Becoming a doctor takes years of sacrifice, training, and dedication. But for foreign-born physicians practicing in the U.S. today, doing everything right is no longer enough. Under the current administration, where you were born can cost you everything you worked for.

Since December 2025, many foreign-born doctors have faced a new hurdle. The government quietly put their visa renewals on hold, and for thousands of them, this pause has impacted their livelihoods. 

What Is Happening

USCIS implemented a hold on visa renewals and status updates for foreign nationals from 39 countries, including Nigeria, Venezuela, Cuba, Syria, and Libya. The Department of Homeland Security framed it as a national security measure, but for the physicians caught in it, the explanation does not make the situation any less devastating.

The practical result is that physicians who have lived and worked in the United States for years, passed their boards, earned certifications, and built careers serving underserved communities are now unable to work.

Physicians on H-1B visas can legally continue treating patients for up to 240 days after expiration. But some doctors have now passed that window with no path forward. Premium processing, which costs nearly $3,000 and is supposed to fast-track applications within two weeks, has not moved cases forward. Some physicians have waited months after paying that fee, receiving only requests for additional documentation like years of pay stubs and proof of medical licenses.

 

The Scale of the Problem

 

The numbers tell a serious story. The U.S. already faces a shortage of roughly 65,000 physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Foreign doctors make up 25 percent of all practicing physicians in the country. More than 10,000 physician H-1B visa holders and over 17,000 J-1 visa holders are currently caught in this pause.

 

Nearly 87 million Americans live in areas already designated as lacking enough medical professionals. When a foreign physician loses work authorization, it is not just their career that suffers. In one rural area, 900 patients were left without adequate care after a single physician was removed.

American medical schools do not produce enough doctors to fill the gap. For residency positions starting this July, there were 41,000 slots available but only 32,000 applicants from U.S. medical schools. More than 60 percent of international medical graduates practice primary care, including family medicine and pediatrics, fields that face the most severe shortages.

 

What Physicians and Hospitals Are Doing

 

Hundreds of affected physicians have formed informal networks to share information and legal strategies. Dozens have filed lawsuits in federal court to compel USCIS to act on stalled applications. The American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians have both written to the Department of Homeland Security urging a full exemption for physicians. So far, the pause remains in place.

 

Congressional outreach has shown some limited results. USCIS has responded to inquiries from lawmakers in certain individual cases, though no broader relief has been granted.

 

What You Can Do Right Now

 

If your H-1B or J-1 renewal is pending and you are from one of the 39 affected countries, do not wait. Document everything. Keep records of every communication, every fee paid, and every document submitted.

 

If you are still within your 240-day work authorization window, continue working and stay in close contact with your immigration attorney. If you are approaching or past that window, legal guidance is not optional. It is urgent.

 

A mandamus lawsuit to compel USCIS to act is an option more physicians are exploring. It is not the right path for everyone, but it is worth understanding with an attorney who knows this area of law.

 

If you are a healthcare employer, now is the time to audit the status of every pending petition and identify employees approaching their 240-day window. Proactive legal strategy matters more than ever.

 

We Are Here to Help

 

At Garvish Immigration Law Group, we work with immigrant healthcare professionals and the hospitals and health systems that sponsor them every day. We understand what is at stake, and we know how to navigate this landscape even when the path forward is not clear.

If you or someone on your team is caught in this pause, reach out to us. You have worked too hard and your patients need you too much to navigate this alone.