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 offered Job and my hospital is abt 70% sure about filing a petition and they seem to be confused abt my status.. as i worked there on CPT...and i told them that i will get my attorney.. then they refused and insisted..that they will work thru their own attorney.., who according to me knws a few things abt this matter... so wat would be my next step.. i have a meeting wid the VP of HR...and i get my OPT in end of july..
taking Nclex in july...
i dunno how to approach them..
Do you know how many months that you have left for your OPT?
If they want you to use their attorney, then you have no choice but to follow what they want you to do.
The OPT has nothng at all to do with the petition for the green card, they are two completely separate things. And do not influence each other.
I am in talks with a hospital about working for them. Things look optimistic but the recruiter is not very familiar with the process of hiring a foreign nurse. They are aware that I graduated from a US nursing school. What they really want to know is how far they are going to be involved in my Green card process.
I am quite unsure myself and was wondering if anyone could give me an idea on how much involvement the hospital would be looking at?
Since you are in the US already, the input from the facility is simialr to completing two documents for the immigration attorney. That is it, 95% of it is done by the attorney, the facility just needs to provide information ot the attorney. Since the facility has no idea, make sure that you use an attorney that is very familiar with working with nurses. Not all immigration attorneys are created equal.
Since you are in the US already, the input from the facility is simialr to completing two documents for the immigration attorney. That is it, 95% of it is done by the attorney, the facility just needs to provide information ot the attorney. Since the facility has no idea, make sure that you use an attorney that is very familiar with working with nurses. Not all immigration attorneys are created equal.
Thanks Suzanne!
The hospital said they would talk to an immigration specialist and get back with me.
Suzanne,thank you for your help. I got a lot of info from this site.
I have a few questions for you. My OPT will finish in september,in NY. I got VCS in june. My hospital is sponsoring me. My lawyer sending I140 + I485 together next week. I'm very worried about EAD. I have to work.
1.Is it true that you have to get I140 approval before EAD approval?
2.How long to wait for I140 approval and EAD in NY?
3.Is it better to send I140 and I485 together or separate?
I just graduated and passed my NCLEX. I have an OPT that expires next year but I would like to be sponsored right away and avoid waisting some time. Does anybody have any suggestion on how to approach hospitals about sponsorship? I already had 1 interview for a training program. I was not accepted in their program. I think it turned them off when I said I would need sponsorship. Also, if they say yes for sponsorship, should I take their word for it? Is it done right away? Did anybody go through this?
I suggest that you get a list of hospitals in your area and call the nurse recruiter and ask if they sponsor nurses before you waste time even applying. Most hospitals will pay for the process. If not they will suggest an immigration attorney and you will have to pay approx$4000 including immigration fees. I suggest while you do these other things you obtain you Visa Screen certificate from CGFNS-about $400.. They have a so called stream lined process if you were educated in the states. NO ENGLISH EXAM. LOL. I suggest that you start soon so that your 1 year OPT does not run out before you get any other employment authorization document. Also make sure that the reputation of the hospital that you finally end up with is good. It may be painful to have to stay there for 1 year or two if you dont like it.
you should just ask them because it does not matter how sweet the offer if they cant sponsor you, you cant take it. Which state are you in? Use the yellow pages or hospitalsoup.com, or google it...for example NY Hospitals and lists will pop up with contact info
Which state are you? i know alot of hospitals in Los Angels, Baltimore and New york that will sponsor and have plenty of information on there websites about the whole process. you may want to take a look at their websites.
i'm on f-1 status and currently pursuing a associate's degree in nursing. my degree will complete in fall 2007, but i have a valid visa till may 2008. will i get the OPT being an associate degree student.
You are entitled to OPT after every degree that you receive. Check out the International student website.
Sorry, but that is incorrect. The OPT is only available for one year, if you use it up earlier with another degree, then it is no longer available to you.
suzanne4, RN
26,410 Posts
Do you know how many months that you have left for your OPT?
If they want you to use their attorney, then you have no choice but to follow what they want you to do.
The OPT has nothng at all to do with the petition for the green card, they are two completely separate things. And do not influence each other.