For those of you that are studying in the US under either an F-1 visa, or any other where you do not have permission to work, and will need to apply for a green card when you finish your schooling-----this is for you.
You must meet all of the requirements for immigration that a foreign-trained nurse does, the only exception that you have is that the English requirements are waived for you. You still need to submit the application and get a Visa Screen Certificate. This is offered by CGFNS and the application is available on their website, http://www.CGFNS.org. There is only one application available, whether you did your training in the US, or overseas.
You will still need to find an employer that will petition for your green card. You will still need to undergo a physical exam at a physician's office that is approved by USCIS an have verification of all titers and vaccinations. If you do not have verifiable proof of having had chicken pox, etc., you will need to have either a titer drawn, or receive the vaccination. Immigration is very strict now with this, they will no longer go on what you are verbally telling them.
Hope that this helps...............most of you will also be able to get an OPT for one year of training while your documents are being processed, but you can only receive the OPT once, especially if this is now a second career for you, and you already used your OPT status for the other.
If you are coming to the US just for the MSN, and already have a BSN from overseas, you will be required to write the English exams. You are only exempt from them if this is your initial training as a nurse, meaning ADN or BSN only.
i have been reading your thead all now and then. I admit it, all of your thread is very interesting and full of information. If it is possible could you give me steps that an international nursing student should follow in similar case like mine.
I am an international student in usa in F1 visa. I have a bachelor's degree from one of the us institution. I already used my opt that i got after the first bachelor's degree. Now i am in the Accelerated BSN that i will complete in 12 months. Obviously, as you have mentioned in your thread too, i would not be eligible to get another opt after completion of BSN. I already talked to my international advisor too about it just to be assured. I will graduate in Aug 25, 2007. I will definately take NCLEX right after it. Now, i think timing is very important that why i request you to break down my to do steps in sequential order. Please tell me in steps what should i do right after graduation Aug 25, 2007. I am confused do i have to wait for NCLEX test and forget about rest of the things or if there are things i should do after aug 25, 2007 until i get the license. Please also mention a tentative time line i should expect in each step until i get green card. Also, my visa expires on May 2008. From what day i should expect to start working if i follow the steps you will mention.Thank you very much Suzanne4, i have already been grateful to you after swimming in the pool of valuable information that you have in your thread.
The only two steps that you have are taking and passing the NCLEX-RN exam; and getting a Visa Screen Certificate.
You cannot start the petitioning process for the green card until after you have documented proof of passing the NCLEX exam. It is a requirement since you would be applying for an expedited green card, that is only available to nurses. It takes about two months or so, once the petition is submitted, for you to receive permission to work. Since you already had the OPT, then you already should have a SSN#, and will be able to begin work right after that.
When you get the green card exactly will be dependent on how quickly that your attorney gets things taken care of, and processing times by the Visa Centers.
I just find this website today, and I already learn a lot from you. Thanks a lot.
I am a nursing student in Pittsburgh. I will graduate in August this year. I began to looking for job from this month. I already talked to two hospitals, everything looks fine (they all give me offers), until I ask about green card. Both of them say they can not support me. I am upset for that. Do you know any hospital in Pittsburgh pa like to petition for their employ? thank you.
any information will be appreciate.
Most facilites do not know that there are only about two forms that need to be filled out by them for the green card petitioning, very different from the old days of the H1-B visas that none want to go near.
Best suggestion is to get in touch with an immigration attorney first, and get a letter from them listing what the hospital will need to do. That may change their minds. Most of the work is done by the attorney.
I was looking at the CGFNS' website and i am bit comfused and hope you can help me to get the clear picture out of it. when is the earliest i can apply for visa screen. Will that be right after grauduation and before taking NCLEX? Normally how long will it take to get approval of visa screen?
Also, as i have already used up my OPT after my last degree. What should i have to do to remain in the status after graduation. All i know is, i would have another 60 days after graduation either to leave the country or to get enrolled in the school again and maintain the status of my F1 visa. and i believe, there is no question about the adjustment in status until i would have License as well as Visa screen certificate. Is there any other way to get work permit and work under the supervision of RN with ATT? or maintain my visa status to live in usa until i get work permit.
What are the names/numbers of the forms the petitioner employer has to fill?
Can I find them on the BCIS website? I have one year left for ADN, I graduate May 2007. I will do OPT for one year and mve on from there.
Please let me know about those forms, if anyone knows. The two main hospitals in my area have NO idea about immigration stuff, but if I can explain it in black and white, I think I have a chance!
You are making our life much more easier with those valuable advices. Suzanne, can you recommend any experienced immigration attorney in south dakota or minnesota? sometimes, i wish you had a degree in law too.
I have recently completed the ASN degree in Nursing. Like most people here, I need the green card petition to be filed by the employer or provide the supportive paper work. An employer has offered to do that for me. This employer is quite big and has multiple facilities in my state, some rehab. plus nursing homes and various hospitals.
