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.

Aquarius 85,

Since Sweden is a part of the EU you are lucky that you can study and work anywhere in the EU. In your situation I would try and see if you can get admission into other English speaking EU countries like the UK, Ireland etc.

If that doesnt work for a good cheap Nursing education try India or the Philipines.

Unless you have some other Immigration avenues that may possibly open up (Marriage to a US citizen or Green Card holder, family based immigration) I would not spend 120k US $ getting a ADN in the US. I got my ADN for less than 10k from a community college.

the financial aid I get from sweden each semester is 10 000 dollars. the community college cost 3200 dollars/semester + living expenses, so its expensive. and 120K is a lot of money, but there is no difference in paycheck between ADN and BSN, so i would assume that paying back the money would be no problem. But you are right and I have been thinking in terms like moving to UK or so. Maybe i should get a different degree in sweden and then move to the UK. And the US I can always dream about..

my community college do offer a Respiratory Therapy Program and I have all the prerequisites to apply. do you think it would be hard to get a green card after getting my license. It may not be a nursing career but it is a work in a hospital environment where you get to take care of other people which i want to do.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Not sure if RT will qualify for GC but you will still be affected by retrogression.

the financial aid I get from sweden each semester is 10 000 dollars. the community college cost 3200 dollars/semester + living expenses, so its expensive. and 120K is a lot of money, but there is no difference in paycheck between ADN and BSN, so i would assume that paying back the money would be no problem. But you are right and I have been thinking in terms like moving to UK or so. Maybe i should get a different degree in sweden and then move to the UK. And the US I can always dream about..

my community college do offer a Respiratory Therapy Program and I have all the prerequisites to apply. do you think it would be hard to get a green card after getting my license. It may not be a nursing career but it is a work in a hospital environment where you get to take care of other people which i want to do.

Go speak to an immigration lawyer they can help you sort this out.

I need help. I just recently passed the NCLEX and i live here in NY. I have an employment authorization that is valid since august 1. and Im losing the time Im supposed to be working because I cannot find a job and an employer who would sponsor me. Does anybody know of any facilities (hospital or nursing home) that sponsors registered nurses for greencard or h1b here in New York city? Thank you so much! I would really appreciate it.

You do not qualify H1B as a new graduate. With the economy bad there is no need to sponsor any one.

I need help. I just recently passed the NCLEX and i live here in NY. I have an employment authorization that is valid since august 1. and Im losing the time Im supposed to be working because I cannot find a job and an employer who would sponsor me. Does anybody know of any facilities (hospital or nursing home) that sponsors registered nurses for greencard or h1b here in New York city? Thank you so much! I would really appreciate it.

Since you are new to the forums, I would encourage you to do some reading here. H1b is only available to advanced nurses; as a new graduate you are not eligible. It's extremely unlikely that you will be able to find any facility willing to sponsor you. The downturn in the economy has led to higher unemployment, even among nurses. There is really no need for anyone to sponsor foreign nurses when there are plenty of Americans--both new grads and experienced nurses--looking for work.

Specializes in CTICU.

If you have an EAD, why can't you get a job? How long is it valid for? You don't need sponsorship to use that. Or do you mean that noone wants to hire you just for a year?

There are multiple people waiting in line to get a visa for the US. Having attended school there does not give you a pass to jump the line. Once you're done with your OPT/CPT, you should leave the US and wait your turn for immigration, while getting RN experience in your own country.

You do not qualify for a H1B visa, which is for an advanced specialty professional. As a new graduate, you are neither advanced nor specialized.

how can i get the way to view the following link.... its very imp (i need the complete process explained)

thanks thanks thanks

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
how can i get the way to view the following link.... its very imp (i need the complete process explained)

thanks thanks thanks

the primer is no longer available on the site. what are you actually wanting to know?

thnks everyone!! new to this thats why i posted same questions multiple times. will avoid that i future....

i am an RN from Pakistan. i have been doing some research into coming to USA and an RN. from what i gather so far is that

1- 1st i need to contact the BON of the state where i am interested

2- i then need to clear NCLEX

3- i then also need tofeal to show my english skills

4- i then need to apply for VSC

Since the thread does not exist which would have answered my questions, i am going to post them here and will appreciate response in the order the questions are placed... here goes

1- AM I RIGHT ABOUT THE BEGINNING PROCESS THAT I MENTIONED ABOVE ?

2- HOW CAN I SECURE A JOB ONCE I CLEAR NCLEX (CAN I BE GIVEN A CONDITIONAL OFFER FROM A HOSPITAL OR A NURSING CENTER OF SOME SORT ?)

