Green Card & Associate Degree

[HaagenDaz]

Hi,

I've been looking at the US Immigration Laws & I was wondering....

Does anyone know if the INS allows associate degree nurses (trained in the US) to get an Immigrant Visa (Green Card) or is a bachelor degree required? I'm asking because I need to choose between an associate degree training and a bachelor degree training because I would love to work as a nurse in the US, and getting an associate degree training is a lot cheaper.

The immigration laws aren't very clear... all they mention is that i need to be a "professional nurse" and have an unrestricted license to practice nursing in the intended state of employment, I wonder what they mean by "professional" though :uhoh21: Someone with at least a Bachelor degree or an Associate's degree?

Hope you guys can give me an answer 'cause I got no clue

Thanks a lot!

H

[payatot21]

i'm a canadian citizen, expecting to graduate this may from a 2-year RN program here in the US. I read that i can get a TN visa with no problem, but i understand that a TN visa is temporary renewable every year. i was wondering if i can apply to become a permanent resident (green card) here in the US once i graduate? if i can, how do i go about it?

[suzanne4, RN]

I answered your other post.............just take a look at it.

[rhp123]

Suzanne,

Do you know if they have RN --> BSN programs in Ontario, Canada, ie if I have an ADN RN from the US do you think I could just take a year or two of coursework and get a BSN in Canada or would I have to start from scratch ?

But with a 2-year education you can not work as an Rn in Ontario, then you cannot attend RN-BSN since you are not an RN there.

Maybe a better way is to go to another province such as Manitoba, new Brunswick and work as an RN there, these provinces recognize 2-year degree.

With the experience in Canada, and a Canadian Passport later on after you fill up residency requirement, it will be very easier to get TN visa.

[rhp123]

i'm a canadian citizen, expecting to graduate this may from a 2-year RN program here in the US. I read that i can get a TN visa with no problem, but i understand that a TN visa is temporary renewable every year. i was wondering if i can apply to become a permanent resident (green card) here in the US once i graduate? if i can, how do i go about it?

Should be easier for you if you were born in Canada. immigration quota goes by country of birth. Canada is a good country and not too many Canadians want to move to US permanently, so the quota is aviable for Canadians, also Canada has a very small population, which is the key for quota availiablity.

[suzanne4, RN]

No issus at all for a Canadian, they start off with the TN Visa which they can get as soon as they have a VSC in hand.

[suzanne4, RN]

They are covered under the NAFTA Free Trade agreement, as well as RNs from Mexico, too. They must hold a passport from that country, and not just be a permanent resident to qualify for it.

[ggpriya17]

Hey i have a question i live in lexington,sc i am an F1 student currently pursuing Associates degree in nursing and i was wondering would i need a BSN to apply for H1B? or is it possible for me to skip that step all together and be able to apply for a greencard during my OPT now i have lived in USA since 6th grade and i was on B2 ( I am not sure might be B1 but i know it was a tourist visa) and then later it was changed to R2 and recently i applied for a change of status in order to go to college and recevied it. Is it absolutely necessary to obtain an BSN to apply for H1B? is it possible to skip the H1B step and go for greencard? Any answer is much apperciated please help

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Hey i have a question i live in lexington,sc i am an F1 student currently pursuing Associates degree in nursing and i was wondering would i need a BSN to apply for H1B? or is it possible for me to skip that step all together and be able to apply for a greencard during my OPT now i have lived in USA since 6th grade and i was on B2 ( I am not sure might be B1 but i know it was a tourist visa) and then later it was changed to R2 and recently i applied for a change of status in order to go to college and recevied it. Is it absolutely necessary to obtain an BSN to apply for H1B? is it possible to skip the H1B step and go for greencard? Any answer is much apperciated please help

H1b minimum is Degree so ADN will not meet requirements, you can go straight to GC if you find a employer however you will be affected by retrogression and have a long long wait a head of you and whilst GC is being processed you have to maintain legal residency and can not apply for AOS (adjustment of status) unless your GC category is current and currently processing dates for EB3 is between 2001 and 2005 depending on where you was born

[ggpriya17]

i am sorry you lost me at retrogression? could you explain that just a little bit better i am from india. Please help

[ggpriya17]

Okay i kind of get it now well kind of so what do you suggest would be my best approach to get greencard eveutually? go for BSN?

[ggpriya17]

And what do you mean by "unless your GC category is current" like i dont get that at? like i am soo lost right now!!!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

i am sorry you lost me at retrogression? could you explain that just a little bit better i am from india. Please help

Retrogression means demand for immigrant visa outweighs amount of visas actually allocated. Has been ongoing since Oct 2006 and India is really affected with a wait of approx 10 years for a immigrant visa

Okay i kind of get it now well kind of so what do you suggest would be my best approach to get greencard eveutually? go for BSN?

Up to you but to stay in the US you need to maintain legal residency

And what do you mean by "unless your GC category is current" like i dont get that at? like i am soo lost right now!!!

For you to adjust your status your priority date for immigrant visa (I140) must be current and nurses generally come under EB3 so according to the US visa bulletin you currently have a wait of several years and if you do not maintain legal residency you will have to consider leaving the US until your PD is current