FORM DS-2019 PROCESSING INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANADIAN CITIZENS
General Information
Canadian citizens applying for J-1 or- J-2 visa status are not required to obtain a visa stamp at a U.S. Consulate to enter the
United States. However, Canadian citizens must use Form DS-2019 to secure J status at a U.S. port of entry. All J-1 applicants
may enter the United States up to 30 days prior to the program start date identified on Form DS-2019.
Form DS-2019 Processing Instructions for Canadian Citizens
Canadian physicians and/or their dependent(s) applying for J visa status for the first time must present the following at a U.S.
port of entry:
1. Form DS-2019 issued by ECFMG
2. Passport, valid for at least six months past the end date on Form DS-2019
3. Proof of required SEVIS fee payment (see https://fmjfee.com)
If approved for J status, Form I-94 will be issued by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. In addition to Form I-94,
foreign visitors are issued an annotated stamp in their passports at the port of entry. In the case of J-1 physicians entering the
United States for clinical graduate medical education, the annotation should read “J-1;Duration of Status (D/S)”.
Form I-94: Arrival/Departure Record
Form I-94 is issued in either paper or electronic format by a CBP officer to foreign visitors entering the United States.
 If issued a paper Form I-94, applicants are reminded to check it before leaving the inspection area to ensure that it was
properly annotated (i.e., J-1; D/S).
 If electronically issued, applicants must visit the CBP website to print an electronic copy of Form I-94 at
https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/.
Reporting to the Training Program/SEVIS Validation
ECFMG, as J-1 visa program sponsor, must confirm the arrival of all newly sponsored J-1 exchange visitors in SEVIS, a U.S.
government database. Upon arrival to the United States, all J-1 sponsored physicians must report to their training programs as
soon as possible and present the ECFMG-recognized “Training Program Liaison (TPL)” with a copy of Form I-94 evidencing their J1 visa status.
The TPL is then required to complete a Validation of Initial Arrival of ECFMG-Sponsored J-1 Physicians for SEVIS Reporting form
and upload it with required supporting documentation to the J-1 physician’s ECFMG sponsorship application record. When the
completed/signed Validation of Initial Arrival form and supporting documents are received, ECFMG will validate the J-1
physician’s arrival to the United States in SEVIS. Once validated in SEVIS, the program start date cannot be amended. A J-1
physician cannot apply for a U.S. Social Security Card/Number until ECFMG has validated his/her SEVIS record. Applying for a
Social Security Number prior to SEVIS validation will delay issuance of the Social Security Card.
SEVIS validation status can be checked/confirmed by logging into ECFMG’s OASIS and taking the following steps:
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Click J-1 Visa Sponsorship
Under the Application Type heading, click on the hyperlinked name of the training program
Find the line that reads Validated in SEVIS and a corresponding date; the date of validation will be highlighted in red (if
no date appears, the SEVIS record has not yet been validated)
Additional Information
TRAVEL: Information on J-1 and J-2 travel outside of the United States after initial entry and SEVIS validation is available at
www.ecfmg.org/evsp/travel-index.html. Canadian physicians are reminded that they must always re-enter in J-1 status; do NOT
re-enter as a Canadian tourist.
ADDRESS REPORTING: All foreign nationals are required to notify the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) of their
current U.S. residential address within ten days of any move/change in address. Therefore, all contact information, including U.S.
residential address, e-mail, and telephone number, must be maintained and updated accordingly in OASIS at all times. Canadians
are reminded that they must have a U.S. residential while in J-1 status.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE (DoS) CONTACT INFORMATION:
Address: DoS, Office of Designation, Private Sector Programs Division, 2200 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20037
Email: [email protected]
Mar 2016