RN BSN Sweden -> America

SpidersWeb, BSN · Mar 17, 2018

Hey MiloBe,

It's your neighbor here!

I have a BSN and with about 2 years of work experience in acute care settings, I started my process by applying with a recruitment company of my choice because I wanted a sponsor for my EB-3 visa (the only visa RNs qualify for). Following the initial interview I was given an employment agreement for signing. After that I had my school and work documents translated and I submitted these to the CGFNS for credentials evaluation. When my degree was evaluated to be compatible with the US degree, I sent my application to a board of nursing (BON) that doesn't require an American social security number (SSN). In the meantime I was already studying for the NCLEX, so that once the BON gave me the authorization to test (ATT), I was ready to sit for the exam. I passed the NCLEX in London last summer and had my immigrant visa petition filed immediately after receiving my RN license. Unfortunately I received a denial earlier this year but any day now my petition will be refiled with premium 15-day processing.

In order to be able to immigrate, it's expected you have 1-2 years of RN experience in acute care settings. You can choose to immigrate with the help of a recruitment company or do everything by yourself. The benefits of having a recruitment company means that you'll get help with the NCLEX and you'll get the services of immigration lawyers without paying upfront, for example. It saves a lot of headache, especially when it comes to sponsoring a visa. Doing everything on your own, it might be very difficult, if not impossible, to find an employer willing to hold a position for you for as long as your visa will get processed.

I'd suggest you get your papers together and translate them as needed, so you can send them to the CGFNS for credentials evaluation (fee for the CES Report is $350). Your Swedish degree should be accepted without any problems. The NY BON will require the CES Report from you before they can clear you to sit for the NCLEX.

The NCLEX is a licensure examination that's required from all RNs in the US. It uses a computer adaptive testing (CAT) model which means that the computer will adapt to your answers; right answer will be followed by a more difficult question and vice versa. It's worth understanding how the exam is scored in order to succeed. The content itself isn't difficult but there are some tips and tricks that will come in handy. You can study for this exam on your own and with the help of free online resources, you can buy an NCLEX review book or access to an online question bank or you can attend a structured NCLEX review program.

Besides the NCLEX, you'll also need to sit for the IELTS or the TOEFL to prove your English proficiency. There are specific requirements for speaking, listening, reading and writing.

When you receive your RN license, you can finally file your visa petition with the USCIS. Since Trump's election there've been significant delays in visa processing. The USCIS has issued an unprecedented amount of requests for further evidence (RFEs) (in H1-B category it was 45% or 85,000 more than during a similar period under Obama) as well as denials. It doesn't even seem to matter if you're from the Nordic countries - if you remember Trump's comments about Norway. Anyway, once you get to file your visa petition, it should ideally take about 1 year to immigrate to the US.

I'll be here to answer any further questions! It's actually exciting to meet another Nordic RN here :)

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 17, 2018

Just a reminder but employer or agency has to file EB3 application not the applicant themselves. New York does cvs with CGFNS which is a different process to CES report. Either way you will not get the ok to sit NCLEX from the state until application is complete and assessed so do not register with Pearsonvue until you get the ok from the state

MiloBe · Mar 17, 2018

Hey Spider!

Inspiring reading about your process! Let me explain a little where I am in the/my process!

I just graduated this January from school with my two bachelors! I am crreuntly working at northen largest ER to get my acute care experience! I've started my application to the state of New York! I chose NY because it's where I want to work mostly but also because they don't require a social security number for their application.

My thought about starting the paperwork this early is that I could sit for NCLEX asap and then when I have my full year of acute care I can start apply to jobs.

However, I've started my application at CGFNS and I'm doing their credential service for New York, that is a specific one.

Ive done two of the obligated courses (child abuse, infection control) for the state of New York and I've sent my RN application to them.

Ive sent the CGFNS forms to my school and to our licensure department in Sweden. Im also sending forms (my secondary high school grades, my birthcerificate, passport etc) and a notarized application to CGFNS.

Then I just have to wait for my school and the department to work. My school have said that they will send their documents next week!

After I'm approved and get my ATT and passed NCLEX my plan is to get in touch with a agency who can help me get recruited.

I don't know if this is the right way to go, hopefully it is. I also find it hard what exactly they want from my school - just my bachelors and all the course names and earned degrees? Or the full explanation on what the school course included etc? And since I can't find anyone that has done the New York credential it is hard to find and answer, but hopefully I get this right!

SpidersWeb, BSN · Mar 17, 2018

So you just graduated with two Bachelor degrees at the same time (I just assumed you had one degree before the other). Do both of these consist of 180, 210 or 270 credits (ECTs)? And which one is your kind of basic degree that allows you to practice nursing as an RN in Sweden? Sorry, I'm a little confused as to what the difference between these two are; they seem interchangeable to me.

I'm just asking because for the credential evaluation you'll only need to submit the documents of one your degrees, you know, just the regular 3- to 4-year BSN. I see that you've already sent the CGFNS form to your school but you're not sure what to instruct them to do.

So to answer your last question: The CGFNS will want the transcript verification form filled out, signed and stamped by your school and they'll also want English copies of your degree diploma and the transcripts (all course names, grades, credits). I'd suggest you ask your school to use one of your degrees as I wrote above - or otherwise give your school two forms to fill out, one for each degree.

If you can communicate with your school about the form prior to sending it to the CGFNS, ask to see the breakdown of hours. The general rule is to have 40 hours of theory and 80 clinical hours in each nursing subject area as well as the sciences. No need to worry about the general studies also included in there.

And as you wrote about secondary high school grades, the CGFNS did want me to send my high school diploma, transcripts and matriculation grades but later it read online "requirement waived".

