International nursing students in the US

[suzanne4]

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.

[usdsu]

You would need to work full-time when you are petitioned for the green card. But that can be three 12 hour shifts per week, and that would give you four days to attend class.

You will be able to attend school full-time the first semester no matter what happens with visas, the earliest that my sources are saying, as well as my crystal ball is about November when they will be released, and then you still need to wait for the processing to be done. Do not expect anything to be finalized and signed before end of July or sometime in August at the latest.

Thank you very much Suzanne.

[arin9020]

hi

i gradduated arizona nursing school as a BSn on dec 2006 and i also passsed nclex on last month

i have an high school diploma and i have been here 7 yrs already

i am currently on OPT right now which will expire on dec 2008

i was reading these post n i realized that i need visascreedn even though i graduated us schools but u said english exam will bw exclude from the requirements

about this english exam, r u talking about only tofel or every english exams such as tofel, tes? ( i know there r about three exams required)

i just started to look for a job right now but seems like they can't not do anything to petition for green card because of retogression

should i just continue apply for job now? n apply visa screen as well?

[suzanne4, RN]

hi

i gradduated arizona nursing school as a BSn on dec 2006 and i also passsed nclex on last month

i have an high school diploma and i have been here 7 yrs already

i am currently on OPT right now which will expire on dec 2008

i was reading these post n i realized that i need visascreedn even though i graduated us schools but u said english exam will bw exclude from the requirements

about this english exam, r u talking about only tofel or every english exams such as tofel, tes? ( i know there r about three exams required)

i just started to look for a job right now but seems like they can't not do anything to petition for green card because of retogression

should i just continue apply for job now? n apply visa screen as well?

If you attended nursing school in the US for your initial training, then you have that waived for you. The requirement for the others is the TOEFL series that includes the speaking section, or the IELTS series that includes the speaking section. You still need to apply for and obtain a Visa Screen Ceritificate, that is not waived for you and is required before you will get a green card.

You have the OPT so can be hired based on that, the issue is that many employers are not wishing to hire when they do not know for sure when the retrogression will be over. The EAD that you get with the OPT cannot be renewed like the other EADs can during the retrogression.

Your OPT will expire this December, they are never for more than one year. You have already used up several months of it, and that will also not be to your benefit. Right now, you have only have 7 months left of it, and there is no guarantee that you will be able to continue there afterwards. Suggest that you try to find an employer to hire you with just the OPT at this time.

[nurse2bmay07]

Hey everyone,

Am a newbie on this forum. Anyway the thing is am an F-1 student , i graduate from my BSN program in less than a week, i have my work permit that doesn't start until later so that i can have time to study for my NCLEX. My question is does anyone know any hospitals that do immigration sponsorship anywhere, i am so interested in CA but anywhere will do ?. Secondly for the vsa screen certificate after reading the forums is it a good idea to wait to get my transcripts and send everything together or does the CGFNS need the transcripts directly from the school.Thanks for help.

[suzanne4, RN]

Hey everyone,

Am a newbie on this forum. Anyway the thing is am an F-1 student , i graduate from my BSN program in less than a week, i have my work permit that doesn't start until later so that i can have time to study for my NCLEX. My question is does anyone know any hospitals that do immigration sponsorship anywhere, i am so interested in CA but anywhere will do ?. Secondly for the vsa screen certificate after reading the forums is it a good idea to wait to get my transcripts and send everything together or does the CGFNS need the transcripts directly from the school.Thanks for help.

The transcripts must come directly from your school, they csnnot accept anything like that from you. Same as with proof that you have passed the NCLEX exam. The state must send the documentation to ICHP for the Visa Screen Certificate.

You want petitioning, there is no sponsorship. That means for the H1-B visa and that does not exist for nurses for more than three years. Where are you currently?

When does your OPT actually start? Highly recommend that you focus on passing that exam so that you have a better chance of even getting hired with the OPT. Hospitals are leary right now because of the retrogression, and they are going to want proof that you have passed the NCLEX-RN before they will even consider you for a position.

[usdsu]

You would need to work full-time when you are petitioned for the green card. But that can be three 12 hour shifts per week, and that would give you four days to attend class.

You will be able to attend school full-time the first semester no matter what happens with visas, the earliest that my sources are saying, as well as my crystal ball is about November when they will be released, and then you still need to wait for the processing to be done. Do not expect anything to be finalized and signed before end of July or sometime in August at the latest.

Respected Suzanne,

I am into a new dilemma now. I thought, i would work full time (three 12-hour shifts) and will continue PharmD program too. Both of the schools that i have been accepted do not offer part time classes. Working full and taking graduate level classes fulltime does not sound very practical.

Ms Suzanne! can i petition for green card and do not apply for Adjustment of Status? That way i will be taking full time load during the green card processing period.

Is it possible to do so? Or being in the USA, i am required to do AOS once the petition for Green Card is filed?

I would greatly appreciate your suggestions.

Thanking you very much.

R.S.

[suzanne4, RN]

Respected Suzanne,

I am into a new dilemma now. I thought, i would work full time (three 12-hour shifts) and will continue PharmD program too. Both of the schools that i have been accepted do not offer part time classes. Working full and taking graduate level classes fulltime does not sound very practical.