3- I AM JUST LOOKING FOR A WORK VISA FOR 2 YEARS OR SO, IS THAT POSSIBLE ?

4- CAN SOMEONE PROVIDE ME WITH AN ASCENDING LIST OF ALL THE BON THAT ARE FOREIGN NURSES FRIENDLY (SO FAR I FOUND-OUT THAT VT, GA, NM ARE EASY ONES. WHICH ARE SOME OTHER ONES ?

5- WILL I BE ABLE TO TAKE NCLEX EXAM ON LINE IF MY COUNTRY HAVE NO CENTER FOR IT ?

6- HOW AND WHERE CAN I BEGAN THE VISA PROCESS ?

SINCERELY

FRANKALEX2727:confused:

PS: SORRY FOR REPEATING QUESTIONS OVER AND OVER BUT I AM DESPERATE TO GET THE RIGHT PROCESS.:cry:

finally done..spent 8 hours reading all the 95 pages. :yeah:

I have a question for you suzanne4.

Im an international student from sweden (born in iran, but lived my whole life in sweden, since the age of 1) and in 2 weeks im about to apply for the ADN program the community college if offering.

the waiting list will be for 2 semester, meaning i will get in Fall 2010.

And then 2 years of nursing school + getting my NCLEX -> i will be done by the end of 2012.

then I can apply for OPT and work for a year, which will end 2013.

whats the chances of this whole circus (retrogression) being over by end of 2013?

Maybe I should give up becoming a nurse?:cry: I want to become a nurse so badly.. By the time I will be done with school, i will have a 120 000 dollar debt which needs to be paid and im scared and terrified that all this time and effort being spent, would be for nothing.

I wish I was born in the US..

1. Retrogression wont end as long as there are many foreigners wishing to enter the United States.

2. If you wish to become a nurse, by all means, please follow your dream. I heard that Sweden has an excellent health care system and I'd love to hear more about it. But don't give up on your dream of becoming a nurse.

3. You wish you were born in the United States??? I resent that comment coming from someone wishing to be born in another country that they're not from. Don't get me wrong I love living here and I love the fact that I was born in a military hospital overseas, but I'm proud to be Cuban by blood and I'm proud to be American by citizenship. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD TO BE IRANIAN RAISED IN SWEDEN!!!! IT'S WHO YOU ARE!!!! Don't wish you were born in the US, be proud of where you came from, your culture, your language, your heritage, the person that you've become. Apparently Sweden gave you opportunities or else your parents wouldn't have moved there. Again, just be proud of who you are. :wink2:

thnks everyone!! new to this thats why i posted same questions multiple times. will avoid that i future....

i am an RN from Pakistan. i have been doing some research into coming to USA and an RN. from what i gather so far is that

1- 1st i need to contact the BON of the state where i am interested

2- i then need to clear NCLEX

3- i then also need tofeal to show my english skills

4- i then need to apply for VSC

Since the thread does not exist which would have answered my questions, i am going to post them here and will appreciate response in the order the questions are placed... here goes

1- AM I RIGHT ABOUT THE BEGINNING PROCESS THAT I MENTIONED ABOVE ?

2- HOW CAN I SECURE A JOB ONCE I CLEAR NCLEX (CAN I BE GIVEN A CONDITIONAL OFFER FROM A HOSPITAL OR A NURSING CENTER OF SOME SORT ?)

3- I AM JUST LOOKING FOR A WORK VISA FOR 2 YEARS OR SO, IS THAT POSSIBLE ?

4- CAN SOMEONE PROVIDE ME WITH AN ASCENDING LIST OF ALL THE BON THAT ARE FOREIGN NURSES FRIENDLY (SO FAR I FOUND-OUT THAT VT, GA, NM ARE EASY ONES. WHICH ARE SOME OTHER ONES ?

5- WILL I BE ABLE TO TAKE NCLEX EXAM ON LINE IF MY COUNTRY HAVE NO CENTER FOR IT ?

6- HOW AND WHERE CAN I BEGAN THE VISA PROCESS ?

SINCERELY

FRANKALEX2727:confused:

PS: SORRY FOR REPEATING QUESTIONS OVER AND OVER BUT I AM DESPERATE TO GET THE RIGHT PROCESS.:cry:

will appreciate a reply from Suzanne (hope i spelled it right)... you seem to have the right answers. plz shed some light on my post Too

thnks:banghead:

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