The Cleveland Clinic Foundation

For graduate medical education purposes: residency, fellowship, clinical research fellowship, the Cleveland Clinic will accept H-1B temporary worker or J-1 exchange visitor (alien physician category – sponsored by the ECFMG). For research, the H-1B, the J-1 exchange Visitor (research scholar category – sponsored by CCF) or F-1 student (sponsored by a U.S. college or university) with employment authorization.

Requirements:

H-1B Temporary Worker (Clinical Training Program)

® Passing score on USMLE Step 1, Step 2CK, Step 2CS and Step 3 (Step 3 is not required for graduates of U.S. medical school)

® Valid ECFMG Certificate

® Training certificate (license) issued by the State Medical Board of Ohio

H-1B Temporary Worker (post doctoral research fellows, research fellows)

® M.D. or Ph.D.

® An offer for a paid research fellowship; salary must meet prevailing wage requirements (approx $32,000 per year plus benefits)

J-1 Exchange Visitor (ECFMG)

® Valid ECFMG Certificate or a medical degree from a U.S. or Canadian medical school

J-1 Exchange Visitor (research scholar or short-term scholar sponsored by the Cleveland Clinic)

® M.D. or Ph.D.

® Must either receive a salary from the Cleveland Clinic or provide documentation of financial support from an outside source

INFORMATION ON OBTAINING A VISA

DO NOT ARRANGE TRAVEL UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR VISA.

General Information

Contact the U.S. Consulate nearest to your place of residence to schedule an appointment for an interview. Once you have your visa, you may make your travel arrangements. It is wise to wait until you have your visa, in the event there are delays. You will not be reimbursed by the Cleveland Clinic for non-refundable tickets or charges incurred for exchanging airline tickets.

H-1B Temporary Worker

You will receive a Notice of Approval (Form I-797) and a copy of the Form I-129 (H-1B petition which was filed with the US Citizenship & Immigration Service on your behalf. This will include all the Labor Condition Application (LCA, Form

ETA9035)and information about your employment at the Cleveland Clinic.

You should follow these steps to obtain your H-1B Visa:

take the Form I-797, the copy of the petition, the completed Form DS-156 (Application for Nonimmigrant Visa – available at the consulate), Form DS-157 (if needed) and your passport to the U.S. Consulate. You may be required to pay a fee(s).
If you have family members traveling with you, submit their passports with a Form DS-156 requesting an H-4 visa for each of them. Fees may be required.
Forms DS-156 and DS-157 and information on fees may be obtained from the consulate or from the U.S. Department of State website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/index.html

J-1 Exchange Visitors

There are 12 categories of J-1 Exchange Visitor visas. The two categories used most often by physicians and scientists are the research scholar and the alien physician. The alien physician category is solely for use by physicians who are pursuing graduate medical education in the United States. The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) is the only authorized sponsor for the alien physician category. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation is authorized by the U.S. Department of State to sponsor research scholars in the research scholar category of the J-1 exchange visitor visa.

The authorization for a J-1 visa is initiated by the issuance of a Form DS2019 or Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status. This document is issued by either the ECFMG (physicians in clinical training) or the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (research fellows). Following is information on how to obtain a visa once you have received your Form DS2019.

PLEASE NOTE:

You may enter the U.S. no more than 30 days PRIOR to the start date indicated on the DS-2019 and no later than 30 days AFTER the start date indicated on the DS-2019. If you are not going to enter the U.S. or report to the Graduate Medical Education Department within 30 days after the start date on the DS2019, please contact the Graduate Medical Education Department immediately.

You MUST report to the Graduate Medical Education Department to validate program participation no more than 30 days AFTER the start date indicated on the DS-2019.

Physicians sponsored by ECFMG for Graduate Medical Education

ECFMG will send your Form DS2019 to the Cleveland Clinic. They will issue a Form DS2019 for you and for each family member who will accompany you to the United States. We will forward the Form DS2019 to you.
Bring the Form DS2019, your passport, Form DS-156 (Application for Nonimmigrant Visa) and Form DS-157(if applicable) and any fees to the U.S. Consulate when you go for your interview.
If you have dependents traveling with you, you will need to submit their passports, Form DS-156 for each person and any applicable fees with your documents.

Physicians and Scientists sponsored by the Cleveland Clinic for Research

The Graduate Medical Education Department at CCF will issue a Form DS2019 for you and any each family member who will accompany you to the United States. You will also receive a letter stating that you will not have any patient contact.
Bring or mail your Form DS2019, your passport, Form DS-156, Form DS-157 (if applicable) and the no patient contact letter and any fees to the U.S. Consulate.
If you have dependents traveling with you, you will need to submit their passports, the Forms DS2019 issued for each family member and a completed Form DS-156 and requisite fees.

