California for initial licensure not recommended unless one has VISA

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Over and over again, the moderators here have posted about not going thru CA for initial licensure, especially if you do not have a SSN#. You do not see you name posted on the website for the BRN, as you will not be issued a license until you are in the US and have a visa that will permit you to work.

It also takes about four weeks for you to receive your results out of the US, via regular air-mail. And the letter just informs you if you passed or did not pass; nothing more. And since a license is not issued, then you cannot endorse to another state with that procedure.

As many of you are aware, CA gives you three years to present them with a SSN#, or your file is destroyed and you start all over again. For those of you that decided to go with CA anyhow, you can apply to another state for licensure by examination while you still have a valid file with CA, and have them forward the results, and then get a license that way. Make sure that the new state issues a license without a SSN#. Suggest that you do not do that until it has been over two years of waiting, until you know what will be happening with visas.

Right now, you are looking at several years wait, depending on place of birth, for a chance to get to the US to work, there are no guarantees anymore; no matter what an agency tells you. They do not have anything to do with what USCIS does, and the fact that there are still more applicants than there are visas per year available.

We tell you things here for a reason, to help you. It does not make a difference to me as to what someone does, but when they come back later on when things are not working as they wanted, then it is time for me to say something. And this has been happening over and over again lately.

Best of luck to all of you, but please take the time to do some further reading before sending in one application for licensure. There is no application for the NCLEX exam, there is no such thing.

In the past, a few years ago, CA and NY were the only states that did not require the CGFNS exam; but that has changed significantly over the past couple of years, where only four do not require it out of all in the US. Things have changed and are always changing, recommend that you always check with the website for the BON/BRN that you are interested in. They can change requirements, and they do change requirements.

silverdragon, is this the latest process from the boards of nursing there? it seems the processing changes everytime the moon changes hahaha.

but i think they're slowly standardizing the procedure so every state has a uniform procedure with the rest.

is it easy to get a HB1 visa and how long does this usually expire? someone suggested that after passing the nclex, one can hire the services of an employment agency to task them to contact an employer for you that will petition you for issuance of an HB1 visa.

You may think it is easy to get a H1B visa, my guess who ever comes over and doesn't meet the criteria of advanced practice or upper management is going to reported to the government for fraud.

H1B expires in 3 years and can be renewed once, if you loose your job you have to return home.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
silverdragon, is this the latest process from the boards of nursing there? it seems the processing changes everytime the moon changes hahaha.

but i think they're slowly standardizing the procedure so every state has a uniform procedure with the rest.

is it easy to get a HB1 visa and how long does this usually expire? someone suggested that after passing the nclex, one can hire the services of an employment agency to task them to contact an employer for you that will petition you for issuance of an HB1 visa.

I doubt if they standardise everything between states as each state will have their own requiremetns and also payment fees. Time frame differs depending on demand of applicants. But generally when you know it is getting nearer your PD you have a better idea on where you are going to be living and if registered with anther state you can get the ball rolling for the new state. You can apply for a SSN 2 weeks after you arrive in the US (your records should be on the national computer by then) and the BON/BRN can issue a license quickly once they have SSN.

Regarding H1b I can't say if it is easy or not to get one but you do need VSC in hand and employer applies either straight away if non capped or April 1st if capped. This year is the first time I have seen for nearly a decade where there are still H1b visas left usually they are all gone in hours so to me gives a good indication on how rough at the moment the US economic situation is

Hello,

I am a Canadian citizen educated in another country. I got my authorization for interim permit trough the BON in California, didn't sit for NCLEX yet. I got a job offer from the nursing home.

Could you please help me to find out if I need to go through Visa Screen program to get my TN visa?If I didn't obtain my education in Canada do I still need to apply for the Visa Screen certificate or showing the evaluation process done by the CA BON will be satisfactory for the customs.

And if I need VSC, can I ask BON send them the copies of my transcripts?(it was very hard to manage them to be sent from my schools)

Thank you very much.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hello,

I am a Canadian citizen educated in another country. I got my authorization for interim permit trough the BON in California, didn't sit for NCLEX yet. I got a job offer from the nursing home.

