"Foreign" nurse with US education

HappyJaxRN · Nov 18, 2005

So here's the story:
A scientist from Korea comes to the US to work. The wife enrolls in and goes through an accelerated ADN program, works her fanny off, and hammers her NCLEX. BUT she can't get a license because she has no social security number. (That is to say, she can't complete her application to the State Board unless she has her SSN.) Theoretically, she can get an employer to sponsor her thus facilitating her application for a work permit. But none of the hospitals or LTC facilities here do the sponsor thing.
They are going to consult an immigration attorney for help. But does anyone out there have a feel for their likelihood of success?

To become a citizen of the US, can't she apply for a social security number? I work with a lot of Phillipeanos (sp, sorry) and they came to the US and work as nurses...some have some to work and then go through school. I think they had to become a citizen tho. Did she do this? I'm not sure how all this works. I'll have to ask someone tonight.

nurse4theplanet, RN · Nov 18, 2005

how did she even get into school? this may seem like an ignorant question to some but I am not familiar with many students who are not US citizens.

I know that they ask for your ss# and proof of residency history on all college apps. Is there some type of foreign exchange/study program that she was accepted into?

And why on earth would they let a non-US citizen apply to a nursing school when they know the student will not be able to obtain licensure based on non-citizenship. Can she get licensure in other countries with a US degree.

And one more ignorant question (i deeply apologize) why can she not apply for US citizenship? And if she cannot, why was this not disclosed to her prior to her enrolling in the program?

good luck to her! I hope it all works out.

suzi_h · Nov 18, 2005

Is she on a student visa? Does she have a tax id #? Green card? There has to be a loophole somewhere. You know, it amazes me that they want to start making a Spanish version of the NCLEX yet, we have a story like this and a perfectly good nurse can't get permission to practice nursing. You gotta love government! :uhoh3:

Is this a hypothetical situation or is it for real?

Suzi

HappyNurse2005, RN · Nov 19, 2005

The wife enrolls in and goes through an accelerated ADN program, works her fanny off, and hammers her NCLEX. BUT she can't get a license because she has no social security number.

hOW Did she hammer her nclex, but then you say she can't get a license? "hammering" the nclex would guarantee one a license.

You dont have to be a citizen here to be a nurse. I graduated with 2 non-citizens (one german w/ green card, one canadian w/ just a visa, not a green card) YOu can have a SSN and not be a citizen.

suzanne4, RN · Nov 19, 2005

To answer some of the above questions:

1. Passing the NCLEX doesn't automatically give you the RN license in all states. Some will issue you the license, others require the SSN# to get the hard copy.

2. Being a student in any program in the US doesn't require a SSN#. A student visa doesn't permit you to work. You must have a visa that permits you tro work in order to get a SSN#. It doesn't reuqire citizenship for a green card, only valid work documents.

3. There are foreign students in almost every single school in this country.

Now to the original question posed by 1Tulip:

The requirements for immigration and the green card, menaing the Visa Screen Certificate, only requires that you pass NCLEX or CGFNS and the English exams. Since she trained in the US, the English exams are waived. Since she passed NCLEX, she just needs to obtain the Visa Screen Certificate. This meets requirements for immigration and getting the SSN#.

Not sure where your friend is but I deal with this almost on a daily basis. Have her check out the stickies at the top of the International Forum here, and she contact me directly.

She actually doesn't want to be sponsored, that is the old wprd that was used with temporary nurses and invloved tons of paperwork on the hospital side. The petition only invloves a couple of documents, and then the immigration attorney takes care of the rest.

Best bet is to have her contact me.:) And we can get is straightened out quite rapidly.

sonja77 · Nov 19, 2005

what kind of visa does your friend's husband have? there are different visas, with some the wife can get a work permit, with others she can't.

maybe your friend's husband can apply for a green card through his employer? then his wife would get one as well.

suzanne4, RN · Nov 19, 2005

For other professions, it takes about five years to get a green card. Right now, RNs are being expedited under Schedule A, and this can be done in just a year or even less, if already in the US.

Under most spousal visas, the person is not permitted to work. Especially under H-1, the spouse would get the H-4, and not have a work permit associated with that.