Visa Screen Certificate / CGFNS

World Registration

Published

Visa Screen Certificate is required by all foreign nurses wishing to obtain a green card to work in the US, as well as any type of temporary work permit, such as the Nafta TN Visa for those from Canada and Mexico.

It requires that you pass either the NCLEX-RN or the CGFNS exam, as well as the series of English exams if you are not exempt from them.

The CGFNS exam is only required now in about five states, and rumor is that one or two will be removed from that remaining list as well. Do not bother with that exam if you are not going to work in a state that does not require it, or you have no way to be able to take the NCLEX exam from where you are currently located.

The application for the VSC is now only good for one year.........please do not apply for it until you have passed at least one of the required exams, or you may need to pay an additional fee.

(This thread is replacing the original thread that was from more than 2 and 1/2 years ago, and has updated information.)

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi, I'm kinda new here. It took me almost 2hours to read everything in this thread. I must say I learned a lot especially from suzanne and silverdragon. I still have some questions in mind:

I registered with the online service of CGFNS last april supposedly for visascreen, because I have passed both NCLEX and IELTS last february and march 2007, respectively. But the problem with the june 2006 exam prompted me to cancel my visascreen application and I focused instead on the june 2007 retake-all exam. Fortunately I passed the exam again and is now resuming the process of VSC application. My question is,

1. Do I have to apply for a new account? Because I'm worried that my application will expire and I have to pay again.

2. Which is better? Online application or via mail?

3. If via mail, how will I check the status of my application online?

Thank you

When did you cancel your last application for VSC? If more than 12 months ago then you will need to start all over again and also arrange again for your NCLEX and English exam results to be sent as well as local board results.

Depends on mail or online. With mail you can make sure everything has been filled in properly when done online and filed and then you notice problems then you can't do anything online you have to send by mail. If done by mail you should still get a ref number and observe online progress

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Thank you

When did you cancel your last application for VSC? If more than 12 months ago then you will need to start all over again and also arrange again for your NCLEX and English exam results to be sent as well as local board results.

Depends on mail or online. With mail you can make sure everything has been filled in properly when done online and filed and then you notice problems then you can't do anything online you have to send by mail. If done by mail you should still get a ref number and observe online progress

pardon me for the term, what I meant was I postponed my VSC application last april. so there are only 4 months left before my application expire on april 2008. and im still waiting for the release of my Phil license due on dec20. shall i register a new account just to be sure?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
pardon me for the term, what I meant was I postponed my VSC application last april. so there are only 4 months left before my application expire on april 2008. and im still waiting for the release of my Phil license due on dec20. shall i register a new account just to be sure?

If you register a new account I think you will have to pay fees again. If you still have a few months left I would say complete forms for license release and send in, once they have it shouldn't take long to issue VSC

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You will need to pay an additional fee if not completed by the one year, but you do not need to submit documents again for the ones that they have.

This is why we always tell everyone not to apply for the VSC until they know that things are going to be done.

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Thank you

When did you cancel your last application for VSC? If more than 12 months ago then you will need to start all over again and also arrange again for your NCLEX and English exam results to be sent as well as local board results.

Depends on mail or online. With mail you can make sure everything has been filled in properly when done online and filed and then you notice problems then you can't do anything online you have to send by mail. If done by mail you should still get a ref number and observe online progress

the thing is, i haven't paid yet because i know i'm going to have problems with the local license. i guess i'll just follow what you guys said, to send it by mail. that way, there's no risk of it being expired. maybe while waiting for the license on dec, i will just request the CaBON for verification of NCLEX coz you said it takes some time to do. ;)

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If you never paid for it, then the application has had nothing done with it and there is nothing to expire in four months.

But suggest that you contact them to see if they still have the information that you submitted if you did. Time only starts from when payment is received, they will not do a thing with what you sent them. And be aware that they are not required to keep what you did send to them months ago.

I always recommend mail only for registering for the VSC.

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If you never paid for it, then the application has had nothing done with it and there is nothing to expire in four months.

But suggest that you contact them to see if they still have the information that you submitted if you did. Time only starts from when payment is received, they will not do a thing with what you sent them. And be aware that they are not required to keep what you did send to them months ago.

I always recommend mail only for registering for the VSC.

oh i see, thanks for clearing it up for me :balloons:

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Hi, ruiji29, I called the regional office of DOLE and they said they don't send CGFNS a list of retake passers so I went to PRC and asked them the same thing. PRC said it is DOLE who sends it ... what do you make of this??? Frustrating, no? So what I did was to accomplish the Request for Validation of License for Visa Screen and attached a certified true photocopy of the DOLE-issued certificate and had PRC validate it and sent it through courier. Additional expense of 1200 php for unfortunate june 2006 passers like us.

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Hi, ruiji29, I called the regional office of DOLE and they said they don't send CGFNS a list of retake passers so I went to PRC and asked them the same thing. PRC said it is DOLE who sends it ... what do you make of this??? Frustrating, no? So what I did was to accomplish the Request for Validation of License for Visa Screen and attached a certified true photocopy of the DOLE-issued certificate and had PRC validate it and sent it through courier. Additional expense of 1200 php for unfortunate june 2006 passers like us.

Has this been received and accepted by CGFNS? I also have problems with CGFNS regarding this issue? If you call them they will say they are waiting for electronic file but can not give time estimate. So when did you send yours. There's 17000 passers:angryfire

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Hi, ruiji29, I called the regional office of DOLE and they said they don't send CGFNS a list of retake passers so I went to PRC and asked them the same thing. PRC said it is DOLE who sends it ... what do you make of this??? Frustrating, no? So what I did was to accomplish the Request for Validation of License for Visa Screen and attached a certified true photocopy of the DOLE-issued certificate and had PRC validate it and sent it through courier. Additional expense of 1200 php for unfortunate june 2006 passers like us.

My sister called CGFNS to ask them exactly what document are they waiting to update the status because she had all the exams done since last year. She paid for annual extension because of what happened on Test 3 and 5 -it is taking long for CGFNS to update the 17000 passers VISA SCREEN. We asked if they want us to send the certificate issued by PRC or DOLE. The only thing they said is we are waiting for a document. They wouldnt give details of when they will update the file or what documents are they waiting.

If they cant handle the load and could not give estimates, they should give it to other agencies who can handle the load. We cant wait forever. They will say, "Be Patient, etc. I told them dont you think almost 4 months of waiting is not patient, and they are earning from expired VISA SCREENs. I mean come to think of it, this is unexpected and the delay is on their part and they wont give any news or information as to the time.

So all VISA SCREEN applicants will just have to be patient... Im not sure but you guys can verify. Keep us posted. This was just last month. THings might have changed.:uhoh3:

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Specializes in Medical/Surgical , Critical Care.

I was in the same boat as you are now as I am a June 2006 retaker. I had been waiting for my PRC license validation to be accepted by CGFNS. It was only last Nov. 27 when I received an email communication from CGFNS that they mailed my VSC and this was confirmed by UPS. Please bear with the long waiting and your VSC will also be released in due time. God bless and good luck.

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Hi All! I just got good news from CGFNS, my Visa Screen Certificate is on its way, I might receive it by UPS on Monday. Thanks for all the advise and encouragement from you!

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