Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program (EVSP)

Exchange Visitor

Sponsorship Program (EVSP)

February 10, 2023

Page 1 of 2

Documentation

Checklist

Continuation of Sponsorship in an

ACGME-accredited Training Program or

Non-standard Training (NST) Program at an

ACGME-recognized Sponsoring Institution

STEPS IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS

The application process requires completion of the following steps:

1. Through EVNet, TPL submits an on-line appointment prole

2. Through EVNet, TPL uploads the necessary supporting documents for each applicant (with the exception of the SoN; see below

for details)

3. Through OASIS, applicant accepts on-line appointment prole, pays the $370 administrative/application fee, completes the

electronic application, and uploads any documentation (not already submitted by the TPL) needed to complete application

4. Electronically or by mail/courier service, Ministry of Health ofcial or applicant submits the original SoN (see below for details)

NOTE: All uploaded documents must be in PDF format and must be uploaded one document at a time.

Documentation Required of Continuing Applicants

Application Processing Instructions

The checklist below provides an overview of the basic requirements to apply for continued ECFMG sponsorship to participate in a

clinical training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or NST program at an

ACGME-recognized Sponsoring Institution. Note that submission of a complete on-line application requires close coordination between

each applicant and the Training Program Liaison (TPL) at the teaching hospital. While ECFMG generally reserves four to six weeks

from the time all required documentation is received for review and processing, it is important to note that submission of all required

documentation at the same time may signicantly shorten processing time. Therefore, applicants and TPLs are encouraged to upload all

required documentation on the same day, when possible. Note also that EVSP will match the original Statement of Need (SoN) received

from the home country government with the pending application. Applicants can verify that an SoN has been received by checking the

On-line Applicant Status and Information System (OASIS) regularly.

Any application deciencies and/or requests for additional documentation will be communicated directly by ECFMG to the TPL via e-mail.

Applicants are able to view deciency letters in OASIS. It is recommended that applicants and/or TPLs retain a copy of all uploaded materials.

CONTRACT OR LETTER OF OFFER

The contract or letter of offer must specify:

• Start and end dates of the training year,

• Specialty and subspecialty of the training program/pathway,

• Training level,

• Stipend,

• And must be signed by both the applicant and an appropriate hospital ofcial.

FORM I-644, SUPPLEMENTARY STATEMENT FOR GRADUATE MEDICAL TRAINEES

The applicant must complete and sign Part 1; the program director or director of graduate medical education of the most recent

(not proposed) host program must complete and sign Part 2 of the form. https://www.ecfmg.org/evsp/i-644form.pdf

FORM I-94 (arrival/departure record)

A photocopy of the applicant’s most recent Form I-94 documenting admission to the United States in J-1 status valid for

“Duration of Status – D/S” must be submitted to ECFMG. Copies of electronically issued Form I-94 can be downloaded at

https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/. Note that Form I-94 also may be attached to Form I-797, Notice of Action, issued by the U.S. Department

of Homeland Security.

February 10, 2023

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STATEMENT OF NEED (SoN)

A new/updated SoN is required to apply for sponsorship continuation if any of the following criteria apply:

• The applicant is proposing to enter a new subspecialty.

• The letter on le with EVSP will expire prior to or during the proposed training period.

• The letter on le with EVSP is institution-specic and a change in host institution is proposed.

An original, ofcial SoN issued directly from the Ministry of Health in the country of most recent legal permanent residence

must be submitted directly to ECFMG. SoN letters are accepted in two ways—electronically OR by mail/courier service.

Regardless of submission method, per the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), all SoNs

must:

• Be issued by the federal/central ofce of the applicant’s country of most recent legal

permanent residence

• Be issued on ofcial Ministry of Health letterhead and addressed to ECFMG

• Exactly follow prescribed wording outlined in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

§62.27

• Specify a need that exactly matches the name of the training specialty/subspecialty being

pursued

• Contain the ofcial stamp or seal of the issuing government and dated signature of issuing

ofcial on the SoN

• Be issued in English; if not issued in English, a certied word-for-word English translation

is required (again, please note that the SoN and any translation must follow regulatory

prescribed language)

It is important to note that the source country for the SoN cannot be changed once an

applicant acquires J-1 status. Any/all subsequent SoNs must be issued from the same source country.

OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION OF FUNDING SOURCE*

Provides proof of funding by the organization paying the trainee directly or conrmation of the applicant’s personal funds if the

source of funding is other than, or in addition to, the salary provided by the hospital or institution where the training will take place.

• Outside Organization: A signed letter, on organizational letterhead, from an ofcial of the organization providing direct funding

to the applicant. The letter must include the terms and conditions, dates, and amount in U.S. dollars.

• Personal Funds: Submission of a letter signed by a bank ofcial or a copy of a bank statement on letterhead conrming the

(self) funding amount specied in the on-line application. Foreign currency amounts must also include U.S. dollar equivalent.

IMPORTANT: Letters and/or statements issued by a bank should not show personal account information such as account

number or other personal identier.

*Minimum funding levels are $1,600 per month for the exchange visitor physician, $600 per month for a J-2 spouse, and $400

per month per child (any status).

EVIDENCE OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIP (marriage/birth/adoption certificate)

Required if requesting J-2 dependent sponsorship for a spouse and/or an unmarried minor child. If not in English, the certicate(s)

must include a certied, word-for-word English translation(s).

RETURN SHIPPING LABEL FOR EXPEDITED DELIVERY TO THE TPL (optional, but recommended)

If an application is approved, ECFMG will issue Form DS-2019, Certicate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Visa Status,

to the TPL via rst-class U.S. mail. ECFMG is not authorized to release the Form DS-2019 directly to an applicant. For expedited and

trackable delivery, applicants must upload a prepaid/preaddressed courier service shipping label at the time of application (prior to

application review by EVSP). EVSP staff cannot complete a shipping label on behalf of an applicant or institution.

See https://www.ecfmg.org/evsp/applying-fees.html#ds2019 for additional information on the use of shipping labels.

EXCEPTIONAL EXTENSION BEYOND THE MAXIMUM DURATION REQUEST DOCUMENTATION

Additional documentation and fee are required if the proposed training program will necessitate an extension of the applicant’s

sponsorship beyond seven years (the regulatory maximum duration of ECFMG-sponsored clinical training). Such an extension must

be reviewed and authorized by the U.S. Department of State (DoS). Detailed information and documentation requirements for

applicants seeking exceptional extensions beyond the maximum duration are available on the EVSP website at

http://www.ecfmg.org/evsp/evspeememo.pdf.

Additional Documentation (required if applicable)

Whether an SoN is sent

electronically or by mail/

courier service, there are

specic, respective submission

procedures and requirements. If

an SoN is received that does not

meet these requirements, it will

not be accepted.

View the submission

requirements, and the required

SoN format and wording, on

the EVSP website at https://

www.ecfmg.org/evsp/applying-

general.html#need