E 12th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319

Waiver request applications are accepted annually beginning the first Tuesday in September and concluding the last Friday in October. Waiver request packages received after the last Friday in October will be considered only if all 30 slots are not already filled.