Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy

What’s My status?

Reliable. Responsive. Results.

Welcome to FCCPT, the first stop for the foreign-educated physical therapy professional who needs to know about working in the U.S. as a physical therapist (PT) or physical therapist assistant (PTA). You’ll find accurate information, essential services and a wealth of resources related to U.S. licensure, visa screening and credentialing.

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FAQs

The following timeframes are for services in review (paid-in-full and all required documents have been received); these timeframes do not include the time necessary to request and receive documents from their appropriate source(s).

Important: The following time frames are all approximate, and may take more or less time depending on circumstances.

Comprehensive Credentials Review (Type 1 Review), Educational Credentials Review, and Physical Therapist Assistant Educational Equivalency Review (PTA-EER) – Approximately sixteen (16) to eighteen (18) weeks
Re-activation – Approximately sixteen (16) to eighteen (18) weeks
New York Credentials Verification – Approximately four (4) weeks
Re-Evaluation (of Type 1 Review, Educational Credentials Review, or PTA-EER) – Approximately nine (9) weeks
Type 1 Review after a previously completed Educational Credentials Review – Approximately sixteen (16) to eighteen (18) weeks
CWT Version Update – Approximately sixteen (16) to eighteen (18) weeks
Duplicate Report – Approximately three (3) weeks
Type 1 Renewal - Approximately three (3) weeks
USCIS Status Letter:
- Status Letter – Approximately three (3) weeks
- Expedited Status Letter – Approximately one (1) week
Certified Documents – Approximately three (3) weeks

Refer to How To Apply section for more information on service timelines.

Service Timeframes FAQ How long does it take to complete a service?

The service you need depends on many different factors. We have tried to make this easy for you and have created a wizard that allows you to know which service is appropriate for you by answering a few questions here.

Service Information FAQ What service do I need to apply for as a new applicant to FCCPT?

When you apply for an FCCPT Service, you have 12 months from the application date to have all required documents submitted to FCCPT. If the required documents are not received within this timeframe, your file will be closed and no refund of fees will be issued.

Service Length FAQ How long will my service stay open?

In general, only those who need a Healthcare Worker Certificate to obtain a visa or work permit are required to pass the English-language proficiency examination. Individuals who are in the U.S. on a dependent/spouse visa, or have citizenship, do not need to have a Healthcare Worker Certificate and therefore are not required to take and pass the TOEFL exam.

Review TOEFL Requirements for additional details and exemptions.

TOEFL FAQ Do I have to take the TOEFL exam?

When documents are received by FCCPT, they must go through a detailed authentication process that takes time. Therefore, documents are not immediately available to see as received in your applicant portal upon delivery of the documents. For documents sent to us electronically (via email or uploading on our website) it takes 3-5 business days before your file will be updated. Documents that arrive through the postal service (first class mail or courier service) will take 5-7 business days before your file will be updated.

Document Processing FAQ How long will it take to process my documents into my file?

See more FAQs

Why You Should Choose FCCPT

Evaluation Reports are accepted by ALL 53 U.S. jurisdictions.

Applicants who apply for the Comprehensive Credentials Review (Type 1 Review) or Educational Credentials Review can rest assured that the final Evaluation Report will be accepted by any U.S. licensure board.

Applicants are more likely to pass the NPTE.

Applicants who complete a Comprehensive Credentials Review (Type 1 Review) with FCCPT and are found equivalent are more than twice as likely to pass the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) on the first attempt as those who complete their evaluation with other agencies.

Documents are retained for an unlimited time.

All documents that arrive for evaluation are digitized and stored forever at NO additional cost to the applicant. These can be retrieved at any time for future services, or for the applicant to request Certified Documents. The majority of other credentialing agencies have a limit of 2-7 years after which documents are destroyed.

Find out more about what makes FCCPT unique.