The Visiting Physician Temporary Permit is designed for an applicant who intends to practice under the supervision of a licensed Texas physician (excluding training in postgraduate training programs) for educational purposes, in order to practice charity care to underserved populations in Texas, in cases of declared emergency disasters, for the provision of forensic psychiatric examinations related to criminal matters, or for the provision of specialized medical care for which the applying physician has demonstrated good cause for the issuance of the permit.

The rules regarding this type of permit are found in §172.5 and can be viewed at: Board Rules.

Eligibility for a Visiting Physician Temporary Permit

 The applicant must:

•          be licensed to practice medicine in another jurisdiction;
•          have a sponsoring physician in Texas; and
•          submit to a Criminal History Verification.

This is important!  Except in emergency cases, a Visiting Physician Temporary permit must be submitted 30 days prior to the visiting physician entering the state.  

Apply

The sponsoring physician should review the Visiting Physician Sponsor Letter for the requirements of a sponsoring physician.  The letter can be downloaded by using the quick link to the left.

The visiting physician should complete the Visiting Physician Temporary Permit Application.  The form can be downloaded by using the quick link to the left.

The sponsoring physician submits to the Board at least 30 days prior to the visiting physician entering the state:

• The visiting physician’s application with their curriculum vitae attached; and  
• A statement from the sponsoring physician verifying that they will provide continuous supervision of the visiting physician and, if the visiting physician will be performing procedures that they have been credentialed by the Texas hospital/facility where the proposed procedure will take place.

Permit Expiration and Extension

The permit is good for a limited time, usually no longer than 10 days.  The executive director of the Board may extend the length of the stay if the applicant shows good cause for the why the extended time is needed.

Fees

The Texas Medical Board does not charge fees to applicants for or permit holders of a Visiting Physician Temporary Permit.