J-1 Visas

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Ann Dohn, MA

Director, Graduate Medical Education
Designated Institutional Official (DIO), ACGME
Training Program Liaison, ECFMG
Special Programs Coordinator, Medical Board of California
Institutional Official, NRMP

ADohn1@stanford.edu

650-723-5948 (office)

CA MD License Exemptions: Section 2111, 2113, 2168
On Call Coverage
Visas: J-1, H1-B

Brian Rogers

Administrative Assistant II

BriRogers@stanfordhealthcare.org

650-723-6564 (office)

Housestaff On Call Room Monitoring
SUNet ID Provision and Monitoring
Housestaff Uber Usage Monitoring
Visas: J-1 visas, H1-B visas - Documentation & Processing
MSOW Database for Housestaff - Monitoring & Maintenance
Website Management

Quick Links

See Policies & Procedures: Residency Programs: Visa Policy.

Last Revised 08/13/2018

About J-1 Visas

Stanford Hospital and Clinics uses the J-1 visa program sponsored by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
Stanford does not sponsor H-1B visas for graduates of international medical schools.
Graduates of Canadian medical schools must also use the J-1 program.
Incoming and continuing J-1 visa house staff are required to obtain their J-1 visas before their training. Failure to submit the requested documentation will result in a delayed start date.
Outgoing J-1 house staff are required to complete mandatory tasks in the Exiting House Staff Checklist.

Tip!

Start the process 6 months in advance.

To Program Directors and Coordinators

Program leadership and coordinators must review the ECFMG certificate requirements to ensure the applicant is eligible to participate as a J-1 visa holder in the training program.

New U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Policy, Effective August 9, 2018

Violation of status becomes an "unlawful presence"

Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Effective August 9, 2018 - Update in policy on violations of status - Violation of status is considered "unlawful presence."
No advance warning is provided to inform a visa holder that he/she has begun to accrue unlawful presence.
A violation of status is triggered often times when a foreign national seeks to adjust permanent resident status or returns from a trip abroad.
What is considered a violation of status?
- nonimmigrant status overstays
- unauthorized employment
- failure to maintain required course loads
- other violations of status
Visa holders, please be mindful of the following:
- Make sure that you firmly understand both the time limits as well as the scope of authorized activities within your visa classification.
- Particularly, as of August 9, 2018, make sure that you are acting in a manner fully consistent with your visa status, since any unauthorized activity following that date will trigger the “unlawful presence” accrual periods.
- Remember that these harsh consequences for a violation of status apply also to your dependent family members.
- Please consult with the your appropriate advisors if you have any questions on whether or not you are maintaining fully your immigration status.

The J-1 Visa Process: Initial

When an international medical graduate (IMG) is accepted into a Stanford training program, the GME office will initiate the J-1 visa application for the IMG housestaff. The J-1 applicant has the following responsibilities:

Eligibility Requirements
Apply for a J-1 Visa
New/Arrival of J-1 Visa
Maintain a J-1 Visa
Expired J-1 Visa
End a J-1 Visa

The J-1 visa process is a time-sensitive process. All e-mails sent by Ann Dohn are considered high priority.

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Eligibility Requirements
Duration of Stay/Sponsorship Limits

Eligibility Requirements

According to ECFMG, page 6:

Foreign nationals applying for sponsorship as J-1 “physicians” to participate in clinical programs of graduate medical education (GME) must meet the following general requirements:

Pass USMLE® Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS); or the former VQE, NBME® Part I and Part II, or FMGEMS; or an acceptable combination thereof. (Note: The former one-day ECFMG Examination and the Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX) do not meet the requirements for J-1 visa sponsorship.)
Hold a Standard ECFMG Certificate without expired examination dates, if applicable. (Note: Graduates of LCME-accredited U.S. and Canadian medical schools are not required to be ECFMG-certified.)
Hold a contract or an official letter of offer for a position in an approved graduate medical education or training program.
Provide a Statement of Need from the Ministry of Health of the country of nationality or most recent legal permanent residence. This statement must provide written assurance that the country needs specialists in the area in which the Exchange Visitor will receive training and that he/she will return to the country upon completion. If permanent residence is in a country other than that of citizenship, the Statement of Need must come from the country of most recent legal permanent residence.

