You "must"pass CGFNS before the immigration??

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There is a rumor going around here lately. Somebody just told me that whether you plan to work in NY or some states don't need CGFNS certificate ,you still "must" have the CGFNS certificate when you applying for green card. The people who told me about this had called CGFNS two months ago. She said that this is a new rule for applying for green card. I wonder if everyone have further information about this.

Ps. I don't know if applying for visa screen certificate and green card are the same thing, but I looked into the instruction of visa screen which didn't see any information about this. So I'm confused right now. :uhoh3:

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

for some states you can get out of doing the CGFNS exam but you do need visa screen from them for immigration and that can take several months.

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for some states you can get out of doing the CGFNS exam but you do need visa screen from them for immigration and that can take several months.

So you were saying is that I will need the CGFNS certificate eventually if I want to immigrate to US even though I would work in the state which doesn't require the cretificate of CGFNS?

I really appreciate it for your help.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
So you were saying is that I will need the CGFNS certificate eventually if I want to immigrate to US even though I would work in the state which doesn't require the cretificate of CGFNS?

I really appreciate it for your help.

I think if you have worked for 2 yrs within the US as a RN you can work anywhere without getting the cgfns CES but you will need to get the visa screen from them.

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NO. You must have a Visa Screen Certificate, not the CGFNS certificate. To get a green card, the requirement is that you have passed either CGFNS exam or NCLEX exam. In the past, many states required the exam, but do to time constraints, you can use the NCLEX as a requirement for the green card. This is, of course, in addition to the English requirements that you may or may not be required to take.

A CGFNS Certificate was what you needed in the past for an H1-B visa. But not anymore, since that visa, which is currently not available, now requires a Visa Screen Certificate with the full set of English exams.

Sorry, but your friends are giving you mis-information...............

Green card is permanent residency staus in the US and has required a Visa Screen Certificate for some time. In the past, many nurses first went to the US on a temporary work permit, then eventually apply for an adjustment of status. Doesn't work this way anymore, everyone needs the Visa Screen Certificate. The CGFNS certificate is actually noit good for anything any more as it doesn't cover all of the requirements. The Visa Screen Certificate is actually issued by CGFNS, so that may be where your friend got confused.

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Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it.

I am relieved to hear the words you said. :) The reason I got confused is because of my friend who is working in CA right now and currently applying for green card. Since I've heard the shocking news from her, I started to doubt the things that I thought. I will tell her the correct information you provided. Thanks for you all.

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Just a note of caution for the future. I have worked in the US for 12 years, never had any visa screen, CGFNS exam, just sat the NCLEX in California, then have been licensed by endorsement in Hawaii, Colorado, Georgia and Washington. I have had a green card since 1994. BUT I moved to Massachusetts in Jan. I have been twiddling my thumbs ever since as they require verification of my overseas education (despite my having graduated from the University of Washington with a BSN). So my point, chech carefully what each individual state requires!

If I sound bitter I am - many go thru an accelerated Masters entry program into nursing and sit the NCLEX and get a license to practice with as little as 6 months nursing education, but not someone who went to school in another country:angryfire

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If you went to nursing school in the US, then how much education did you receive overseas? Most of the time, it is just the formality of completing the education. If you did not attend college overseas, then there isn't much to verify. Just submit the paperwork........................Many states now have a blanket rule, any foreign nurse needs verification of schooling.

And no nurse can sit and write NCLEX with just 6 months of nursing school, even with the accelerated program.....................

And you did not need Visa Screen in the past,but you will now when yougo to renew your green card, so I would suggest that you take care of this, so when the tinme comes up, you are not totally stuck. The Visa Screen actually needs to be renewed every 5 years...........

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When did the visa screen requirement come into effect? I just recieved my new green card last month

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Were you issued a green card on your own or via a spouse? On your own, this is been a requirement for the past few years. Now for everyone, even holders of NAFTA TN Visas, and if H1-Bs ever open up again for nurses. It would be stupid for anyone to go that route as it has the same requirements as the green card.

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Were you issued a green card on your own or via a spouse? On your own, this is been a requirement for the past few years. Now for everyone, even holders of NAFTA TN Visas, and if H1-Bs ever open up again for nurses. It would be stupid for anyone to go that route as it has the same requirements as the green card.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical.
When did the visa screen requirement come into effect? I just recieved my new green card last month

The US government has started the requirement of the visa screen certificate in 1997. Hope this info helps. :)

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