Copyright © 2019-2023 by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®). All rights reserved.
February 10, 2023
Page 2 of 2
STATEMENT OF NEED (SoN) - Continued
• Be issued in English; if not issued in English, a certied 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.
CURRENT CURRICULUM VITAE (C.V.)
The C.V. must detail a complete timeline of activities from the time of medical school graduation onward. Include education, profession, and
time off in a month/year to month/year format.
COPY OF PASSPORT NAME PAGE(S)
Submit a copy of the passport name page for the applicant and each dependent.
COPIES OF FORM(S) IAP-66 AND/OR DS-2019
Required if the applicant previously held J-1 visa status.
PROOF OF COUNTRY OF MOST RECENT LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENCE (LPR)
Required if LPR differs from country of citizenship.
COPY OF FORM I-94 (arrival/departure record)
Required if applicant is in the United States at the time of application submission 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.
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION OF FUNDING SOURCE*
Provides proof of funding by the organization paying the trainee directly or conrmation 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 ofcial 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 ofcial or a copy of a bank statement on letterhead conrming the (self)
funding amount specied 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
identier.
*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 certicate(s) must
include a certied, 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, Certicate 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.
REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATES OF LIAISON COMMITTEE ON MEDICAL EDUCATION (LCME)-ACCREDITED
U.S. OR CANADIAN MEDICAL SCHOOL PROGRAMS
• COPY OF MEDICAL SCHOOL DIPLOMA: A certied, word-for-word English translation must accompany a non-English document.
• ENGLISH LANGUAGE ATTESTATION FORM: Required if the applicant is a graduate of an LCME-accredited Canadian medical school and
is not ECFMG certied (see http://www.ecfmg.org/evsp/attestation.pdf).
• FULL-FACE PASSPORT-SIZED PHOTOGRAPH: Uploaded as JPG.
CHANGE OF CATEGORY AND PROGRAM TRANSFER REQUEST DOCUMENTATION
Required if the applicant is currently in J-1 status (e.g., J-1 “research scholar”) and plans to seek a change of category and program transfer
through the U.S. Department of State (DoS). Detailed information and documentation requirements for applicants seeking a change of
category are available on the EVSP website at http://www.ecfmg.org/evsp/evspcocmemo.pdf.
Additional Documentation (required if applicable)