Once you, your school and the licensing authority mail your documents to the CGFNS, based on my experience, you can expect about 1-2 month delay in acknowledging the documents as having arrived and once they see all documents have arrived, it can take 1-2 months to receive the evaluation report. Hopefully it'll be as straightforward for you as it was for me with my BSN.

Anyway, it seems like you've figured out a lot by yourself, that's great, and your plan sounds fine. I mean you can certainly sit for the NCLEX as soon as you get the authorization from the board which of course requires you fulfill all prerequisites. Recruitment companies take nurses onboard with or without the completion of the NCLEX so you can definitely apply after passing the NCLEX. Most likely you'll just end up with a shorter term employment agreement and that's better for you in terms of freedom!

I hope this answers your questions and concerns. Please, feel free to ask any further questions and I'll try to answer to the best of my ability.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 17, 2018

Remember cvs for New York means CGFNS are the ones that chase all the required documents and that they have specific documents that need to be completed. So arranging yourself for transcripts to be sent by the school may result in them not being accepted

MiloBe · Mar 18, 2018

So you just graduated with two Bachelor degrees at the same time (I just assumed you had one degree before the other). Do both of these consist of 180, 210 or 270 credits (ECTs)? And which one is your kind of basic degree that allows you to practice nursing as an RN in Sweden? Sorry, I'm a little confused as to what the difference between these two are; they seem interchangeable to me.
I'm just asking because for the credential evaluation you'll only need to submit the documents of one your degrees, you know, just the regular 3- to 4-year BSN. I see that you've already sent the CGFNS form to your school but you're not sure what to instruct them to do.
So to answer your last question: The CGFNS will want the transcript verification form filled out, signed and stamped by your school and they'll also want English copies of your degree diploma and the transcripts (all course names, grades, credits). I'd suggest you ask your school to use one of your degrees as I wrote above - or otherwise give your school two forms to fill out, one for each degree.
If you can communicate with your school about the form prior to sending it to the CGFNS, ask to see the breakdown of hours. The general rule is to have 40 hours of theory and 80 clinical hours in each nursing subject area as well as the sciences. No need to worry about the general studies also included in there.
And as you wrote about secondary high school grades, the CGFNS did want me to send my high school diploma, transcripts and matriculation grades but later it read online "requirement waived".
Once you, your school and the licensing authority mail your documents to the CGFNS, based on my experience, you can expect about 1-2 month delay in acknowledging the documents as having arrived and once they see all documents have arrived, it can take 1-2 months to receive the evaluation report. Hopefully it'll be as straightforward for you as it was for me with my BSN.
Anyway, it seems like you've figured out a lot by yourself, that's great, and your plan sounds fine. I mean you can certainly sit for the NCLEX as soon as you get the authorization from the board which of course requires you fulfill all prerequisites. Recruitment companies take nurses onboard with or without the completion of the NCLEX so you can definitely apply after passing the NCLEX. Most likely you'll just end up with a shorter term employment agreement and that's better for you in terms of freedom!
I hope this answers your questions and concerns. Please, feel free to ask any further questions and I'll try to answer to the best of my ability.

That's correct, I have 187 credits, those 7 extra credits made me eligible to take out another bachelor! :)

I'm just confused on what they want from my school. Is it enough with my diploma, course name and degree? Or do they want English description on each course and what the course included?

Hmmm maybe I should have chosen another service than the New York one... We'll see.. I'll send them the last papers tomorrow.

I tried to PM you Spider to maybe add you on FB or something, somehow I can't figure how to use the PM function on this site!

MiloBe · Mar 18, 2018

Remember cvs for New York means CGFNS are the ones that chase all the required documents and that they have specific documents that need to be completed. So arranging yourself for transcripts to be sent by the school may result in them not being accepted

Does that mean they get my form I sign, then send my school etc that paper + other documents each institution needs to fill in also and send back?..

Maybe then I.. just should buy another service from CGFNS?.. maybe the New York one wasn't the best choice lol..

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 18, 2018

Does that mean they get my form I sign, then send my school etc that paper + other documents each institution needs to fill in also and send back?..
Maybe then I.. just should buy another service from CGFNS?.. maybe the New York one wasn't the best choice lol..

Cvs requires you to complete various forms with CGFNS and then they are responsible to send all documentation requests to the appropriate establishments for documents to be completed as per New York. Usually after 6 months CGFNS send everything they have to the BON and they meet once a month to review International application and decide whether you are ok to sit NCLEX

SpidersWeb, BSN · Mar 19, 2018

That's correct, I have 187 credits, those 7 extra credits made me eligible to take out another bachelor! :)
I'm just confused on what they want from my school. Is it enough with my diploma, course name and degree? Or do they want English description on each course and what the course included?
Hmmm maybe I should have chosen another service than the New York one... We'll see.. I'll send them the last papers tomorrow.
I tried to PM you Spider to maybe add you on FB or something, somehow I can't figure how to use the PM function on this site!

No, you don't need a description for each course. Just the diploma (your name and degree) and the transcript (names of all courses and grades). They'll look at these documents and the breakdown of hours.

I'll check my messages and let's see how we can connect!

javadown2, BSN · Mar 26, 2018

Or just find a husband...haha...ok I know I'm not much help, it just sounds really complicated to start working in the US as an immigrant. Good luck to you in your endeavor, my cousin is currently working in Sweden, I think I'd rather be there also!

Robogirl · Apr 17, 2018

Hi,

I would really like to connect with both of you ;-) MiloBe and Spiderweb

I am a Danish nurse, couldn't go through an agency because I only have one year experience and they wanted me to have 2 years, where one is with more acuity patients.

i just submitted all my stuff for CGFNS myself, and ordered lots of NCLEX books - that way I will start myself and hopefully find an agency after I pass my NCLEX.

Please write me, private? Don't know how that works in here ;-)

thanx