Duration of Stay/Sponsorship Limits

ECFMG’s sponsorship for GME participation is limited to the time typically required to complete specialty/subspecialty training requirements as determined by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The duration of sponsorship is further limited to a maximum of seven years.

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Apply for a J-1 Visa
Definition of an Initial ECFMG J-1 Visa Applicant
- Apply for a J-1 Visa for ACGME/Standard Program
- Apply for a J-1 Visa for Non-ACGME/Non-Standard Program
Documents Samples, Sources, and Templates

Apply for a J-1 Visa

As an initial J-1 visa applicant, you must submit all required documentation listed on the ECFMG instructions to Ann Dohn. The ECFMG instructions you reference depends on your program’s accreditation type.

Definition of an Initial ECFMG J-1 Visa Applicant

The initial J-1 visa applicant is not currently sponsored by ECFMG for a J-1 visa and seeks to join the ACGME-accredited or non-ACGME-accredited training program.

Apply for a J-1 Visa for ACGME/Standard Program

If your program is an ACGME-accredited program (also known as standard training program), please follow the ECFMG instructions for new ECFMG certification:

ECFMG Instructions & Checklist: Initial ECFMG J-1 visa sponsorship in an ACGME-accredited clinical training program
Additional ECFMG Information Required: ECFMG number, contract, program description, and non-ACGME GMEC Verification Form
ECFMG PDF Requirements: Documents must be scanned in PDF format at the maximum size of 300 dots per inch (DPI) and 500 KB. All pages must be submitted as one file (merge the pdf documents). Do not submit documents separately.

Apply for a J-1 Visa for non-ACGME/non-standard Program

If your program is a non-ACGME-accredited/non-standard program, please follow the ECFMG instructions for new ECFMG certification:

ECFMG Instructions & Checklist: Initial ECFMG J-1 visa sponsorship in a non-standard clinical training program
Additional ECFMG Information Required: ECFMG number, contract, program description, and non-ACGME GMEC Verification Form
ECFMG PDF Requirements: Documents must be scanned in PDF format at the maximum size of 300 dots per inch (DPI) and 500 KB. All pages must be submitted as one file (merge the pdf documents). Do not submit documents separately.

Document Samples, Sources and Templates

Click on your form of interest and the link for the source document.

Samples & Sources
Document Name	Samples/Templates	Source
DS-2019 Form - Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status	View sample	J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program
Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) Endorsement & Program Verification Form	View sample	ECFMG Forms & Memos Refer to Forms: Supplemental Application Materials > GMEC & Parent Program Verification Form
I-797 Notice of Action Form for Change of Status Applicants Only	What does a I-797 form look like?	U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
I-94 Arrival/Departure Form	View sample electronic format paper format	U.S. Customs and Border Protection Download the form by clicking on "Get I-94 Number Now"
IAP-66 Form	DS-2019 replaces the old IAP-66 form.
Statement of Need (SON)		ECFMG Reference Guide for J-1 Physicians ECFMG Statement of Need
Training Program Description	View template	ECFMG Reference Guide for J-1 Physicians ECFMG Guideline for Training Program Description

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New J-1 Visa

New J-1 Visa

When you receive your J-1 visa sponsorship before your training start date, you need to know the following:

Read about the initial J-1 visa validations (arrival and reporting initial J-1 physicians)

When you receive your J-1 visa

You must obtain your social security number (SSN) or California Medical License before you start. Both can take several weeks. Failure to obtain a SSN or license results in a delayed start date.
You may arrive 30 days before your start date.

When you arrive to the U.S. (arrival and reporting)

Please review the ECFMG J-1 Initial Validations slide deck thoroughly here.

You must notify the Training Program Liaison (TPL) immediately.
The TPL reports your arrival to the Department of State through ECFMG and validates your arrival to SEVIS with documents uploaded to EVNet or OASIS.

Incoming Resident/Fellow

Before you start training, review the incoming resident/fellow page. Please read the pages closely for all required training.
At orientation, J-1 visa holders must bring the following:
1. Passport
2. I-94
3. DS2019

Current Resident/Fellow

You are considered a current resident/fellow on the first day of training. Check out all the house staff resources during your training.

