CALIFORNIA BON

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Hi! I don’t know if this is the right thread. I have a question regarding my pending document from DCA CALIFORNIA BON for my Nclex eligibility. I was lucky I got a reply from them 1 month after I mailed my documents, however, it was a letter stating I am required to send them – ‘A COPY OF YOUR LICENSE FROM YOUR COUNTRY WHERE YOU COMPLETED YOUR INITIAL NURSING EDUACTION WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION’. In my letter of explanation, I told them I didn’t have the license yet bec. I was still waiting for the results to come out. I will be having my hard license probably on September.

If I will submit a copy of my license, does that mean I need to send them an authenticated photocopy of my license or do you think a plain photocopy of the license and maybe a photocopy of the board certificate will suffice? Thanks for your help!

You are missing the purpose of a compact license, many nurses cross state lines everyday to work. For example you could live in Maryland and work in Virginia. The purpose of the compact license is for a nurse to be able to live in one state and work in another. Another purpose is for a travel nurse to be able to work in neighboring states.

It is clear you need a permanent address in one of the compact states.

1. Definition of terms in the Compact.

For the Purpose of the Compact:

"Board" means party state's regulatory body responsible for issuing nurse licenses.

"Information system" means the coordinated licensure information system.

"Primary state of residence" means the state of a person's declared fixed permanent and principal home for legal purposes; domicile.

"Public" means any individual or entity other than designated staff or representatives of party state Boards or the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.

What state did these foreign nurses list as their permanent address? Since they are not here due to retrogression, putting a fake address on a license is not legal. Therefore the nurse's license ( they are not your license) are not covered by the compact agreement.

I suggest you contact a US lawyer before you give out advice. It is also wrong to be giving out legal advice in the USA with a law degree. This is board where nurses share personal experiences, not dispense legal advise.

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Guys, thanks for your suggestions. I know it's too late now to change my mind and choose another state since I have already submitted my application and theyre just waiting for the copy of my license now (which i have one yr to comply).

another question: what if i decide to take my NCLEX in cali (on a tourist visa) ..will that present a problem when they mail me back my results? since i originally wrote a local (philippines) address in my application of licensure?

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Your have me so confused. Where is your license from ? Which country or state?

Also have you taken the NCLEX? If you have you do not have to take it again.

Whatever state you choose your initial application, you can apply for endorsement once you have a license to endorse.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Guys, thanks for your suggestions. I know it's too late now to change my mind and choose another state since I have already submitted my application and theyre just waiting for the copy of my license now (which i have one yr to comply).

another question: what if i decide to take my NCLEX in cali (on a tourist visa) ..will that present a problem when they mail me back my results? since i originally wrote a local (philippines) address in my application of licensure?

Your results will go to the address that you submit and doesn't matter where you take the exam. As you know you will not be able to AOS on a tourist visa so depending on how long you are staying will depend on when you get your results

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Your have me so confused. Where is your license from ? Which country or state?

Sorry for the confusion. I'm from the Philippines and just recently submitted my application for licensure to Cali BON, but they couldnt process it yet bec. they want a copy of my license (I will submit to them as soon as I get it.)

Also have you taken the NCLEX? If you have you do not have to take it again.

Whatever state you choose your initial application, you can apply for endorsement once you have a license to endorse.

This might not be possible for me to do yet since I wont be able to provide them with an SSN. If I understand it correctly, I think the only way would be for me to request for an extension?

SIlverdragon. Im thinking of just taking my exam there and will have my vacation at the same time. Then will go back to the Philippines to wait for the results. Everyone's saying here that AOS is also affected by retrogression so I dont think I have any choice but to go back... :-( Just want to use my tourist visa for the second time since it's going to expire soon.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
SIlverdragon. Im thinking of just taking my exam there and will have my vacation at the same time. Then will go back to the Philippines to wait for the results. Everyone's saying here that AOS is also affected by retrogression so I dont think I have any choice but to go back... :-( Just want to use my tourist visa for the second time since it's going to expire soon.

That is great, as long as you are aware that you can not AOS then have a great holiday and best of luck on the exam. For you to be able to AOS visas need to be current

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Silverdragon we are talking about 2 different things. I said "get your license from a compact state." However, I am not saying get a compact license; I am saying get your RN license from a state that happens to be a member of the compact. The compact state that we recommend for licensure is Arkansas. The other state we recommend is Vermont. Which, before you leap, is not a compact state.

Again, we are speaking of 2 different licenses. You are speaking of a compact license, I am speaking of a state license. We like those states because they put the actual license in the hands of the nurse after NCLEX passage. Where as California does not.

Again, I did not say get a "compact license."

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

But not all compact states will issue a license. Az is in the compact state and they now require documentation of USC or immigrant/work visa before they will issue a license. A few states have over the last couple of years changed this requirements so just by going to a compact state makes no difference. A license can easily be sorted once in the US and a SSN has been issued.

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What the purpose here is to get easy licensure states, not a debate on compact states. No foreign nurse in his or her right mind would go for initial licensure in Arizona. They eat their young in Arizona.

Our recommendation for 2 easy states is Vermont and Arkansas. Arkansas also happens to be a compact state. To get an RN license in Vermont or Arkansas one does not have to have residency in the state and does not have to have an SSN.

Every nurse coming to America should license in the absolutely easiest state possible and then, if necessary, adjust status to the state of actual employment. Never license initially in Michigan, Pennsylvania or New York; especially PA and NY.

By the way, you folks with VisaScreen. Check your date on that VisaScreen. It is good for 5-years. With the way visa retrogression is NOT getting fixed, be prepared to have to pay another fee to renew it.

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Hi Habla! I have read your comments.. Hope you can help me. My point is...I just received my Cali notification letter that I passed but no actual license until I have SSN. They mentioned in their letter that I must provide this w/in 3 years otherwise they will destroy and abandon my file. What does it mean? Am I to retake the NCLEX exam if I did not provide to them SSN?

Hope you can give me suggestion...is it possible for me to transfer my application to Vermont or New Mexico this time? What will happen to my NCLEX result? Should I take it again if I'll apply in another State?

You're right when you say why CALI? I never knew this is their way of isssuing license..

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi Habla! I have read your comments.. Hope you can help me. My point is...I just received my Cali notification letter that I passed but no actual license until I have SSN. They mentioned in their letter that I must provide this w/in 3 years otherwise they will destroy and abandon my file. What does it mean? Am I to retake the NCLEX exam if I did not provide to them SSN?

Hope you can give me suggestion...is it possible for me to transfer my application to Vermont or New Mexico this time? What will happen to my NCLEX result? Should I take it again if I'll apply in another State?

You're right when you say why CALI? I never knew this is their way of isssuing license..

Much has already been written on California and SSN. Suggest you use the search facility and have a good read. Yes if your file is destroyed then you loose your NCLEX results and have to resit it. If you go to another BON you have to apply for license by exam and arrange with CA to forward results. You will have to meet the new BON requirements for foreign trained nurse

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Hi Silverdragon, I'm confused. Suzanne said in the another thread that you will only need to re-apply, but the results will still be valid, hence no need to re-take. So you mean when they said they will abandon your file, YOU WILL HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING again? please clarify...thanks!

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