Can anyone tell me how long I have to wait?

suzanne4, RN · Apr 14, 2005

I got a job offer in February, and the lawyer who has contracted with the hopsital had already helped me apply for the work permit & green card at the end of March. This afternoon, I just received a letter from INS, asked me to have my fingerprint done on 22nd of April... Well, does anyone know how long I have to wait to get my work permit (EAD) after I have my fingerprint done? I hope to get to work in June.
Thanks

I assume that you are in the US and have applied for the Visa Screen Certificate? Especially if you are going to be working on the East Coast.

It usually takes on average of 90 days, sometimes it is available after just 60 days...

And which country were you born in? The retrogression is still in effect for nurses who submitted documents in 2005.

Mino · Apr 14, 2005

I assume that you are in the US and have applied for the Visa Screen Certificate? Especially if you are going to be working on the East Coast.
It usually takes on average of 90 days, sometimes it is available after just 60 days...
And which country were you born in? The retrogression is still in effect for nurses who submitted documents in 2005.

Yes, I am in the US, and have applied for the visa screen certificate. CGFNS has reviewed all my documents, except for my English proficiency exam scores. I was schedule to take TSE this Saturday though.

I am in the CA now, and I was born in Taiwan. So... how long do I have to wait??? I just checked the waiting time at California Service Center, they had already processed documents that sumbitted on February 22nd. Well, yes... it has been staying at Feb 22nd for a while... (Checked it last Friday, it was Feb 22nd, too.) I really hope to get to work in June.

suzanne4, RN · Apr 15, 2005

Where are you going to be working?

Hate to break the news to you, but your Visa Screen Certificate takes minimum of three months to receive and usually has been closer to four months and this is after passing all of your exams..........Many hospitals are requiring that the nurse has that in hand to begin work..........

All I can say is Good luck..............

Mino · Apr 15, 2005

Where are you going to be working?
Hate to break the news to you, but your Visa Screen Certificate takes minimum of three months to receive and usually has been closer to four months and this is after passing all of your exams..........Many hospitals are requiring that the nurse has that in hand to begin work..........
All I can say is Good luck..............

Thanks...

I am relocating to southern Calfornia.

I had applied CGFNS exam before, and therefore, they have all my documents on file. TSE is the only thing left. (I planned to take TSE in February, but there wasn't enough room for me in Feb, so they rescheduled me in April, otherwise, I would have it done long ago...signs...)

Well, the hospital doesn't require me to have my visa screen certificate on hand, even the lawyer didn't ask for it right now. The lawyer told me as long as I can give them my visa screen certificate within 6 months, it's fine. The hospital and I are waiting for my work permit. As soon as I received my work permit, I think I am able to work. (this is also why I want to know how long it takes to get my work permit after I have my fingerprint done...)

Thank you very much for your information. :)

suzanne4, RN · Apr 15, 2005

Thanks...
I am relocating to southern Calfornia.
I had applied CGFNS exam before, and therefore, they have all my documents on file. TSE is the only thing left. (I planned to take TSE in February, but there wasn't enough room for me in Feb, so they rescheduled me in April, otherwise, I would have it done long ago...signs...)
Well, the hospital doesn't require me to have my visa screen certificate on hand, even the lawyer didn't ask for it right now. The lawyer told me as long as I can give them my visa screen certificate within 6 months, it's fine. The hospital and I are waiting for my work permit. As soon as I received my work permit, I think I am able to work. (this is also why I want to know how long it takes to get my work permit after I have my fingerprint done...)
Thank you very much for your information. :)

The time goes by when the papers were filed, not by when fingerprinting is done. It takes 60 to 90 days for you to receive the EAD.

Good luck..................I wouldn't worry...........

(New rulings went into effect last year that if you were in the US and documents were filed for a Cahnge in Status, that a copy of the Visa Screen Certificate was supposed to be submitted at the same time. But it still isn't being enforced, but that too can change. That is why I always recommend to everyone to try and have the Certificate in hand, if possible. It is a definite for the East Coast because of the short processing time.)

NYrnTX · Apr 16, 2005

It seems like you are under Californina Service center and , for EAD, they are the slowest now. It takes around 90 days for EAD approval.

For VisaScreen, CGFNS is very slow now and since they are a monopoly for VS, no prize for guessing how much time they 'sit' on your application. Having said that, I have received my VS from CGFNS, within 30 days after completing IELTS. Like in your case, for me also, they had all other documents on file for a long time. Be optimistic!

I am not sure how CSC works, but under TSC, fingerprinting has nothing to do with EAD. It should be the case there also.

Also, as you have correctly mentioned, Visascreen certificate is not required while applying for AOS. You need it only when they look at your AOS application.

BTW, if TSE is 'SOLD OUT' why dont you try IELTS ?

Thanks...
I am relocating to southern Calfornia.
I had applied CGFNS exam before, and therefore, they have all my documents on file. TSE is the only thing left. (I planned to take TSE in February, but there wasn't enough room for me in Feb, so they rescheduled me in April, otherwise, I would have it done long ago...signs...)
Well, the hospital doesn't require me to have my visa screen certificate on hand, even the lawyer didn't ask for it right now. The lawyer told me as long as I can give them my visa screen certificate within 6 months, it's fine. The hospital and I are waiting for my work permit. As soon as I received my work permit, I think I am able to work. (this is also why I want to know how long it takes to get my work permit after I have my fingerprint done...)
Thank you very much for your information. :)

Mino · Apr 16, 2005

The time goes by when the papers were filed, not by when fingerprinting is done. It takes 60 to 90 days for you to receive the EAD.
Good luck..................I wouldn't worry...........
(New rulings went into effect last year that if you were in the US and documents were filed for a Cahnge in Status, that a copy of the Visa Screen Certificate was supposed to be submitted at the same time. But it still isn't being enforced, but that too can change. That is why I always recommend to everyone to try and have the Certificate in hand, if possible. It is a definite for the East Coast because of the short processing time.)

