3/18/2020 EVSP: Statement of Need

Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program (EVSP)

Welcome About EVSP Application Overview For J-1 Applicants/Physicians For J-1 Host Institutions

For J-1 Applicants/Physicians

Frequently Asked Questions Requirements and Categories of ECFMG Sponsorship Federal Regulations and Application Materials For Current J-1 Physicians For Alumni J-1 Physi

Statement of Need

U.S. Public Law 94-484, effective January 10, 1978, requires that J-1 physician applicants provide a letter of need from the Ministry of Health of the
country of most recent legal permanent residence. Such a letter must provide written assurance, satisfactory to the Secretary of the United States Selecte
Physicia
Department of Health and Human Services, that there is a need in that country for persons with the skills the alien physician seeks to acquire.
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If the applicant is a permanent resident of a country other than that of citizenship, the Statement of Need (SoN) must come from the Ministry of
Health of the country of most recent legal permanent residence. J-1 Visa
Physicia
In cases in which a new or updated SoN is required, 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. To be accepted by ECFMG, the original SoN must be received in the original, Applica
Docume
sealed envelope of the Ministry of Health. In addition, the Ministry of Health of cial issuing the letter must place it in a Ministry of Health envelope
and stamp the outside ap with the issuing government seal. The document should be forwarded directly to ECFMG; if the sealed envelope is opened, Stateme
ECFMG will not accept the SoN. Electronic or scanned copies of the SoN will not be accepted by ECFMG.
Mandat
SoNs in sealed Ministry of Health envelopes must be mailed directly to ECFMG either by the Ministry of Health or the applicant. Use of a courier
service is recommended. The mailing address is: EVSP/ECFMG, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.

Additionally, per the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), the SoN 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 CFR §62.27
Align with 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 mu
prescribed language)

Any SoN that does not meet all of the above-speci ed requirements will not be accepted. If the original SoN is not issued in English, the Ministry of Health may provide a
applicant for the purpose of obtaining an English translation. The certi ed English translation may either be submitted in the sealed envelope with the original SoN
ECFMG separately. Both the original SoN and a certi ed English translation, if applicable, are required as part of the application.

Statement of Need Instructions for Ministry of Health Of cials

Required Statement of Need Text

The following is the precise wording that has been approved by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services for the Statement of Need:

USMLE®/ECFMG ID Number: __-__-__-__-__-__-__-__

Name of Applicant for Visa:_________________________

There currently exists in (country) a need for quali ed medical practitioners in the specialty of ______________________. (Name of Applicant for Visa) has led a writte
government of this country that he/she will return to this country upon completion of training in the United States and intends to enter the practice of medicine in
training is being sought.

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Last updated April 4, 2018.

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