Visa Screen Certificate / CGFNS

[suzanne4]

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.)

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Sorry Silver, I don't mean to be a nag. But I got confused: here's what the handbook says:

Attach here one

recent passport-size

photograph of

yourself with your

signature on the front

or maybe this is exclusive to the paper and pen application form? I'm going for the online method

Also, I went through the process and have some questions:

• Someone will be sponsoring my visa. Is that person/agency counted as a "recruiter?" for the question: "Are you affiliated with a recruiter?"
  

• I'll be applying for a "Permanent Green Card" right?
  

• For the question "did passing of this exam lead to a license in the same state/province and country?" and it was referring to the NCLEX-RN or SBTPE Test Details, the answer is no right? since I took the exam here in the Philippines?
  

Thanks!

- Josh

As far as I am aware even if applying online you have to send in a photograph as that is printed on the VSC. I think it is to cut down on fraud. Looks like the signature has to be on the front so would do it on the white surround.

Not sure on recruiter as I can't remember putting anything down for that question. Yes you are applying for GC. The answer is no as Ca will not issue a license without a SSN, has nothing to do with where you sit the exam but was a license issued to you. You will still need Ca to send a letter for VSC stating you have meet requirements and have a pass in NCLEX

[ms.piggy]

i plan to send my application thru mail, but i want to pay online... how can i do that?

thank you so much.....

[ms.piggy]

i plan to send my application thru mail, but i want to pay online... how can i do that?

thank you so much.....

[firstyearRN]

Suzanne,

Thanks so much for all your input. Should I not interview until I have passed the NCLEX because it is required for the visascreen?? Or should I not even interview till after the visascreen is completed? Regarding OPT, I have already used it once after undergrad. Can it be used again? I also have a graduate degree but I never used it after that. Thank you sooo much for your help.

[firstyearRN]

Suzanne,

Also, assuming I am ultimately applying for a tn visa, how will I stay in legal status in the states for the several months it take to take the nclex, apply for the visa screen, and apply for a job?

Thank you,

Janice

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

If you have no OPT then really there is no way to stay in the US whilst going through the process unless you maintain your student status. You can do it from Canada and get TN at border once everything is sorted

[Grace99]

This is the very reason that we tell people not to use the on-line application. You are going to need to contact them to cancel the first application, if you do not; expect to get a bill added to your account for the fees that were to be submitted. Because you submit an application and then do not pay the fee for it, they are going to bill you for it and they can do that.

Just because you have not paid for it, if it is not cancelled in writing by you, they have the right to charge you for it. And we have seen it repeatedly done.

Hi Suzanne,

Guess I'm just one of the many who have registered 1st online and then tried another attempt by mail!!! Thanks for telling me that I need to cancel my first attempt....I really didn't know I have to cancel it. I'll send them a letter for cancellation tomorrow :bowingpurThanks for saving my money!

As for my second attempt, they have received everything and now I'm waiting for their review and evaluations........Just one more question, is there any way of contacting their supervisor on the phone. I have one question and I don't think the receptionist can answer it!

Thanks again Suzanne, you've been good help !

[Nursery1]

Hi to all,

I am currently awaiting for the evaluation of my Visascreen application after submitting all the required documents. I am also interested in Transferring my NCLEX result to Illinois from California. IDPFR have three requirements for Foreign Educated Nurses like me, which are; CGFNS CES, NCLEX and TOEFL. Since I don't have an SSN yet, the California BON has not issued a license/registration. Hence, I cannot endorse a License/Registration to IDPFR but I was advised by the customer service of the CaBON that I can request a letter notifying IDPFR that I passed NCLEX. My questions are:

1. Can a letter notifying the IDPFR that I passed the NCLEX exam replace the requirement for endorsing a license?

2. Can a Visascreen Certificate replace the CGFNS CES requirement by the IDPFR?

Thanks to all.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Generally you need to apply for license by exam and then request Ca to forward your results to the new state. The state usually requires that you meet their requirements for foreign trained nurse

[pandaboi]

Hi to all,

I am currently awaiting for the evaluation of my Visascreen application after submitting all the required documents. I am also interested in Transferring my NCLEX result to Illinois from California. IDPFR have three requirements for Foreign Educated Nurses like me, which are; CGFNS CES, NCLEX and TOEFL. Since I don't have an SSN yet, the California BON has not issued a license/registration. Hence, I cannot endorse a License/Registration to IDPFR but I was advised by the customer service of the CaBON that I can request a letter notifying IDPFR that I passed NCLEX. My questions are:

1. Can a letter notifying the IDPFR that I passed the NCLEX exam replace the requirement for endorsing a license?

2. Can a Visascreen Certificate replace the CGFNS CES requirement by the IDPFR?

Thanks to all.

Hi,

1. You need to ask the IDPFR if it is okay with them to just ask a letter of passing from CA be submitted to them and explain your situation why you can't get a SSN at this time. It is up to them. Like Vermont State Board of Nursing - they accept a letter of passing that must be sent directly from the CA BON if you are going to endorse a CA license without a SSN.

2. Visa Screen and CES report from CGFNS are two different entities with different people evaluating them when you apply to them. I applied for a CES & Visa Screen certification recently and all BON are strict about their requirements about Visa Screen (this is a federal document) unlike the CES.

To summarize, it is best to contact the BON State that you wish to endorsed your licensed to clear up things.

I hope this helps. Best of Luck!

[suzanne4, RN]

Hi Suzanne,

Guess I'm just one of the many who have registered 1st online and then tried another attempt by mail!!! Thanks for telling me that I need to cancel my first attempt....I really didn't know I have to cancel it. I'll send them a letter for cancellation tomorrow :bowingpurThanks for saving my money!

As for my second attempt, they have received everything and now I'm waiting for their review and evaluations........Just one more question, is there any way of contacting their supervisor on the phone. I have one question and I don't think the receptionist can answer it!

Thanks again Suzanne, you've been good help !

Post the question here and I am sure that someone will be able to answer it in most cases.

[suzanne4, RN]

Hi to all,

I am currently awaiting for the evaluation of my Visascreen application after submitting all the required documents. I am also interested in Transferring my NCLEX result to Illinois from California. IDPFR have three requirements for Foreign Educated Nurses like me, which are; CGFNS CES, NCLEX and TOEFL. Since I don't have an SSN yet, the California BON has not issued a license/registration. Hence, I cannot endorse a License/Registration to IDPFR but I was advised by the customer service of the CaBON that I can request a letter notifying IDPFR that I passed NCLEX. My questions are:

1. Can a letter notifying the IDPFR that I passed the NCLEX exam replace the requirement for endorsing a license?

2. Can a Visascreen Certificate replace the CGFNS CES requirement by the IDPFR?

Thanks to all.

A Visa Screen Certificate cannot replace the CES report that Illinois wants to see, they are both completely different. You will need to pay the fee to CGFNS for the CES. They can usually use the same documents that were submitted.

You are not going to be endorsing a license since there is not one to endorse. You are going to need to apply to Illinois using the License by Examination application and then just have CA forward your results to them. The results are not being transferred to Illinois, they are just going to verify that you passed the exam. This is done all of the time.

All that you will need to obtain is the CES report, you have already passed the NCLEX and I assume the English exams if you are applying for the VSC.

----------------

Just to clear up something that was posted above:

The VSC is not a federal document, it is used most of the time for immigration purposes. It is just a screening document. There are actually a couple of states that have used the VSC in lieu of other documentation from CGFNS, but Illinois is not one of them.

CGFNS is under contract with the US federal government to handle the screening, but that is it.

Hope that this helps explain it all.