New and after some advice

You really need to decide on where you are going to live and work and apply to that BON. NY will require CVS regardless on whether initial application for licensure or endorsing a license. Even if endorsing you still have to meet in most cases requirements for foreign trained nurse. The only state we really do not recommend initial licensure is Ca due to the fact they destroy file if you haven't provided a SSN within 3 years and with retrogression you are looking a lot longer. Once you have met BON requirements and passed NCLEX it takes approx 2-4 months to get vsc

You are also not applying for NCLEX exam but licensure to be a RN in the US of which NCLEX is just a part of that process. Also not sure why you are rushing to get a VSC because with retrogression you may find you have to renew it before you get a visa enabling you to work in the US

Moving this to a thread on it's own as the questions you are asking have nothing to do with IELTS

As long as IELTS is valid then no reason applying for vsc 6 months ish before it expires.Not sure on Washington DC.

Just because Barack Obama says he will do something about the health system this doesn't mean he will open the borders to foreign nurses. He has to think of the USC first and there are many finding themselves unemployed and needs to get them sorted.

Please take the time to do some reading on this site before doing anything. Visa Screen Certificates expire as well. They have only a validity of five years and then you will have to get another one. Having one in hand does not make things easier for you or faster in terms of getting a visa. Yes, you need one when you go for the interview with the US Embassy, but it will not do anything else for you.

There is no way that you can apply for the NCLEX exam, there is no application for it. You will be applying for licensure as an RN to a state in the US. One needs to have permission from a BON to even be able to sit for this exam. One thing that you first always should consider, and never which is faster or anything else, is where do you actually wish to live and then go from there. It can cost you dearly in some cases to try and endorse later on for a specific state.

What changes are made to healthcare do not affect what is going to happen with visas. They are actually not even related. One thing that many are not understanding is that it takes a nurse in the Philippines four years plus to attend school to become a nurse, then add on the months before they get approval to sit for the NCLEX exam, and then several years to get a visa; this is when things are good and there are no delays for the green card. So that takes one to over six years at the minimum.

Now, the US and most of its states are pushing to retrain or train Americans for the role of the nurse. The first goal of any country is to provide work for its citizens. Several of the states here are actually providing tuition, etc for their residents to train to become a nurse if they have become laid off from their job or out of work. The training here for them to get the ADN, which is a valid training if actually done in the US is only two years. One can also apply for licensure while they are still in school here, if they are remaining in the same state. They do not need to go thru immigration and wait for a visa. So one is looking at little more than two years in many cases and they have an actual RN to be able to work. There are enough people here that if trained and you get three American nurses in the same time that it takes to train and bring a nurse over from most other countries. You do the math. As well as the expense that is paid to bring a nurse over can cover an American in a much shorter time.

I would not focus on getting the VSC at this time, taking and passing the NCLEX exam needs to be your priority. And chances are that the VSC will need to be renewed before you have a chance at a visa for the US.