Advice needed

[jmolinaRN]

Hi guys,

I'm a foreign-trained nurse and I was recently licensed in the state of Illinois and sadly, it's validity is shorter than I have hoped for. My license will expire on the 31st of May 2010. I Inquired with IDFPR regarding their license renewal requirements and I was told that without an SSN, I will not be able to renew my license although some people told me that they were able to renew theirs back in 2008.

My questions are:

1. Would it be OK if I just let my license lapse since I cannot get an SSN until I am within the US?

2. If I were to endorse my license to another state, would it help? And, which state would allow me to renew a license without an SSN?

3. If I were to request IDFPR to somehow place my license on "Inactive" status, would that help? Would it affect my Visa Screen process as well as my employer's petition if I voluntarily placed my license on "inactive" status?

4. Can anyone share their experience on restoring an inactive / expired license?

Thanks guys, any input would help.

- Josh