Outgoing Resident/Fellow

You are considered an outgoing resident/fellow when you finish your training or terminate your training early. You must complete the Housestaff Checkout Sheet 30 days before you finish training.

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Maintain a J-1 Visa
Definition of a Continuing ECFMG J-1 Visa Applicant
- Continuing J-1 Visa for ACGME/Standard Program
- Continuing J-1 Visa for Non-ACGME/Non-Standard Program

Maintain a J-1 Visa

To maintain your J-1 visa sponsorship, you must submit all required documentation listed on the ECFMG instructions to Ann Dohn depending on your program's accreditation type.

Definition of a Continuing ECFMG J-1 Visa Applicant

The continuing J-1 visa applicant is currently sponsored by ECFMG for a J-1 visa and seeks to engage in an the ACGME-accredited or non-ACGME-accredited training program.

Continuing J-1 Visa for ACGME/Standard Program

If your program is an ACGME-accredited program, please follow the ECFMG instructions for new ECFMG certification of the 2015-2016 academic year:

ECFMG Instructions & Checklist: Continuation of ECFMG J-1 visa sponsorship in an ACGME-accredited clinical training program
Additional ECFMG Information Required: ECFMG number, contract, program description, and non-ACGME GMEC Verification Form
ECFMG PDF Requirements: Documents must be scanned in PDF format at the maximum size of 300 dots per inch (DPI) and 500 KB. All pages must be submitted as one file (merge the pdf documents). Do not submit documents separately.

J-1 Visa for non-ACGME/non-standard Program

If your program is a non-ACGME-accredited/non-standard program, please follow the ECFMG instructions for new ECFMG certification:

ECFMG Instructions & Checklist: Continuation of ECFMG J-1 visa sponsorship in a non-standard clinical training program
Additional ECFMG Information Required: ECFMG number, contract, program description, and non-ACGME GMEC Verification Form
ECFMG PDF Requirements: Documents must be scanned in PDF format at the maximum size of 300 dots per inch (DPI) and 500 KB. All pages must be submitted as one file (merge the pdf documents). Do not submit documents separately.

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End a J-1 Visa

End a J-1 Visa

According to the J-1 visa exchange program website, if your J-1 visa ends due to a(n):

End of a training program

Your end of training is shown on your DS-2019 form. You have 30 days to return to your home country. Many choose to explore within the United States during this timeframe.
You are considered an outgoing resident/fellow when you finish your training or terminate your training early. You must complete the Housestaff Checkout Sheet 30 days before you finish or end your training.

Withdrawal from a training program

You must notify Ann Dohn for SEVIS reporting. Then you must return to your home country immediately. The 30 day gap does not apply to you.
You are considered an outgoing resident/fellow when you finish your training or terminate your training early. You must complete the Housestaff Checkout Sheet 30 days before you finish or end your training.

Termination from a training program

You must return to your home country immediately. The 30 day gap does not apply to you.
You are considered an outgoing resident/fellowwhen you finish your training or terminate your training early. You must complete the Housestaff Checkout Sheet 30 days before you finish or end your training.

The J-1 Visa Process: Renewals/Transfers

If the trainee is from an outside institution with a J-1 and plans to attend Stanford, the Stanford training program must inform GME/TPL the following:

Trainee has a J-1 visa already sponsored at another institution in the US.
Is trainee qualified for a renewal/transfer/sponsorship at Stanford?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

I am attending a conference outside of the U.S. What do I need to know?

You must notify Ann Dohn 3-4 weeks in advance that you are leaving for a conference outside of the U.S. Your DS-2019 will be updated by Ann. According to ECFMG, to reenter the U.S. following international travel, you are required to bring a(n):

Passport, valid for at least six months beyond the program end date on the most recent Form DS-2019.
Valid J-1 or J-2 visa. (Note: A visa is not required for Canadian citizens seeking to reenter the United States.)
Original Form DS-2019 with travel signature in the “Travel Validation by Responsible Officer” box on lower right side of Form DS-2019. Only ECFMG personnel can provide the required travel validation signature.