Important Information
You will find brief information important to you and your family members. Detailed information can be found in the Handbook for International Physicians & Scientists.
Visa information
- Get information on what is and isn't supported by Cleveland Clinic.
Maintaining status
- Find out how you can maintain status while you're in the U.S.
Visas for dependents
- Get information on visas for dependents, including information on academic studies and volunteer work.
International travel
- Find out what you need to do and when before you embark on international travel.
Moonlighting
- Find out what the regulations are for moonlighting based on your status
Income taxes
- Get answers to frequently asked questions about U.S. income tax.
Social Security and driver's license
- Find out how to apply for a Social Security number and a driver's license.
Immigration & Language Resources
Attorneys
Please note: This is not an endorsement or recommendation of any firm over another. This is a list of attorneys of whom we have knowledge and who have represented Cleveland Clinic and/or its employees in the past.
- Fredrikson & Byron (Robert Aronson), 612.492.7260.
- Borene Law Firm (Scott Borene or Jeanne Kildow), 612.321.0082.
- Gerard D'Souza, 216.228.6715.
- Ulmer & Berne (David Leopold), 216.583.7000.
- Sharon & Kalnoki (Michael Sharon, Stacy Cozart or Michael Jolic), 216.328.9878.
Community resources
Whether you speak English or not, whether you are fluent or a beginner, the American culture is different and the ways and manners of speech may be different than the English you learned at home. Just as there are dialects of your language based on geographic locations so too are there different ways of saying things in different parts of the U.S. There are several programs in the Cleveland area that can help you and your family members become more fluent in English and learn more about life in the U.S. Several good books are available that may be helpful in understanding American culture. See below for details.
Also, the Handbook for International Physicians & Scientists contains a section with cultural, religious and social service organizations that may be helpful to you during your stay in the U.S.
English and acculturation programs
Recommended reading
- American Ways by Gary Althen.
- Living in the U.S.A. by Alison Raymond Lanier.
Both books are available to borrow through the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Library OHIOLink system.
Governmental agencies
The following links may be helpful to you during your stay in the U.S.:
- Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- State Medical Board of Ohio.
- Federation of State Medical Boards (USMLE Step 3 registration).
- Social Security Administration.
- Foreign Consulates in the United States.
- U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS).
- U.S. Department of State.
- Federation Credential Verification Service (FCVS- required for permanent medical license in Ohio).
