endorsement

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Anyone here who has studied in Puerto Rico, and then tried to get their RN endorsement in Virginia. I am having a hard time. The Va. Board of Nursing is telling me that I must go through CGFNS.org and pay 390.00 for this agency to certify my school's competency. I thought that was what the NCBSN does. My school was approved for NCLEX. I do not understand why they are having to go and investigate my school. I speak English. I was born and raised in Virginia. Just happened to go to InterAmerican University there. If anyone knows a way around this, especially if I have passed the NCLEX, then please let me know.

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I am also currently in the process of endorsing my license in Virginia and graduated from the same university as you in Puerto Rico. I am licensed in Virgin Islands and the state of NY. Did you or anyone get around this?

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Hello ladies that is because many states consider Puerto Rico international. Most people I talk to on this site say they got licensed by Wisconsin because they only require 1 document from the school and don't consider pr as foreign. I'm surprised the school didn't tell u and it's all over this site in the pr forums. Sorry to hear about your trouble but def research next time. I also emailed Wisconsin board of nursing to confirm and they did confirm they do not consider pr as foreign. Best of luck

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Also once u get your license from Wisconsin u just transfer it over to the state u want to work in and u would have skipped the whole international process

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Also once u get your license from Wisconsin u just transfer it over to the state u want to work in and u would have skipped the whole international process

Not necessarily. Each state has their own requirements and even if licensed in one state and endorsing to another if they treat PR as a International setting then you have to meet the requirements like CGFNS or other acceptable agency. We see this many times in the World section

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Yes of course it does depend on the state. But once u have your license it shouldn't be that difficult to transfer. I think it's more of an issue when u want to take the nclex. Some states want a specific course break down if u graduated from pr. Two students I have spoken to on this forum graduated from pr and are now working in Florida and Texas . They said both those states consider pr as international so they went thru Wisconsin and transferred their license with no problem. I guess with VA u need to contact the BON

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

This page specifically mentions PR:

Virginia Board of Nursing Forms and Applications

Good luck!

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As I said above I am licensed registered nurse in the Virgin Islands and New York and I applied for endorsement in Virginia without knowing that as a Puerto Rico graduate I have to go through CGFNS. At least thats what I was told upon calling the Virginia Board of nursing licensure. I had already applied and paid their licensure fees and there was no way of getting a refund so I decided to go ahead and pay CGFNS 435 dollars for the CES. Now after I paid them and began sending the required information needed, which I haven't up to date completed the process. A CES report hasn't been sent to the Virginia Board as yet because CGFNS are awaiting information from my school. However I receive a Virginia RN License in the mail today. Am I happy yes because i got my VA license. Am I ****** yep because I spent 435 dollars that i didn't have to. Was I missed informed when I contacted the Virginia Boards for information on endorsement, I am not quite sure. I don't know if it was a stroke of luck which I doubt. I called Virginia Boards how many times just to make sure I had to go through CGFNS and I was told yes and in actuality I didn't have to because I was awarded a license without a CES report. They really need to get their information together at VA board of Nursing. I will still go ahead with cgfns process though since they keep your information in their system for 10 years just incase I need to endorse at some other state that requires me to go through cgfns. Just thought I would share my experience so that no one waste their money in the future.

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@kemay @smirks27Hello, I am based in California and very interested in going to InterAmerican University . Can you please share your experience? Also, were you able to transfer your license and work in your state? How long is the interAmerican bsn and adn program?When do the school starts? Any prereqs required? How is the cost of living? Can a single person survive living out there with 5K for a few months? Did you have a car or used the train? Thanks again :)

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Specializes in Emergency.

I have been researching into this deep myself. I THiiiiiiiiink the issue/difference is this: Some states have an affidavit of education for those educated out of state or in a US territory like the one that Texas BON has. I thiiiiiiiiiink that if the Dean of Nursing marks the box that says that your education was in English, then you are scott free, and don't have to do the CGFNS or TOEFL. I called a couple boards and they're not helpful or knowledgeable at all. But piece everything together through the NCSBN and CGFNS website and the state board websites. They just want to make sure that you know English. The issue with them wanting the CGFNS CES certification for those educated in Puerto Rico is because Puerto Rico IS NOT part of the NCSBN, while all 50 states and the Virgin Islands hold seats on that board, so Puerto Rico is not the 'cool kid' when it comes to licensing and we get the short end of the stick with additional, EXPENSIVE process to go through. One BON rep that I spoke to said "I don't even think they have NCLEX testing centers there." People are really just ignorant of PR. To the person that posted this original post, I don't know the date or if this recommendation is timely, but if I were you, I would start looking into different states for initial licensing.

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Hi @smirks27!

Did everything turn out fine even without you doing the CES? Or you pushed through with it? I have a NY license and wanting to endorse to VA but I have been calling the BON like mad, and they can't answer my queries so well.

Anyway, the lady I last talked to said that she is going to send an application packet in the mail. I don't know if y'all had that.

Please, help.

Thank you.

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Specializes in Women's Health.

VA BON sucks :***: I am having the worst experience with them. I have been told so many different things by different people. I don't believe anything anyone says from that office.

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