The hospitals division do not support the GC applications but the "Rehab. and nursing homes" division does. However, they do require me to sign a two year contract in return to sponsoring the GC application (they also pay for the all filing expenses). They are paying me a competitive wage to start with. Has anybody on the board signed contracts like this ? Is it something I should not do ? One clause in the contract says that "I agree to stay with the employer and realize that they could move me to another facility where the the coverage is not sufficient" Is a statement like this usual or its placed there and could be used to exploit later on. Please share your opinions regarding such contracts. I have absolutely nobody to guide me and I desparately need people's opinions. Suzzane4, like other people please help me as well. Thanks.
What are the names/numbers of the forms the petitioner employer has to fill?
Can I find them on the BCIS website? I have one year left for ADN, I graduate May 2007. I will do OPT for one year and mve on from there.
Please let me know about those forms, if anyone knows. The two main hospitals in my area have NO idea about immigration stuff, but if I can explain it in black and white, I think I have a chance!
Thanks
They are not actual forms that you can copy from a website, your immigration attorney will give them to you. It is essentially information for docuemtns that the attorney neds to prepare. Best bet is to have an immigration attorney just right down in a letter the information that they will need to complete all of the paperwork. The immigration lawyer does almost all of the work, just needs a few documents from the employer. But you are way too far out in time for that, just make sure that you apply for the OPT before you graduate.
I have recently completed the ASN degree in Nursing. Like most people here, I need the green card petition to be filed by the employer or provide the supportive paper work. An employer has offered to do that for me. This employer is quite big and has multiple facilities in my state, some rehab. plus nursing homes and various hospitals.
The hospitals division do not support the GC applications but the "Rehab. and nursing homes" division does. However, they do require me to sign a two year contract in return to sponsoring the GC application (they also pay for the all filing expenses). They are paying me a competitive wage to start with. Has anybody on the board signed contracts like this ? Is it something I should not do ? One clause in the contract says that "I agree to stay with the employer and realize that they could move me to another facility where the the coverage is not sufficient" Is a statement like this usual or its placed there and could be used to exploit later on. Please share your opinions regarding such contracts. I have absolutely nobody to guide me and I desparately need people's opinions. Suzzane4, like other people please help me as well. Thanks.
I would not sign that at all. You need to work in a hospital. And yes, they could move you even on a daily basis where ever they need help.
If you want my opinion on this? Never, ever sign a contract like that. You will belong literally to them and they could call you at 5 am and tell you that you need to be at a facility that is 90 minutes away that morning by 7 am. It is your choice, but I would not suggest it all.
You are making our life much more easier with those valuable advices. Suzanne, can you recommend any experienced immigration attorney in south dakota or minnesota? sometimes, i wish you had a degree in law too.
You do not need the attorney to be located there for immigration law, anywhere in the country is okay. You will not find many in that area.
excuse me, what does that mean "Adjustment of Status" here? Does that mean that I can ask to extend my legal staying in usa after I graduate? How much longer can I stay if I have no OPT to use after I graduate? 60 days usdsu just said?
does anyone know how much it may cost to have an immigration attorney in TN? or any good suggestion about where to find a reliable attorney in west TN? I'm going to graduate this Dec. and am now an nusre intern on Rehab floor at the hospital. However, the hospital has already told me that they only sponsor physicians for green cards and they don't do that for foreign nurses...
Thank you anyone's input in advance!
The Adjustment of Status can be filed as soon as you have passed NCLEX and have documented proof of that to be submitted with the petition.
The VSC is currently not needed for the petition to be submitted, but will be require by immigration before you will receive your green card.
Best bet is to discuss this with your immigration attorney since they know your case personally.
usdsu
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HI Suzanne4,
i have been reading your thead all now and then. I admit it, all of your thread is very interesting and full of information. If it is possible could you give me steps that an international nursing student should follow in similar case like mine.
I am an international student in usa in F1 visa. I have a bachelor's degree from one of the us institution. I already used my opt that i got after the first bachelor's degree. Now i am in the Accelerated BSN that i will complete in 12 months. Obviously, as you have mentioned in your thread too, i would not be eligible to get another opt after completion of BSN. I already talked to my international advisor too about it just to be assured. I will graduate in Aug 25, 2007. I will definately take NCLEX right after it. Now, i think timing is very important that why i request you to break down my to do steps in sequential order. Please tell me in steps what should i do right after graduation Aug 25, 2007. I am confused do i have to wait for NCLEX test and forget about rest of the things or if there are things i should do after aug 25, 2007 until i get the license. Please also mention a tentative time line i should expect in each step until i get green card. Also, my visa expires on May 2008. From what day i should expect to start working if i follow the steps you will mention.Thank you very much Suzanne4, i have already been grateful to you after swimming in the pool of valuable information that you have in your thread.