SEVIS FEE

SEVIS stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. This is the U.S. government maintained website that allows Exchange Visitor Program sponsors to issue the Form DS-2019 for foreign nationals to obtain J-1 visas. Effective September 1, 2004, certain J-1 exchange visitors are required to pay a one-time SEVIS fee of $100. This fee is being collected to fund operation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program Office, which has oversight over SEVIS. THE CLEVELAND CLINIC WILL NOT PAY THIS FEE FOR YOU.

WHEN AND HOW YOU SHOULD PAY THE SEVIS FEE:

Applying for the J-1 visa abroad: You should pay your SEVIS fee at least 3 business days prior to your visa interview. You cannot pay the fee at the consulate. You can pay the fee over the internet using a credit card the website is https://www.fmjfee.com/index.jhtml Follow the instructions carefully and be sure to print out your receipt at the end of the process.

Or you can complete Form I-901 and mail it with your payment to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with a check or money order payable in U.S. currency and drawn against a bank in the U.S. The check can be from a foreign bank as long as it is drawn on a branch in the U.S. The DHS will mail you a receipt for the fee. The form is available for download at http://www.ice.gov/graphics/sevis/pdf/I-901.pdf

A friend or family member may pay the fee on your behalf using either method.

You will need to bring either the receipt printed from the internet or the one mailed to you by the DHS to your interview at the U.S. Consulate.

Entering the U.S. without a visa

Citizens of Canada are not required to obtain a visa in their passport prior to entering the United States. However, they must undergo inspection at the point of entry. You should pay the SEVIS fee at least 3 days prior to your date of entry. Be sure to bring your printed receipt or the receipt from the DHS with you to the point of entry.

PLEASE NOTE: If you pay your fee by mail, you can arrange to have the receipt sent to you by overnight delivery.

THERE WILL BE NO REFUND OF THE SEVIS FEE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT GRANTED A VISA OR CHOOSE NOT TO COME TO THE U.S. AFTER THEIR VISA HAS BEEN ISSUED.

INSPECTION AT THE POINT OF ENTRY

When you arrive at your first stop in the United States, you will be given a blank Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) by the flight crew before landing. You must fill out the required portions. If you have difficulty, ask the flight attendant or wait and ask the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Inspector. The forms are available in English or in your native language if your flight to the U.S. originated in your country. If the flight attendant does not give you a form, inform the CBP inspector and he/she will give you one.

Upon deplaning, you will be directed to the CBP inspection station. The CBP officer will inspect your passport, Form I-797 (H-1B) or Form DS2019 (J-1) and endorse your Form I-94.

DO NOT LEAVE THE INSPECTION STATION UNLESS YOUR FORM I-94 HAS BEEN STAMPED.

If the officer forgets to stamp it (YES, IT DOES HAPPEN), please ask him/her to do so. You will not be able to begin working at the Cleveland Clinic, if you do not have a properly endorsed Form I-94.

Please be sure to check the status noted on your Form I-94. Be sure that it is correct for you and all of your dependents (i.e. H-1B and H-4 or J-1 and J-2). Please also be sure to check the expiration date. For H-1B nonimmigrants, it will be the end date on your approval notice. For J-1 nonimmigrants, it should be D/S for Duration of Status.

CANADIANS, because you may not receive documents when traveling as tourists to the United States, it is imperative that you plainly state that you wish H-1B or J-1 status and show the appropriate documents. If the station is particularly busy, the officer may neglect to issue the Form I-94. Do NOT leave the border crossing station without a Form I-94. If they do not give you one, ASK FOR IT.

Nonimmigrant status & Visa: What’s the difference?

A Visa is the document placed in your passport by the U.S. Consular official. This document permits you to enter the United States. It may be valid for 6 months or a year or longer. You may be able to use it to enter the U.S. many times or just one time. If your Visa expires while you are in the United States, it does not mean that you are out of status or in the U.S. illegally.

Nonimmigrant status is granted when you arrive in the United States. The Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officer at the point of entry (airport or border) will issue a Form I-94. This Form will indicate your nonimmigrant status, H-1B, J-1 or for dependents H-4 or J-2. He/she will also indicate an expiration date. For H-1B holders, this is usual the expiration date on your approval notice.

Therefore, it is a Visa which gets you to the point of entry in the U.S. and the Nonimmigrant Status which allows you to remain in the U.S.

Maintaining your Nonimmigrant Status

H-1B Temporary Workers

Your stay in the United States may be valid for an initial period of 1 to 3 years and the possibility of extension for another 1 to 3 years. Approximately, 2 months prior to the expiration date on your Form I-94, the Cleveland Clinic will need to submit a request for extension to the USCIS on your behalf.

