Licensure for H-1B Physicians

This section is for physician employees with patient care responsibilities only. If the employee is not a physician with patient care responsibilities, please put N/A in the box on the checklist to indicate that the section is not applicable.

• H-1 regulations include stringent provisions for physicians who have patient care responsibilities. In order for Stanford to sponsor H-1 physician faculty with patient care responsibilities, it must be demonstrated that such responsibilities are in the context of the faculty’s teaching responsibilities and that the special H-1 provisions, listed below, have been met.
• E-3 physicians whose offer of employment includes patient care must have a license for the jurisdiction in which the employment will take place, or possess an exemption therefrom with evidence that the applicant is eligible to take the necessary examinations or other steps needed to attain licensure, and that such exams or steps will be taken within a reasonable period of time subsequent to entry.
• TN physicians are limited to "teaching and research only" by the language of the treaty.

Special H-1 Provisions

All prospective H1B physicians with patient care responsibilities must provide evidence, issued by the California Medical Board, that they hold one of the documents listed below:

• a valid California Medical license.
• a certificate of registration under section 2113 (temporary exemption from licensure).
• a "but for" letter pertinent to the section 2113 exemption (the letter states that the physician will be registered under section 2113 after arrival in the US and after obtaining the Social Security number).
• a "but for" letter pertinent to licensure, if the physician is a Canadian Medical School graduate not yet in the US (the letter states that the California Medical license will be issued after arrival in the US and after obtaining the Social Security number.).

Cover Letter Template

Please email internationalscholars@stanford.edu to request a cover letter template to use for H petitions for physician employees