Could you please help me to find out if I need to go through Visa Screen program to get my TN visa?If I didn't obtain my education in Canada do I still need to apply for the Visa Screen certificate or showing the evaluation process done by the CA BON will be satisfactory for the customs.

And if I need VSC, can I ask BON send them the copies of my transcripts?(it was very hard to manage them to be sent from my schools)

Thank you very much.

You need VSC for the NAFTA visa. All instructions what to do is on the CGFNS website in the VSC handbook

hi! does new mexico require a ssn if i am goin to apply a license for examination there from california? and how would i ask the bon of california to forward my nclex results to the bon of new mexico? are there forms and fees needed? thank so much....

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
hi! does new mexico require a ssn if i am goin to apply a license for examination there from california? and how would i ask the bon of california to forward my nclex results to the bon of new mexico? are there forms and fees needed? thank so much....

I suggest you check out the NM BON website and see what their requirements are for Foreign trained nurse and whether you need a SSN to be issued a license. Because you went with CA for initial license you will need to follow requirements for application for examination and there are forms on CA website regarding verification and moving NCLEX results across

hi im doing research on which state i could transfer my nclex result to , so far vermont and new mexico are the ones that dont require ssn i saw. however i have to meet other requirements like CES. can anybody here who went through the NCLEX pass endorsement on vermont bon give me answers to my questions? i did some reading in vermont requirements and i have some concerns.

1. The nclex pass letter that was sent to me by CA doesnt have a picture like the one vermont is referring. where do i obtain the one with a picture?

2. im a graduate here in the philippines, is my nursing education considered not in english "

For RN’s whose nursing program was NOT taught in English: In order to apply to the State of

Vermont, you must have completed the CGFNS Certificate Program"

does this mean i need to have cgfns certificate program? is this different from a visascreen certificate?i only have a visascreen certificate.

3. My ielts is expired now, do i need a new or current for this vermont application?

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
hi im doing research on which state i could transfer my nclex result to , so far vermont and new mexico are the ones that dont require ssn i saw. however i have to meet other requirements like CES. can anybody here who went through the NCLEX pass endorsement on vermont bon give me answers to my questions? i did some reading in vermont requirements and i have some concerns.

1. The nclex pass letter that was sent to me by CA doesnt have a picture like the one vermont is referring. where do i obtain the one with a picture?

2. im a graduate here in the philippines, is my nursing education considered not in english "

For RN’s whose nursing program was NOT taught in English: In order to apply to the State of

Vermont, you must have completed the CGFNS Certificate Program"

does this mean i need to have cgfns certificate program? is this different from a visascreen certificate?i only have a visascreen certificate.

3. My ielts is expired now, do i need a new or current for this vermont application?

Yes you need to get CES done, I can not see anything in the instructions stating they accept VSC. I do not see English exams as a requirements so you should be OK regarding that but if any doubts I would suggest you contact the BON and ask them as they are, at the end of the day, the ones that makes the final decision

CES is different than VSC. VSC means you meet US visa requirements and have passed NCLEX or CGFNS exam CES is a breakdown of your transcripts and to check whether you meet the state's requirements

Hi Suzzane and Silverdragon,

Sorry if somebody already asked this question, but:

I'm studying BSN in Alabama. If I am on visa F-1 and already have an SSN#, is the "no California recommendation for initial licensing" rule still applied to me? If yes, why is it?

I am just curious because according to what I read online, CA has the highest nursing shortage of all states.

Thank you very much.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

If you have a SSN then you can apply however jobs are not in shortage in California and even if you workit will only be temp whilst you have permission but once Student visa finishes so does the chance to work. Even if you have a employer and immigrant visa is filed you can not stay and work whilst going through the process

Hi there, I'm an Australian RN and I want to work in California - I realise the issue with SSN's so am not going to apply there initially. If I apply for a licence in New York (from what I gather they don't require a SSN to get a licence - is this true?) once I have the New York licence, do I then need to get a job offer there in order to get sponsored for my E3 visa and therefore obtain an SSN so I can transfer to California? or is there another way?

So confusing!!! thanks

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

You do not need to get a job in the state you get your license

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