If you are a resident or researcher in a clinical department, your H-1B extension will be prepared by the Graduate Medical Education Department. You will be contacted at the appropriate time. Extensions are contingent upon continued reappointment to your position at the Cleveland Clinic.

Please note that the H-1B status is employer specific. You will be authorized to work at the Cleveland Clinic only. You may not use that status to work for a different employer. The new employer would need to file a change in previously approved employment on your behalf.

THIS IS YOUR NONIMMIGRANT VISA/STATUS - IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR AND TRACK THESE EXPIRATION DATES:

PASSPORT ●VISA ● FORM I-94 ● FORM DS2019

Travel Outside the United States

General Information

Contact the embassy or consulate of the country to which you are traveling to determine if you need a visa to enter that country. Each country has different laws governing entry of foreign citizens. It may be necessary for you to obtain a visa from the consulate or embassy prior to departing the United States.

Foreign consular offices are located in cities throughout the United States. Foreign embassies are located in Washington, D.C. and most countries have a consulate or Mission to the United Nations in New York City.

Please note that for travel to Canada or Mexico, you should be permitted to reenter the U.S. with an expired visa in your passport if your stay in Canada was for less than 30 days. Also, if traveling to Canada, you may not be required to surrender your Form I-94. If at all possible, keep it, often upon return from Canada, you will not be given a new Form I-94. Applications for tourist visas for Canada and Mexico are available in the GME Department.

Temporary Workers (H1B Status)

v Locate the original Form I-797 (notice of approval for your H1B petition)

v Locate a copy of your appointment letter. If you cannot find your appointment letter, contact the Graduate Medical Education Department.

v Check the visa stamp in your passport to determine if it has expired. If it has expired, you will need to renew your visa at a U.S. Consulate in the country to which you are traveling. You will need the same documents required when you first obtained your visa.

H-1B visa holders are also entitled to renew their H-1B visas in the United States via a mail in process with the U.S. Department of State branch office in St. Louis, Missouri. You should allow 4 to 6 weeks for this process. Information on this process is available in the GME Department.

When you leave the United States, you will be asked to surrender your Form I-94.

Please remember that upon re-entry, you must receive a new Form I-94.

H-4 Dependents of Temporary Workers

If traveling without the H-1B holder, dependents should bring a copy of the H-1B holder’s visa, Form I-94 and a letter confirming continued employment of the H-1B. If they are traveling alone and need to renew their visas, they must also bring a copy of the original Form I-797 and a copy of the petition. Please remind your dependents that they need to receive a new Form I-94.

Information for Dependents

Employment

H-4 dependents of temporary workers (H-1B) are not permitted to accept employment of any kind. This includes unpaid employment and self-funded research.

Academic Studies

H-4 dependent children are all permitted to attend school in the United States. H-4 spouses may enroll in college and university classes. Tuition rates may vary according to determination of resident status in the State of Ohio.

Students are permitted to accept on campus employment. However, even though an H-4 dependent is a student, they are NOT permitted to accept employment. This includes post-graduate employment. If necessary, the H-4 dependent must apply for a change of status from H-4 to either H-1B or F-1 (student).

Volunteer Work

The only volunteer work permitted is that which is done for a charitable organization. For example, volunteering in a hospital, a community volunteering with children or the elderly or as a volunteer in a museum.

Dependents may NOT volunteer to do research in laboratories, libraries or on computers, assist with patients, perform general administrative or secretarial duties or work as translators. These are all examples of positions for which people are normally hired and paid as an employee. The USCIS strictly forbids this type of activity on the part of dependents unless the person is eligible and authorized for employment.

House Staff Spouse Association

The spouses of the House Staff at the Cleveland Clinic have formed an association for spouses to get to know each other and plan educational and cultural activities for spouses, children and House Staff. If you are interested in joining the House Staff Spouse Association, please contact Paige Wright at (440) 684-9737. She is the current president of the Association.

Cleveland Council on World Affairs

The Cleveland Council on World Affairs is a non-profit organization founded in 1923 that sponsors a variety of programs covering a broad spectrum of regions and issues. All are designed to promote interest in international affairs and to enhance Cleveland’s position in the global community. Anyone is welcome to join. Further information on the Council is available by calling the office at (216) 781-3730 OR visit the website at www.ccwa.org

Important Telephone Numbers & Addresses

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) – formerly U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS)

Cleveland District Office

1240 E. 9^th Street, Room 501

Cleveland, OH 44114

www.uscis.gov

U.S. Department of State

Visa Services (202) 663-1225 / www.state.gov

J-1 Exchange Visitor Program Information / http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1267.html

J-1 Waiver information / http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1296.html

Foreign Embassies in the United States / http://www.embassy.org/embassies/

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)