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.

One cannot work with the ITIN#, and that is what states want to see.

If they are asked for the SSN# and then the ITIN# is submitted in place of it, how are they going to explain that they substituted one number for the other when they have to submit it to the actual BON.

It is acually grounds for them to cancel out everything if they wish to.

i just passed nclex november, and we all know that CA bon will destroy our files if we wont provide them an ssn ..

what are the possible ways to prevent it... reciprocity , endorsement etc... any filipino us rn with the same dilemma?

i thought that after i pass nclex , it will be over, but im wrong... ^^ step by step procedure pls ( can we make this a sticky?)

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the International forum as per the red banner

This affects all foreign nurses who do not have a SSN and much has already been written on this. Suggest a good read and try the search facility with California as key word

I passed the NCLEX for state of California, they are requiring me an SSN before they issue my license. I took the exam last April of 2008 and my pass letter came the following month. My problem is what if I was not able to provide them an SSN (since I am only given 3 years to submit), my application for license will be destroyed from their file. What are my options to retain my application for license or to retain my status as NCLEX passer?

There has been so much written on this very topic here.

We do not have reciprocity between licenses in the US; only the exam has reciprocity and that just means that the results are accepted in all 50 states. And since CA does not issue a license, then the endorsement procedures do not work as well.

You will be applying to another state using the License by Examination process and then have CA forward your passing results. But since you have another 34 months to go, do not even consider anything right now, or you will just be paying the additional fees for a license in another state that normally has a two year expiration and then it will need to be renewed.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Welcome to the site

Moved to the International forum. Please have a read in the threads especially over the last couple of days as a few members have recently asked this same question and much has already been written on this subject. Also try using the search facility using California as key word, it is easy to use

hi there.... where i can find the international forum.?. thanks a lot.:wink2:

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

This post is in the international forum, if you scroll to the top of the page you will see the forum in the yellow tool bar under the Allnurses.logo alternatively just go to the region tab above

Specializes in CTICU.

OMG, how many times has this same question been posted in the past week or two! Did everyone just realize the rules?

Please advise...

I recently received my result after taking NCLEX last Dec 27. Sad to say I did not pass...

I would like to know what are my best options. Since I did some reading, California will not issue a license to me if ever i pass since I am a foreign graduate and does not hold a ssn and I also read that California is not the best option for foreign nurses.

My original plan is if ever i pass my nclex. I will apply licensure by examination here in Texas where majority of my family now residing and ask California BON to forward my NCLEX results to Texas as said in this thread. My target state right now is Texas. Since I didn't pass, what can you guys advise me? I dont want to come to the point that my files will be destroyed if I won't be able to provide a ssn in 3 years since retrogression is forseen for like 5 years.

I am trying to research about this yet I can't seem to find answers that will satisfy my questions.

Anything will be very much appreciated

Thank you very much

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

At some stage you are still going to have to meet Texas requirements for foreign trained nurse so you may want to think about applying to them now seeing as that is your target state. I think they do require CES report from CGFNS but all information should be on their website

Please advise...

I recently received my result after taking NCLEX last Dec 27. Sad to say I did not pass...

I would like to know what are my best options. Since I did some reading, California will not issue a license to me if ever i pass since I am a foreign graduate and does not hold a ssn and I also read that California is not the best option for foreign nurses.

My original plan is if ever i pass my nclex. I will apply licensure by examination here in Texas where majority of my family now residing and ask California BON to forward my NCLEX results to Texas as said in this thread. My target state right now is Texas. Since I didn't pass, what can you guys advise me? I dont want to come to the point that my files will be destroyed if I won't be able to provide a ssn in 3 years since retrogression is forseen for like 5 years.

I am trying to research about this yet I can't seem to find answers that will satisfy my questions.

Anything will be very much appreciated

Thank you very much

Texas will not grant permission for you to sit for the exam or to even get licensed there until you meet their requirements. And they require the CES, that is done by CGFNS. Whether you go for a retake in CA or start the process now for Texas is up to you. It still will not change the requirements of the steps of what you need to do. CA counts the three years from when they send out the letter that one has passed the exam.

You are probably looking at more than seven years for a chance at a green card, if not longer. There are so many that are waiting that have completed files plus all of the others and the retrogression has been in place already for two years. One cannot do anything with immigration until the NCLEX is actually passed and they have an employer as well. Everything also depends on the number of applicants from your country that are in line ahead of you. Maximum number of visas per year for those from any other country of birth is maximum of 10,000 and that includes children and spouses as well.

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