International nursing students in the US

World Immigration

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For those of you that are studying in the US under either an F-1 visa, or any other where you do not have permission to work, and will need to apply for a green card when you finish your schooling-----this is for you.

You must meet all of the requirements for immigration that a foreign-trained nurse does, the only exception that you have is that the English requirements are waived for you. You still need to submit the application and get a Visa Screen Certificate. This is offered by CGFNS and the application is available on their website, http://www.CGFNS.org. There is only one application available, whether you did your training in the US, or overseas.

You will still need to find an employer that will petition for your green card. You will still need to undergo a physical exam at a physician's office that is approved by USCIS an have verification of all titers and vaccinations. If you do not have verifiable proof of having had chicken pox, etc., you will need to have either a titer drawn, or receive the vaccination. Immigration is very strict now with this, they will no longer go on what you are verbally telling them.

Hope that this helps...............most of you will also be able to get an OPT for one year of training while your documents are being processed, but you can only receive the OPT once, especially if this is now a second career for you, and you already used your OPT status for the other.

If you are coming to the US just for the MSN, and already have a BSN from overseas, you will be required to write the English exams. You are only exempt from them if this is your initial training as a nurse, meaning ADN or BSN only.

Depends on the center that you will be processed out of, and if you will be back in the US then, or your home country. Lots of things play in to the time frame.

i m in chicago area so would be nebraska center.. and i would be in us for the process...

Sorry, but I definitely do not use him. He is one that advertises quite a bit on the internet, but I much prefer some others. I have never referred anyone to him.

I see. So can you please forward me the info for those who are recommended? Thanks

Hi Suzanne,

I'm an F-1 student in the ADN program.I was denied asylum,do you think this will affect me,when I graduate in May if I try to apply for a green card through an employer? :confused:

Can you have OPT once you applied for asylum? I heard some schools are very strict once they found you have filed immigration petition they remove you from SEVIS, that means you're not eligible in F1 status any more.

Hi Suzan:

If I go to an ADN school in a US close to Canada, I would expect to get Canadian citizenship within one year of graduation. After that, I plan to go RN-BSN in a good US school. I do not have OPT any more, what is my chances of praticing in US for some time?

Dear Suzanne,

Truly you are a beacon on stormy seas for many of us. Thank God for people like you.

If the school cannot/will not help me file my I-539 from inside the US, do you know if it is wise for me to just go ahead send in a "Change of status" application? I mean, should I go ahead and apply on my own?

Wayne

After 911, B1/B2 apply for change of status to F1 only if they disclose this intention to go to school when they applied B1/B2 visa in their home country. Otherwise, USCIS thinks these people try to hide their true intention to the VO at the B1/B2 visa application.

However, such rule does not apply to F2, H, L visa holders.

Can you have OPT once you applied for asylum? I heard some schools are very strict once they found you have filed immigration petition they remove you from SEVIS, that means you're not eligible in F1 status any more.

If you applied for asylum, that is something completely different. You will need to speak with an immigration attorney on that.

After 911, B1/B2 apply for change of status to F1 only if they disclose this intention to go to school when they applied B1/B2 visa in their home country. Otherwise, USCIS thinks these people try to hide their true intention to the VO at the B1/B2 visa application.

However, such rule does not apply to F2, H, L visa holders.

Actually not true. The biggest issue is to make sure that you keep a current visa. This is done all of the time. changing status.

If you applied for asylum, that is something completely different. You will need to speak with an immigration attorney on that.

No, I didn't apply for asylum, neither to Canada nor US. I have Canadian Green Card.

I'm thinking how things will change if I become a Canadian Citizen and get nursing education in US. What is the chances of working in the States? Will the Canadian Citizenship makes things easier for me?

Sorry, but someone mentioned something about asylum in one of the posts here.

With Canadian citizenship, meaning their passport, you can work on a TN Visa which makes things quicker. But there isn't really any issue for foreign nurses training in the US and finding work. Currently the OPT is available for those that graduate and gives one year to get immigration things taken care of, etc.

Not an issue right now, but I have heard of things possilby changing down the line.

Sorry, but someone mentioned something about asylum in one of the posts here.

With Canadian citizenship, meaning their passport, you can work on a TN Visa which makes things quicker. But there isn't really any issue for foreign nurses training in the US and finding work. Currently the OPT is available for those that graduate and gives one year to get immigration things taken care of, etc.

Not an issue right now, but I have heard of things possilby changing down the line.

Hi Suzan, Thanks for the answer. I have a question, What did you hear about things possibly changing down the line? Does it mean in the future they'll make it extremely difficult for foreign nurses, even trained in US?

I do not know any specifics right now, but I just heard that it will deal with the OPT, but I have no information on anything right now. It is just something being worked on in immigration. I have no idea even if it will impact nurses.

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