I need help

Fornursesdotorg · Sep 3, 2005

I am in a big headache on how to change my status. I graduated from a nursing school in CA recently, passed the NECLEX and got my RN liscense. I have a work authorization now, but which is issued for my OPT and will be expired on JAN, 2006. I wonder if I start to apply for green card now, what is the process? Do I belong to an international nurse, and do I need to take any other tests again?
Thanks : :imbar

You need to get in conversation with a Human Resource Director at a local hospital. They can help you with the process. I know California is short of nurses and should encourage you to stay.

suzanne4, RN · Sep 4, 2005

Have you applied for the Visa Screen Certificate yet? This is the first thing that you need to do, before you do anything else. You do not need to take any more exams, and the English requirements are waived for you. If the facility where you are now will sponsor you for the green card, then there is no reason that they cannot proceed now with an Adjustment of Status, or whoever that you are going to work for.

Let me know if you have any more questions........... :)

suzanne4, RN · Sep 4, 2005

You need to get in conversation with a Human Resource Director at a local hospital. They can help you with the process. I know California is short of nurses and should encourage you to stay.

Actually not true, there are many hospitals in California that will not sponsor a foreign nurse for a green card. And unfortunately, many human resource personnel know very little about the immigration rulings for nurses. They have been changing so rapidly. There is more up to date information right on this forum. :)

Vicky Yu · Sep 4, 2005

Thanks to Suzanne RN, BS, MBA.

Your information is very helpful to me. But I don't know anything about Visa Screen Certificate. What is it? Do I need to file it when I apply for a green card? And how?

Thank you.

suzanne4, RN · Sep 4, 2005

If you do not have a US passport or a green card from a spouse, then yes you do need it. You need to follow all of the requirements of an international nurse, except that your English exams are waived.

You can download the application from http://www.CGFNS.org.

The Visa Screen Certificate is required by all foreign nurses for immigration. It is required of any nurse who is applying for a permanent residency visa, or actually any job as a nurse in the US.

You can go ahead and find an employer that will petition for you, but you will need to submit this document within the next few months. I siggest that you do this right away.

For the Adjustment of Status, this must be done by the employer....they will need to submit a petition for you. Do you have an immigration attorney?

suzanne4, RN · Sep 4, 2005

I am quite surprised that no one at your school told you anything about this, or the person that filed your OPT for you..............

Vicky Yu · Sep 4, 2005

Dear Suzanne RN, BS, MBA,

Do you mean I must find an immigration attorney? Can I do everything by myself because I don't have so much deposit to hire an attorney? Sorry, no one at my school told me anything about how to apply for a green card as a nurse, I even didn't have any other foreign nurse classmates at school. The international student office in my school filed my OPT for me, and unfortunately, they didn't know anything about it either.

Thank you again. :)

suzanne4, RN · Sep 4, 2005

You can probably find a hospital that will pay the fees for you. But I would definitely get the Visa Screen Certificate process started right away. Have you completed the medical exam required for immigration as well?

Vicky Yu · Sep 4, 2005

Dear Suzanne RN, BS, MBA,

After I printed out applicant handbook of visascreen certification, I found that I don't need to apply for the visascreen certification. Instead, CGFN can perform a streamline process for foreign born applicants who receivd their entry level professional education in the U.S.. But I cann't find any package for applying for that service from their website. Do you know anything about the applicant process for the visascreen streamline process? I appreciate your help. :) :biggringi

I haven't gotten the medical exam. Is it the physical exam for immigration? When should it be due?

Best regard.

Vicky Yu

suzanne4, RN · Sep 4, 2005

You still need to complete the application and submit it. The only thing that is stream-lined for you is that you do not have to take the English exam. You still need to go thru the same process, it is just easier, because you also do not need a translation of your transcript, and they know that your training meets the requirements......you still need to submit the Visa Screen application.

There is no separate application for this, it is still the same as the others.

Which part of California do you wish to work in?

suzanne4, RN · Sep 4, 2005

Dear Suzanne RN, BS, MBA,
After I printed out applicant handbook of visascreen certification, I found that I don't need to apply for the visascreen certification. Instead, CGFN can perform a streamline process for foreign born applicants who receivd their entry level professional education in the U.S.. But I cann't find any package for applying for that service from their website. Do you know anything about the applicant process for the visascreen streamline process? I appreciate your help. :) :biggringi
I haven't gotten the medical exam. Is it the physical exam for immigration? When should it be due?
Best regard.
Vicky Yu

If you are going to be going for the green card and need to get an Adjustment of Status filed in the next few months, or sooner, you will need a medical exam for immigration, including titers or proof of vaccinations, etc.

Since you are unaware of everything that you need to do, I recommend that you speak to an attorney about this..............or you are going to be really stuck. You only have a few months left to get everything done, and I am surprised that you never did any of this before. You can start reading over posts here, but there is quite a bit to do..............