ARC is committed to helping residents of Appalachia have access to quality, affordable health care. Accordingly, under certain conditions, ARC will consider recommending a waiver of the foreign residence requirement on behalf of physicians holding J-1 Visas in Health Professional Shortage Areas to address the Region’s healthcare needs.
The physicians receiving these waivers must practice a minimum of forty hours a week of primary care medicine or specialty medicine with an appropriate showing of need at a site in Health Professional Shortage Area within the legislatively defined Appalachian Region for a minimum of three years.
Requests for waiver under the ARC J-1 Visa Waiver Program must be sponsored by a state within the Appalachian Region. To begin the process, contact the designated J-1 Program person in the state in which you are planning to practice.
For information regarding the ARC J-1 Visa Waiver Program, please contact Deann Fairfax at dfairfax@arc.gov.
J-1 Visa Waiver State Public Contacts
This is the first step in requesting a waiver under the ARC J-1 Visa Program. Applicants must be sponsored by a state within the Appalachian Region.
