No visa hold for US doctors from travel

Key Points:

• The Trump administration has quietly lifted the travel ban restrictions for physicians from around 39 countries, allowing foreign doctors already in the US to continue working and stay without visa processing delays.
• The original travel ban halted immigration processing for applicants from these countries, causing hospitals to place foreign doctors on administrative leave and threatening a healthcare crisis, as foreign physicians account for 25% of US doctors.
• The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that visa applications for medical physicians are now being processed, but this exemption appears to apply only to doctors currently in the US, not those trying to enter from abroad.
• Medical associations urged the government to exempt qualified physicians from the ban and expedite their visa processing, citing urgent concerns over barriers preventing vetted doctors from practicing in the US.
• There remains uncertainty about whether doctors outside the US from these countries can enter, as the external travel ban is still reportedly in effect for incoming residents.