Visa Screen Certificate / CGFNS

World Registration

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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.
Hello, just wondering why ICHP didnt review my Photo. it said that, they recieved but not reviewed, but all my documents, e.g. TOR, License verifications (Philippines and CA), NCLEX, HIgh School Diploma, were all reviewed. and the IDP sent the my IELTS Result to them and as I tracked it, they recieved it on Sept10, but until now, thers's no progress " WAITING FOR PASSING TEST RESULTS".

Now, my problem is to have Hospital experience. Pretty hard here in the Philippines to get one. Nurse Orientee can be use as experience? I will ask the Chief Nurse who issued my certificate to change it from volunteer nurse into nurse orientee. Which one would be good to use? Nurse orientee or Trainee Nurse to put on?

You do not need hospital experience for VSC so can leave that blank. Do not change from volunteer to orientee unless that is what you are actually doing as it will be classed as fraud and have serious implications on your application.

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Thanks. the ICHP is ready to send me my VSC!!!!!!

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Hi everyone, i'm new to the whole visa screen process. I've read the 2008 booklet from the website but i just want to confirm if i understand things correctly, so hope you can help me. :)

the visa screen certificate is valid for 5 years, right? coz others have been telling me that once you get your certificate you're supposed to leave the country within 6 months, otherwise it will expire and you'll have to file for a new one. Is that true? Thing is, I have no employer/agency yet. I just passed the nclex and im planning to take my ielts in a couple of weeks. I have no work experience yet but Im thinking applying for a visa screen would be a plus for me once i start scouting for employers/agencies. I'm under the impression that after the nclex and ielts, the visa screen should be filed for. Am I on right on track? Insights, please. :)

In the application, they're asking for the type of visa you wish to obtain. Given my situation, which should i tick, the H1B or the EB3? say i chose EB3 initially and a future employer offers me a contract under h1b visa, would i still be able to use my visa screen certificate even if it's under a different visa category?

And, what do i put under the "name of diploma/certificate?"

thanks in advance! this site has been a great help for new nurses like me. Godbless Allnurses! :D

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Specializes in medical surgical nursing, MAN-MSN.

the visa screen certificate is valid for 5 years, right? it is valid for 5 years even if your still in the philippines. much better you apply for it after passing your ielts.

in the application, they're asking for the type of visa you wish to obtain.

chose the immigrant or green card section.

and, what do i put under the "name of diploma/certificate?"

bachelor of science in nursing

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi everyone, i'm new to the whole visa screen process. I've read the 2008 booklet from the website but i just want to confirm if i understand things correctly, so hope you can help me. :)

the visa screen certificate is valid for 5 years, right? coz others have been telling me that once you get your certificate you're supposed to leave the country within 6 months, otherwise it will expire and you'll have to file for a new one. Is that true? Thing is, I have no employer/agency yet. I just passed the nclex and im planning to take my ielts in a couple of weeks. I have no work experience yet but Im thinking applying for a visa screen would be a plus for me once i start scouting for employers/agencies. I'm under the impression that after the nclex and ielts, the visa screen should be filed for. Am I on right on track? Insights, please. :)

In the application, they're asking for the type of visa you wish to obtain. Given my situation, which should i tick, the H1B or the EB3? say i chose EB3 initially and a future employer offers me a contract under h1b visa, would i still be able to use my visa screen certificate even if it's under a different visa category?

And, what do i put under the "name of diploma/certificate?"

thanks in advance! this site has been a great help for new nurses like me. Godbless Allnurses! :D

You are confusing VSC with actually getting your GC(visa). Once you have had your interview and got your stamp in your passport you have 6 months to activate it or have to start over again

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Hi everyone, i'm new to the whole visa screen process. I've read the 2008 booklet from the website but i just want to confirm if i understand things correctly, so hope you can help me. :)

the visa screen certificate is valid for 5 years, right? coz others have been telling me that once you get your certificate you're supposed to leave the country within 6 months, otherwise it will expire and you'll have to file for a new one. Is that true? Thing is, I have no employer/agency yet. I just passed the nclex and im planning to take my ielts in a couple of weeks. I have no work experience yet but Im thinking applying for a visa screen would be a plus for me once i start scouting for employers/agencies. I'm under the impression that after the nclex and ielts, the visa screen should be filed for. Am I on right on track? Insights, please. :)

In the application, they're asking for the type of visa you wish to obtain. Given my situation, which should i tick, the H1B or the EB3? say i chose EB3 initially and a future employer offers me a contract under h1b visa, would i still be able to use my visa screen certificate even if it's under a different visa category?

