FILIPINO RN soon to be CANADIAN RN planning to move to Seattle, Wa

[littlemissmuffet, BSN, RN]

Hi,

I hope someone can help me with my query re CGFNS, CES, VISA SCREEN AND TN VISA.

Background story: I am an internationally educated nurse from the Philippines and have moved to Canada in 2016 under the Permanent Resident status. I completed my BSN in the Philippines and have worked for about 4 years prior to migrating to Canada. I will be graduating from a 1-year bridging program in BC by Dec 2019 then I'll qualify for NCLEX and finally become a Canadian RN. I am also hoping to get my Canadian Citizenship by early 2020 so I can qualify for a TN visa in the USA.

My partner will be moving to Seattle for work and we have decided to reunite once I'm done with school. I am now about to start to process my application for CGFNS and Washington State BON while waiting to finish my bridging course in Dec 2019 so that I can take the NCLEX asap.

My question regarding the CES report, would it matter if I include my Canadian bridging program credentials or would my BSN in the Philippines be sufficient? My program won't finish until December 2019 so that will definitely delay the process. However, if I decided not to include my Canadian education during my CES evaluation but declare it on my Washington State BON application, will I run into any trouble? I believe that the Washington State BON requires English proficiency for education outside US/Canada. I was thinking if the Washington State BON will exempt me from submitting IELTS score if I include my Canadian education even though it was a bridging program and not a BSN?

Also, will it be advisable to process CES and Visa Screen at the same time or should I wait until I have an employer before processing the visa screen for TN visa? I know the visa screen is expensive and also takes time to process. Will I have any trouble crossing the border under the TN visa if my BSN is completed in the Philippines despite being a (soon-to-be) Canadian citizen?

Is there anyone out there who's in the same boat?

Thanks so much in advance for your responses.

[hypnotizer90, BSN, RN]

Hey. Your situation is quite complex.

Scenario 1: You did not complete the Bridging program in BC yet so you do not hold a Canadian BScN/RN designation. CGFNS would not need you to include the Bridging I guess if you only wanted your PH education and PH RN license assessed for CES & Visa Screen. But applying to Washington DC might be through Examination if you did not complete your NCLEX yet. There is a tricky part if you are using your PH education and PH RN license to apply for NCLEX.

Read other post regarding having BSN outside Canada. Click here

Scenario 2: I believe that if you will be doing ?"Canadian RN Endorsement" to Seattle, USA, CGFNS wanted every education that have led you to your Canadian RN license, your PH education & BC Bridging. You will need to finish your Canadian education and pass NCLEX and be registered with BC College of Nursing.

*Could you email Washington DC BON in regards to this if Canadian RN can endorse? It does not really specify on their application. For example, I applied to Minnesota and they returned my application because they wanted me to use the Endorsement package because I passed NCLEX already in Canada.

I am looking into CGFNS and Washington DC does not need CES as well as English Test for Endorsement. The Englist test is usually waived if you have met the requirements.

*I both processed registration for US Board of Nursing & Visa Screen at the same time. The BON required a lot of stuff so still being delayed right now but I got my Visa Screen certificate after 3.5 months.

*Read the requirements for TN visa.

[littlemissmuffet, BSN, RN]

Thanks for your inputs. Just to clarify, I am planning to apply to Washington State and not Washington, DC.

My main concern right now is to figure out if there's a way to make the process a bit faster on my end. I'm thinking that if I start with my CGFNS application now, will it help to expedite the process or just makes things complicated for me.

My original plan: once my Bridging program is done in December, I'm eligible to write the NCLEX right away then I'll become a Canadian RN. Next, I'll start with my CGFNS application for CES, Washington State BON, Canadian RN Endorsement, and Visa Screen. The whole process of gathering documents from the Philippines and Canada will definitely take a long time.

If I proceed with CES now, I can ask my relatives to start gathering documents from my university and the RN licensing body in the Philippines. I believe the Philippines BSN is considered equivalent to the US BSN. Once CES report is issued using my PH education and license, I can apply for Washington State BON and wait for my ATT then take NCLEX. Or if I receive my ATT from BCCNP first then I can schedule for the NCLEX, whichever comes first. I believe that if I use the Washington State BON ATT for NCLEX, I can endorse it to BCCNP with no issue.

Now here's my dilemma, if I apply for a Visa Screen once I'm done with my Bridging program and NCLEX, will CGFNS ask me to submit another set of documents from the Philippines? Or can they use the same documents I have submitted for CES and then I can just add my credentials for Canadian BSN?

Another thing is, once I apply for a TN visa, I believe I need to provide my CES report and Visa Screen. Will it be a problem that my CES report does not include my Canadian BSN? Or is there another set of CES report included in the Visa Screen? (I've read somewhere that there is a CES report included in the Visa Screen, if that's the case then I'll have an updated CES which includes my Canadian BSN)

* I will contact Washington State to verify the process for Canadian RN Endorsement. But it's hard to get a hold of someone from CGFNS. ?

* I'll definitely read more on the requirements for TN visa.

[hypnotizer90, BSN, RN]

Right. It's Washington State. Sorry. I am making points to consider.

1a. When are you applying for Canadian citizenship? - The processing, the test, & oath taking might take some time. 1b. You needed a Canadian Passport.

2. CGFNS - You could apply & pay both CES ($350 USD) & Visa Screen ($540 USD) at the same time for simultaneous processing, meaning that you send both CES & Visa Screen forms to school etc. If you look at what's needed on CGFNS, they are quite similar.

There is a time period on CGFNS when you can edit/ add extra info but after most paperworks were submitted, the system lock you out & could not edit anymore.

If CGFNS released your CES report & Visa Sreen certificate already, you need to pay another application for adding documents since this requires another assessment on their part. This will cause you extra more months.

CGFNS' processing can take time. Mine only took 3.5 months but with delay because of 1 school.

I know someone who had her Visa Screen Certificate issued and the BON required her to have CES report, whatever information she submitted previously was used but it costed her to wait still.

3. TN visa - Visa Screen only provides certificate. Therefore, some BON like Washington State BON wanted CES because it provides course-by-course report. Visa Screen certificate only mentions:

"has met all of the requirements of section 212(a)(5)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as specified in Title 8, Code of Federal Regulations section 212.15(f) for the Profession of: Registered Nurse".

The State that I am planning to go only required Visa Screen which is required for TN visa.

4. BScN - Is it worth the wait?

I feel like you have a lot to consider on your plate. Certain steps need to be completed before jumping into new one. It looks like you will be busy next year. You need to brainstorm.

[littlemissmuffet, BSN, RN]

Thank you so much hypnotizer90, you've been such a great help!!

1. I have already applied in May, and now waiting to be scheduled for the citizenship exam. I'll probably have everything done by the first quarter of next year. *fingers crossed*

2. It's good to know that I can process these 2 simultaneously and/or use the same documents that were previously submitted. Not being able to travel back home to the Philippines to process these documents make things difficult, especially when I have to ask a relative/friend to things on my behalf. But it's best to be sure than do things twice, pay extra $$, and wait longer.

3. The tricky part about the TN visa is that, if I show up at the border with my CES report having only evaluated my PH BSN plus other documents like Canadian transcripts and diploma and Visa Screen etc, I don't know if I'll be questioned or not why my Canadian education is not reflected in my CES report. Not sure if anyone has encountered this before?

4. Very true! I've got lots of research to do, but I also don't want to waste time not doing anything.

[hypnotizer90, BSN, RN]

@littlemissmuffet

Hello. Any update on your application/ status?