CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Roberto Hernandez is back

The pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona is scheduled to arrive in Cleveland on Saturday night after receiving his visa from the U.S. Consulate in the Dominican Republic on Thursday. The visa was approved Monday, but it had to be OK'd by the Department of Homeland Security.

Hernandez will meet with reporters Sunday at Progressive Field.

Stephen Payne, a visa expert and lobbyist who worked with Hernandez's agents, said Hernandez will serve a "brief' MLB-imposed suspension before he is able to join the big league club.

The suspension, which starts Saturday, will last three weeks. Hernandez would be eligible to rejoin the Indians on Aug. 11.

It will probably take that much time for Hernandez to get back in pitching shape. He has been throwing simulated games at the Indians baseball academy in the Dominican.

"I do know Roberto will be playing baseball for the Cleveland Indians -- if he's physically ready -- sometime in August," said Payne.

Hernandez is scheduled to throw a simulated game next week for the Indians coaching staff. He will then go on a rehab assigment to the minors. He'll need at least three to four starts to get ready.

The suspension comes as a bit of a surprise because the Indians insisted that Hernandez renegotiate his contract once they found out he'd been pitching for them under a false identity. Hernandez, who is 31 instead of Carmona's listed age of 28, forfeited a possible $7.5 million when he re-did his contract in spring training.

It was believed that by taking such a cut in pay, Hernandez could avoid a suspension.

Miami right-hander Juan Carlos Oviedo, formerly known as Leo Nunez, was arrested in September in the Dominican Republic for the same offense. He is currently serving an eight-week suspension. Oviedo's suspension ends Monday, but he sustained an elbow injury earlier this week while pitching for Class AAA New Orleans.

Hernandez was arrested on Jan. 19 in Santo Domingo when he tried to get his visa renewed to report to spring training. Dominican authorities held Hernandez in custody for one day before releasing him on $13,000 bail.

Officials in the U.S and Dominican Republic were tipped of Hernandez's true identity by a woman who claimed she doctored a false birth certificate for Hernandez at the request of Hernandez's father. When Hernandez's father didn't pay her a reported $26,000, she went public.

Sources with MLB's Investigative unit said the woman's story, along with other evidence, helped lead to Hernandez's arrest.

Before Hernandez's arrest, he was guaranteed a spot in the Tribe's rotation. When he returns, he could be reinserted in a rotation that is leaking oil in several places.

This is Hernandez's 12th year with the Indians. He signed on Dec. 28, 2000.

His best year was 2007 when he went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA. Outside of that season, the 6-4, 230-pound right-hander has been wildly inconsistent.

Last year Hernandez was 7-15 with a 5.25 ERA.