J-1 Visa Waiver Programs

Oklahoma 30 Conrad 30 Requirements:
An application for a Conrad 30 J1 Visa Waiver must be submitted by a health care facility or an attorney representing the facility. Applications can be submitted any time after September 1, each year. First application review for applications accepted between September 1 and October 15 will begin October 15. After this date, applications will be reviewed on a bi-weekly basis until all slots are allocated. Typical processing time for approval and recommendation of complete applications is three weeks from time of review.

Attorneys or facility representatives may submit signed contracts or letters of intent to tentatively reserve a J1 Waiver. A waiver will be tentatively reserved for three weeks to allow time for the facility and legal team to finalize an application packet. Please be aware that if completed applications received exceed the number of available waivers, the reserved slot may be released. 

The submission of a complete Conrad 30 waiver package to the OSDH does not ensure that the OSDH will recommend a waiver. Applications for waivers are reviewed in the order in which they are received.  If the number of applications received exceeds the number of waivers available, the OSDH reserves the right to prioritize applications based on geographic distribution and/or degree of shortage for specific physician specialties.  In all instances, the Oklahoma State Department of Health reserves the right to recommend or decline any request for a waiver.

Signed contracts, letters of intent, and completed applications should be submitted via the Oklahoma Conrad 30 2026-2027 Application form.

Please limit documents submitted to those listed below. Note: The case number must be included on every page included in application. Please assemble applications in the following order:

1. Letter from Employer
2. HPSA/MUA Evidence documents* (Please limit to one page.)
3. Employment Contract (Must include all facility site addresses.)
4. DS-2019’s/I-94
5. Curriculum Vitae (Please limit to five pages)
6. Exchange Visitor Attestation/Foreign Medical Graduate Statement
7. Form G-28/Letter of Representation
8. DS-3035 and Supplementary Applicant Information Pages
9. Statement of Reason
10. Third Party Barcode Page
11. Waiver Division Barcode Page

*Due to Department of State attachment size limitations, please limit HPSA/MUA evidence to one page.  If needed, take screenshots of multiple pages of HPSA information and paste them into one document.

For more information or if you have questions, please contact Jana Castleberry, Director, Office of Primary Care, JanaC@health.ok.gov.

HHS waivers are unlimited and available to primary care specialists (Family Medicine, General Practice, OB-Gyn, Pediatrics, and Internal Medicine/Hospitalist). To qualify, physicians must have completed a residency program within the past year and must have a signed employment contract with a facility located in a health professional shortage area with a score above 7.

To request a letter of support for an HHS J1 waiver, applicants should complete the Oklahoma HHS & NIW Waiver Recommendation Request form and attach the following documents:

1. Request for letter of support
2. Signed employment contract for at least three years; contract must include facility information and address
3. HPSA/MUA Evidence documents - Find Shortage Areas by Address

The Physician National Interest Waiver (NIW) is a special provision under U.S. immigration law that allows foreign physicians to bypass the labor certification process (PERM) typically required for employment-based green cards. Instead, physicians can apply directly for a green card if they agree to work full-time in a clinical practice for a five- year period, and in a geographic area that has a shortage of health care professionals or serves a medically underserved population.

To request a letter of support and attestation for a NIW, applicants should complete the Oklahoma HHS & NIW Waiver Recommendation Request form and attach the following documents:

1. Letter of request for support that includes:
   • Physician name and specialty.
   • Facility addresses and addresses of all sites at which physician will practice.
2. Explanation of physician status:
   • If the physician currently holds a J1 Visa Waiver supported by Oklahoma, please provide details and Department of State Case Number on original application.
   • If physician is completing a J1 Service Obligation in another state, please attach a letter from that facility confirming the terms of the physician’s J1 service obligation and completion date AND a support letter from the Primary Care Office for the state from which the physician is transferring.
3. Signed employment contract or addendum to contract that indicates the requisite length of obligation; contract must include facility information and address. For physicians currently obligated under an Oklahoma-supported J1 Visa Waiver, this contract addendum must be with current employer.
4. HPSA/MUA Evidence documents - Find Shortage Areas by Address