[twinkle1]

Hi Everyone, I am new here but have been a member on this forum before when I was a first year student nurse. I have now finished my degree and I am still keen on coming to America with my family.
Previuosly when I was on this site there was a problem with visa'a and they were taking a long time to come through, is this still the same??

I am sorry if this question has been asked and saturated but I have tried to find the thread and had no luck.

Hope I haven't just repeated something and I would appreciate if anyone can help

thanks for all your time

Ang x

[Silverdragon102]

Moved to the International forum

Please take the time to read up on retrogression which is still in progress and will be for years to come due to high demand especially from certain countries. Currently you are looking at a few years once I140 has been approved (that is when you join the long wait) Not sure if you have taken local boards if not would be better to do so. May even want to consider another country to gain experience whilst waiting. Some states have now started requesting experience and expect more to follow

Welcome and good luck

[twinkle1]

Thankyou, I wasn't sure whether the wait had cleared or not.
I will be working soon and gaining the expereince needed but I haven't taken the boards yet, no.
we again have been looking at properties over there and jobs, but my hubbie thinks its going to be quick and keeps on at me to sit the NCLEX, which I suppose is a good thing!!

I will have a good luck around the forum and get my knowledge back again, seem to have lost in the midst of university

thanks Ang x

[Silverdragon102]

Your welcome. Just to add we are seeing more and more posting that they are struggling to find a employer due to the long wait even after passing NCLEX , and I wouldn't rush to look at buying house as you are currently looking at years before moving (if lucky) We have some members that have been waiting since the beginning of 2006 and their file is complete with NVC and they are still in home country waiting

[suzanne4]

Which country are you from?

[suzanne4]

If you are from either Canada, Mexico, or Australia; there are treaty visas in place that can be used by you provided that you hold citizenship from one of these countries. Otherwise, you are looking at years.

[twinkle1]

Hi silverdragon, I am from the uk.
I think I may sit the NCLEX and get everything in place and try and get a hosp to sponsor me, I think its quicker like that isn't it, probably not!!!

[suzanne4]

It is not quicker right now, without having a petition already submitted, it is going to be several years at the earliest. Especially since you have not even written the licensing exam for the US yet.

You must take and pass the NCLEX exam before you can even be legally offered a job by a US employer. Currently there are quite a few that afre waiting from the UK with petitions submitted back in 2005/2006 to give you any idea.

And the time does not start until the I-140 is submitted to immigration here, and it requires an employer.

Another question: You have just completed a three year program with what specialty? If you do not have hours in each of the required areas, you are going to be required to make up hours as well. The US requires that each nurse be a generalist and not a specialist to get licensed so this includes hours in peds/maternal health/mental health. If you do not have both clinical and theory in each of these areas, then more coursework will need to be done before you would even be given permission to sit for the NCLEX exam by a state BON.

[Silverdragon102]

Visas are allocated on place of birth, as Suzanne mentioned a lot is going to depend on your training if you trained recently in the UK. The only way to find out is getting CES full course by course eval done to see if you are short on any hours, if you are applying to Florida BON then it needs doing before you submit your application to them and they will make the final determination on whether you need to make any hours up. Florida will also not give you a license without a SSN which you wont get until in the US with a valid work visa. Currently you are looking at a few years or more before making the move