Kentucky State 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program

502.564.8966

The Kentucky State 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 Kentucky, 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.

Primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and sub-specialty trained physicians are eligible to apply for a State-30 J-1 waiver.

Priority is given to physicians practicing internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and psychiatry. Critical Access Hospitals and safety net providers, including community health centers, local health departments, publicly owned health facilities, and Federally Qualified Health Centers will be given preference for a waiver recommendation.

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

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

Submit the completed application package to:

Kentucky Department for Public Health
Division of Prevention and Quality Improvement
Attn: KY J-1 Visa Waiver Program Administrator
275 East Main Street, HS2W-B
Frankfort, Kentucky 40621

Applications will be accepted between October 1-31, 2021. Typically all waivers are allocated by the end of October. If waivers remain available after the October 31 deadline, applications will be accepted until July 30, 2022 or until all waivers have been awarded, whichever comes first.