Application Checklists

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• Application Checklists and Descriptions
• Cases Requiring Special Appeal to U.S. Department of State
• Minimal Sponsorship Eligibility Requirements for J-1 Physicians
• U.S. and Canadian Medical School Graduates

J-1 sponsorship requires direct coordination between the J-1 applicant, the host institution, and ECFMG. The teaching institution’s Training Program Liaison (TPL) and the J-1 applicant must coordinate the submission of the sponsorship application and all supporting documentation to EVSP for review.

The checklists below describe the applications’ steps and provide instructions on how to apply for J-1 sponsorship through ECFMG.

Application Checklists and Descriptions

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ACGME-accredited or Non-standard Training (NST) at an ACGME-recognized Sponsoring Institution

Application Type	When to Use
Initial ECFMG sponsorship in an ACGME-accredited training program or NST program at an ACGME-recognized Sponsoring Institution. View checklist.	Applicant is not currently sponsored by ECFMG and seeks to engage in an ACGME-accredited training program or NST program at an ACGME-recognized Sponsoring Institution.
Continuation of ECFMG sponsorship in an ACGME-accredited training program or NST program at an ACGME-recognized Sponsoring Institution. View checklist.	Applicant is currently sponsored by ECFMG and seeks to engage in an ACGME-accredited training program or NST program at an ACGME-recognized Sponsoring Institution.

Research Scholar

Application Type	When to Use
Continuation of ECFMG sponsorship in a research scholar non-clinical program of observation, consultation, teaching, or research. View checklist.	Applicant is currently sponsored by ECFMG in a research scholar non-clinical program and seeks to continue participation in a non-clinical research program with either no or incidental patient care.

ABMS Member Board Exam Sponsorship Extension

Application Type	When to Use
Continuation of ECFMG sponsorship to sit for an ABMS Member Board examination. View checklist.	Applicant is currently sponsored by ECFMG and seeks an extension of sponsorship to sit for an ABMS Member Board examination.

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Cases Requiring Special Appeal to U.S. Department of State

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Certain cases/applications require additional review and approval by the U.S. Department of State. The memos below outline the documentation and fees required in addition to the standard application materials.

Change of Category (CoC): Initial applicants for sponsorship who have been in J visa status in another J category (such as J-1 student or research scholar) within six months of the proposed program start date must submit a “Change of Category” request.

• CoC Direct Transfer: View memo.
• CoC with Departure: View memo.

Sponsorship Authorization: If a J-1 physician was previously approved for a Change of Category, any subsequent changes to their approved training path will require submission of a “Sponsorship Authorization” request. View memo.

Exceptional Extension: Any J-1 physician seeking to extend participation in ECFMG-sponsored training beyond 7 years must submit a formal extension request. View memo.

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Minimal Sponsorship Eligibility Requirements for J-1 Physicians

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Foreign nationals applying for sponsorship as J-1 physicians to participate in clinical training programs must meet the following general requirements:

• Pass Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
• Be certified by ECFMG. (Note that graduates of medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) in the United States and Canada* are not required to be ECFMG Certified.)
• Hold a contract or an official offer letter for a position in an approved clinical training program. (Note that it is the program that initiates the J-1 visa sponsorship application process with ECFMG.)
• Provide an original Statement of Need from the Ministry of Health of the country of most recent legal permanent residence. More about Statements of Need can be found on this page: https://www.ecfmg.org/evsp/applying-general.html#need

* Individuals who graduate from Canadian medical schools on or after July 1, 2025 will require ECFMG Certification in order to be eligible for sponsorship as J-1 physicians, as these schools will no longer be accredited by LCME.

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U.S. and Canadian Medical School Graduates

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To initiate a sponsorship application, a TPL must have an applicant’s USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number. Applicants who do not currently have a USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number must request one by contacting [email protected] with the following information:

• Full name of applicant physician
• Date of birth (mm/dd/yy)
• E-mail address
• Name and country of medical school
• Gender

TPLs are not permitted to request a USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number on behalf of an applicant. Once the Identification Number is issued by ECFMG, the applicant must provide the Identification Number to the TPL.

Canadian Medical Graduates: Please refer also to the note in the previous section.

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