And, what do i put under the "name of diploma/certificate?"

thanks in advance! this site has been a great help for new nurses like me. Godbless Allnurses! :D

Visa Screen Certificate is actually just a screening that is done by CGFNS for the US government, it is not the actual visa that is issued by the US Embassy that you are getting it mixed up with. The VSC has nothing to do with you finding an employer but just needs to be presented to the US Embassy when you would go for your interview.

You will be applying for the green card in most cases and this is the EB-3 visa.

The name of the diploma needs to be exactly as to what is actually written on the one that you received from your school.

Congratulations on passing of the NCLEX exam, but you need to be aware that you are looking at more than five years before you are going to have a chance at a visa for the US just due to the number of applicants from your visa than anything else that is happening at the moment. English exams are only valid for two years, and the VSC is valid for five years once you get it. You do need to be aware that even if you get the VSC once you pass the English exams, that more than likely you will need to sit for the English exams once again and obtain a new VSC before the time would come up that you have a chance for a green card.

I would first tell you to read the thread at the top of this site forum that is called the Primer, it will give you information that you need to have as well consider going to another country to work and gain experience.

Best of luck to you.

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the visa screen certificate is valid for 5 years, right? it is valid for 5 years even if your still in the philippines. much better you apply for it after passing your ielts.

in the application, they're asking for the type of visa you wish to obtain.

chose the immigrant or green card section.

and, what do i put under the "name of diploma/certificate?"

bachelor of science in nursing

thanks tobby_walter!

may i know the reason why you advise taking the ielts first before registering at cgfns for the vsc? im thinking of applying for the vsc first so that when i register for the ielts exam, i can readily indicate in the form that they need to forward the results to cgfns. wouldnt that be faster and more convenient? or would this be more problematic than helpful?

btw im just curious...you're only 22 and here from ph, are you currently employed? :p

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thanks suzanne and silverdragon :)

i do understand that the VSC is different from the actual visa issued by the embassy. i just wanted to confirm a few hearsays about the VSC's validity period.

i am currently unemployed but i have reason to believe that i'll get hired in a local hospital before the year ends. :D since the beginning i planned to take the necessary exams (nclex&ielts) before i start working since i might find it hard to juggle things if i didnt. i also plan to look for an employer/agency to sponsor me to the US. but since i dont have any relevant experience yet, im thinking if being a visa screen certificate holder could compensate for that or at least help me get considered, since it's also a "requirement" like the exams. as of now, the frame of mind goes: the more boxes i tick under the requirements for US employment, the better (yep, i am aware about Suzanne's advisory re: 5-year wait for the visa:)) and i'd like to make use of my free time working on the things that i have direct control over at the moment, such as the exams and the VSC.

but should i even apply for the VSC, now? or would it be better for me to wait for an agency/employer in the future? put another way, will the VSC help me, given my circumstances?

appreciate all the help! :D

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HELP!:cry:

I have my visa screen assessed and the only thing they didn't receive is my NCLex result. however, my father called the California BON and told him that they already mailed my result to the ICHP last august 24,2008. When i follow up it to them they won't confirm it to me if they received the document from the Cali BON. My visa account will be expired this coming NOvember what will i do? do i have to go on the same process again, if in case?

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Specializes in medical surgical nursing, MAN-MSN.

may i know the reason why you advise taking the ielts first before registering at cgfns for the vsc? im thinking of applying for the vsc first so that when i register for the ielts exam, i can readily indicate in the form that they need to forward the results to cgfns. wouldnt that be faster and more convenient? or would this be more problematic than helpful?

btw im just curious...you're only 22 and here from ph, are you currently employed?

having both before registering at cgfns for vsc will be more practical and faster rather than filing ahead without the ielts since they need both of it before they start reviewing your account and if you lock either of the two required you wil be put on hold or pending. you can still indicate it on your ielts on which institution you want your result be forwarded.

yes im only 22 and im done with all the exams but need to wait long period of time before my pd becomes current. currently i just finished my 6 months volunter experience at the same time waiting for the call of the hospital i applied.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
HELP!:cry:

I have my visa screen assessed and the only thing they didn't receive is my NCLex result. however, my father called the California BON and told him that they already mailed my result to the ICHP last august 24,2008. When i follow up it to them they won't confirm it to me if they received the document from the Cali BON. My visa account will be expired this coming NOvember what will i do? do i have to go on the same process again, if in case?

There is usually a fee to pay if over 12 months and your file has expired. Have you actually spoke to someone at ICHP? VSC on average takes 4 months to be issued as long as they receive all documents in a timely manner

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yes i called them 2 weeks ago and they haven't confirmed whether they received my Nclex result or not.I even send an emailed to them and still didn't confirmed. But, just today i decided to email them again and they replied immediately. they just confirm that they haven't received my document.

Thank you for answering my concern.

Now, i have to call ca bon to send another document to ichp.

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