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Visa Sponsorship

The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) adheres to the standards and guidelines for the employment of non-immigrants as established by federal immigration laws and the U.S. Department of Labor. UMMC will hire only U.S. citizens and non-citizens that are authorized for employment. Non-immigrant alien residents or fellows will be sponsored under the J-1 visas program. H1B, F1, B1, O, and TN visas are not considered appropriate visas for residents or fellows.

In order to be hired into an UMMC sponsored program, the prospective foreign national resident or fellow will need to produce a Certificate of U.S Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561); a Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570); an unexpired foreign passport with I-551 stamp or attached Form I-94 indicating unexpired employment authorization; Permanent Resident Card ("green card") or Alien Registration Receipt Card with photograph (Form I-151 or I-551); Unexpired Employment Authorization issued by DHS that contains a photograph (Form I-688B); or a J-1 status with an unexpired I-94 and unexpired IAP Form 66.

Due to the clinical nature of the duties of the prospective resident and/or fellow, they enter the U.S. on very strict visas. The J-1 Exchange Visitor Physician Program is sponsored by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). International physicians participating in J-1 ECFMG sponsored programs are usually allowed to participate in such programs for a maximum of seven (7) calendar years, provided the training programs are accredited by the American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). This 7-year period, however, is not guaranteed and remains contingent upon approval from the ECFMG. This approach is consistent with that of the AAMC position. View more information on J1 visas.

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For Trainees Entering Dentistry, Pharmacy, or Medical Physics Programs

Trainees entering a Medical Physics, Pharmacy, or Dentistry program such as Oral Maxillofacial Surgery would not meet the qualifications for J-1 sponsorship under the ECFMG. These trainees are eligible for H1B visa sponsorship. Your training program will help coordinate the sponsorship process with the Institutional Training Program Liaison. Human Resources will oversee the H1B petition process for each candidate. As a reminder, F1, B1, O, and TN visas are not considered appropriate visas for these specialties.

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