Haha... Thank you again... I thought figerprint has something to do with the speed of processing of EAD...

Mino · Apr 16, 2005

it seems like you are under californina service center and , for ead, they are the slowest now. it takes around 90 days for ead approval.
for visascreen, cgfns is very slow now and since they are a monopoly for vs, no prize for guessing how much time they 'sit' on your application. having said that, i have received my vs from cgfns, within 30 days after completing ielts. like in your case, for me also, they had all other documents on file for a long time. be optimistic!
i am not sure how csc works, but under tsc, fingerprinting has nothing to do with ead. it should be the case there also.
also, as you have correctly mentioned, visascreen certificate is not required while applying for aos. you need it only when they look at your aos application.
btw, if tse is 'sold out' why dont you try ielts ?

first, thank you very much for your information. :)

90 days... sighs... hope it can speed up a little bit... really hope to get to work in june... :)

well, honestly, something really stupid happened couple days ago. i found out an nonacceptance msg on cgfns' web site, stating that my license validation form from my home town is not acceptable. then i got letter in mail today, and said it was because the validation they received from taiwan stated that i am a "registered nurse", which is "2nd level title" , and my applicatoin for ichp stated i am a 1st level nurse. therefore, my document was rejected... "oh my godness" that's the reaction i had when i received the mail... isn't registered nurse a 1st level title??? anyway, they corrected the error for me, however, it made me really worry about the quality of services they provided...

well... it's a long story why i didn't registered for ielts... i registered for tofel, twe & tse in january, and i was arranged to take tofel & twe sucessfully at the end of january. however, for some reasons, they couldn't have me sit in feb's tse exam, and didn't inform me until i received my tse admission ticket. i was mad, called them and asked them why they didn't let me know in advance, and scheduled me to take tse in march, why i had to wait until april... they gave me some unhappy reasons by the way... (i almost filed complain letter to ets for their bad services... haha) afterward, someone told me i could take ielts instead, so i contacted ielts testing center at sf at the end of feb, and they told me they couldn't give me a guarantee to have me sit in march's exam, cuz it was sort of too late to register at that time; and therefore, they suggested me take the exam in april... sigh... oh... well... then i thought, since i had already paid for tse, and if i have to wait to take the exam no matter what in april, then why just stick to tse. plus, i was really busy for my school work in march...

ikayar · Apr 18, 2005

well, honestly, something really stupid happened couple days ago. i found out an nonacceptance msg on cgfns' web site, stating that my license validation form from my home town is not acceptable. then i got letter in mail today, and said it was because the validation they received from taiwan stated that i am a "registered nurse", which is "2nd level title" , and my applicatoin for ichp stated i am a 1st level nurse. therefore, my document was rejected... "oh my godness" that's the reaction i had when i received the mail... isn't registered nurse a 1st level title??? anyway, they corrected the error for me, however, it made me really worry about the quality of services they provided...

the title of registered nurse in taiwan is a second level/lpn title. the title they are looking for is registered professional nurse. the health authority in taiwan makes this distinction. though i have to tell you looking at experiences from other nurses from taiwan that have gone through the process, that if you graduated from a secondary school/vocational program that is less than five years in length and the authority in taiwan did not report your title as being a registered professional nurse but only as a registered nurse, then they cannot consider your a 1st level nurse without the proper title, which is registered professional nurse.

i'm not surprised but expect this to delay things a bit. i guess you should go to the health authority and ask them to send another validation to cgfns because they'll probably come back and tell you the same thing again.

Mino · Apr 18, 2005

the title of registered nurse in taiwan is a second level/lpn title. the title they are looking for is registered professional nurse. the health authority in taiwan makes this distinction. though i have to tell you looking at experiences from other nurses from taiwan that have gone through the process, that if you graduated from a secondary school/vocational program that is less than five years in length and the authority in taiwan did not report your title as being a registered professional nurse but only as a registered nurse, then they cannot consider your a 1st level nurse without the proper title, which is registered professional nurse.
i'm not surprised but expect this to delay things a bit. i guess you should go to the health authority and ask them to send another validation to cgfns because they'll probably come back and tell you the same thing again.

i graudated from 4 years length medical university, not those 5 years length vocational programs/colleges.

well, according to the info on ichp application handbook:

"in order to meet the education requirements of visascreen™, a registered nurse must be educated as a "first-level, general" nurse as defined historically by the international council of nurses."

"a first-level nurse is called a registered or a professional nurse in most countries. a second-level nurse may be called an enrolled, a vocational, a practical nurse or a nurse assistant. second-level nurses are not eligible to be licensed as registered nurses in the u.s., and thus, can not obtain a visascreen™ certificate as a registered nurse."

since i graduated from 4 years university, i was allowed to take cgfns qualifying exam two years ago, and i got my ca registered nurse license, i think i meet all the ichp program requirements...(don't understand why that error occurred...)

anyway, after talking to the customer services representative at cgfns, they had already corrected it for me, didn't ask me to send another validation form to cgfns though...

suzanne4, RN · Apr 18, 2005

If you met CA BON requirements, as well as CGFNS, then you have nothing to worry about.............. :)