US reverses visa freeze policy for foreign doctors, eases travel ban curbs

The United States has allowed foreign doctors from countries under a travel ban to continue working after reversing a visa processing freeze, according to a report by The New York Times. The change comes after the policy had stalled visa extensions, work permits and green cards for citizens of 39 countries.

The decision follows a quiet update by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which removed physicians from the processing hold without a formal announcement, as reported by NYT. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the shift, stating, “Applications associated with medical physicians will continue processing.”

The earlier policy had affected doctors working in hospitals across the US, with some placed on administrative leave and others facing the risk of losing their jobs. The change now allows visa approvals and work permits for foreign physicians to resume.

Policy reversal comes amid doctor shortage

The US is facing a shortage of about 65,000 physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, with the gap expected to widen in the coming years, as reported by NYT. Foreign doctors make up about 25% of the medical workforce and are largely employed in primary care fields such as family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics.

Medical groups had raised concerns over the visa freeze, warning that it could affect healthcare services, especially in underserved areas. In April, more than 20 doctor associations wrote to US authorities, expressing “urgent concern” over barriers preventing “qualified, vetted physicians” from entering and remaining in the country.

“I am glad that the administration took measures to ensure that we can keep our dedicated international physicians,” said Rebecca Andrews of the American College of Physicians to NYT. She added, “We need to recruit the most skilled doctors no matter where they are from.”

According to the NYT report, many doctors had faced uncertainty in recent weeks. Some who were completing training or starting new roles were unsure if they could continue working due to delays in visa processing.

The travel ban policy, first introduced earlier and expanded in January to cover 39 countries, had frozen immigration decisions for affected nationals. The latest update creates an exemption for physicians, allowing them to remain in the US healthcare system.