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J-1 Visa Waiver (Conrad 30) Program

Oklahoma is committed to ensuring all residents have access to quality, affordable health care. The U.S. Department of State J1 Visa Waiver Program/“Conrad 30” enables the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) to recommend a waiver of the return to foreign residence requirement for physicians completing training while holding J1 Visas. The waiver of this requirement allows physicians to practice in the U.S. immediately following completion of their training. Oklahoma is allocated thirty slots annually.

The submission of a complete 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, OSDH reserves the right to recommend or decline any request for a waiver.

The OSDH Office of Primary Care and Rural Health Development (OKPCO) is responsible for coordinating the J1 waiver application submission and review process. Recommendations to the U.S. Department of State are issued by the Oklahoma Commissioner of Health.

An application for a J1 Visa Waiver must be submitted by a health care facility or an attorney representing the facility. Applications can be submitted any time after October 1, each year. Applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis. Typical processing time for approval and recommendation of complete applications is three weeks.

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. 

Signed contracts, letters of intent, and completed applications should be submitted using this J1 SmartSheets link.

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

  1. Letter from Employer
  2. HPSA/MUA Evidence documents
  3. Employment Contract*
  4. DS-2019’s/I-94
  5. Curriculum Vitae
  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

*Please note that the details related to the facility name(s) and each address where the applicant will be working must be in the contract.

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

  • Oklahoma J-1 Visa Waiver Application Package Instructions
    • Provides a listing of the required documents for J-1 submissions to the Office of Primary Care
  • J-1 Visa Waiver FY2024-2025 (smartsheet.com)
    • Please assemble your applications according to the USDOS requirements below:
    • U.S. Department of State Requirements for Application
      • Please assemble applications in the following order
        • Letter from Employer
        • HPSA/MUA Evidence documents
        • Employment Contract*
        • DS-2019's/I-94
        • Curriculum Vitae
        • Exchange Visitor Attestation/Foreign Medical Graduate Statement
        • Form G-28/Letter of Representation
        • DS-3035 and Supplementary Applicant Information Pages
        • Statement of Reason
        • Third Party Barcode Page
        • Waiver Division Barcode Page
      • Please remember
        • The details related to the facility name(s) and each address where the applicant will be working must be in the contract.  
        • Recruitment effort documents should NOT be submitted with Conrad 30 applications. This and/or other additional documentation submitted with an application must be manually removed and may lead to increased application processing times.
        • The DOS Case Number must be included on every page of the application.
        • Do not include divider pages.
  • J1 Required Documents
    • Online application embedded in Application Package Instructions
  • NIW Requirements for Oklahoma
    • Requirements for National Interest Waiver Submissions to the Office of Primary Care
  • Find Shortage Area by Address
    • Link to HRSA shortage, find by address
  • USCIS J1 Waiver Conrad 30 Program
    • U.S. Custom and Immigration Department J1 Resources

Contact Information

Jana Castleberry
Director, Office of Primary Care & Rural Health Development
(405) 426-8624
JanaC@health.ok.gov

Melanie Reese, MSW
Office of Primary Care Project Manager
(405) 426-8656
Melanie.R@health.ok.gov

Mailing Address:
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Office of Primary Care and Rural Health Development
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave., Suite 1702
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-6406

Physical Address: (appointment required)
Oklahoma State Department of Health
123 Robert S. Kerr Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

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