Ms Suzanne! can i petition for green card and do not apply for Adjustment of Status? That way i will be taking full time load during the green card processing period.

Is it possible to do so? Or being in the USA, i am required to do AOS once the petition for Green Card is filed?

I would greatly appreciate your suggestions.

Thanking you very much.

R.S.

You are not required to use the AOS process if you are in the US. You can go thru Consular Processing, but not sure why you would want to do that. Most wish to get the green card as soon as possible, and not have to pay International student tuition. You may wish to continue with the PharmD program and wait to start the processing until you are done with that. Who ever is going to petition you is not going to want to wait two years for you to finish your degree. It is one thing if there is a hold up with immigration, but waiting for you to complete a degree that you have not even started yet, would not help with finding a job and going thru the petitioning process. You will be hard pressed to be able to start the procedure. When there are visas available, it is a relatively short process. Not enough time for you to complete your degree.

But next question for you is what do you actually plan to do once you get the PharmD degree? Which area do you plan to work in?

[ageis23]

Suzzane,

First of all, I am so amazed by your kindness to every question in this forum.

I hope you will answer to my question with your kindness.

I like to share my situation first. My situation is more or less like usdsu situation. I already used up my OPT and am graduating this May from ASN program. I applied to and am accepted to the BSN program from next semester.

Even though hospitals might support green card or visa, I understand that there is currently no working visa available. However, can I ,at least , ask hospital for a job after passing NCLEX? If I pass NCLEX and find a hospital who may support me, what is the best option I have now?

I like to thank you to Suzzane or somebody who can answer to my question.

Charlie

[suzanne4, RN]

Suzzane,

First of all, I am so amazed by your kindness to every question in this forum.

I hope you will answer to my question with your kindness.

I like to share my situation first. My situation is more or less like usdsu situation. I already used up my OPT and am graduating this May from ASN program. I applied to and am accepted to the BSN program from next semester.

Even though hospitals might support green card or visa, I understand that there is currently no working visa available. However, can I ,at least , ask hospital for a job after passing NCLEX? If I pass NCLEX and find a hospital who may support me, what is the best option I have now?

I like to thank you to Suzzane or somebody who can answer to my question.

Charlie

First, take and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. You will get better offers then. Currently there are no available options for you as far as work, there are no visas available, and until there are, you cannot have your status adjusted.

The only option that you have available to remain in the US legally is to cintinue with your F-1 status, and that is what you are doing. Most facilities will not do anything until we know for sure when things are going to end. And that is usually three months before the visas will become available again.

[usdsu]

You are not required to use the AOS process if you are in the US. You can go thru Consular Processing, but not sure why you would want to do that. Most wish to get the green card as soon as possible, and not have to pay International student tuition. You may wish to continue with the PharmD program and wait to start the processing until you are done with that. Who ever is going to petition you is not going to want to wait two years for you to finish your degree. It is one thing if there is a hold up with immigration, but waiting for you to complete a degree that you have not even started yet, would not help with finding a job and going thru the petitioning process. You will be hard pressed to be able to start the procedure. When there are visas available, it is a relatively short process. Not enough time for you to complete your degree.

But next question for you is what do you actually plan to do once you get the PharmD degree? Which area do you plan to work in?

Respected Suzanne,

I want to go into Academia as my career choice. I want to teach in the Nursing school and conduct researches in nursing fields. I picked pharmacy school as my back up plan and I think I could relate the knowledge of drugs in my future research. PharmD degree will also add up the credibility of my knowledge. PharmD will by my fourth degree. The diverse cultural and academic experiences will help me to set myself as a distinct role model of male professional dedicated to nursing research. I am very sure no university will petition for Schedule A for nurses and with the license of R.N. if I have benefits of applying for schedule A visa, I would not want to miss that either.

At the same time, I am not familiar with Consular process. Is that what foreign nurses do when they apply for GC from their native country? You also mentioned it take longer time. How long does it take? I really wanted to work part time as a nurse while being on pharmacy school. But, as you mentioned earlier, after the change of status and getting EAD, I have to hold a full time job to remain in status. So, I cannot work part time which means the only option I will have to gain clinical experience is to work as a volunteer. I am willing to do that as it will benefit me in the long run towards my ultimate goal. I was trying to find out some options that will either let me work part time as an R.N. while I will be in pharmacy school and GC processing goes along the time (this will be the ideal option for me). Or the other way, I will petition for GC and volunteer in that hospital two days per week until I graduate from pharm school. I am not sure If I am asking a lot.

Sincerely,

R.S.

[suzanne4, RN]

There is currently no Schedule A available so do not even focus on that. And with the PharmD, you will also qualify for the EB-2 visa, so that will speed things up for you in the first place. Unviersities do petition for the green card, it is done all of the time. You just do not hear much about it, because most are not nurses and cannot get expedited. But that you will also have the PharmD will get you brownie points.

I actually attended pharmacy school back when the PharmD programs were just starting, so very familiar with that. Also completed a pharmacy internship.

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If and when the visas become available, I would go for the Adjustment of Status as the RN. Do not expect anything to be available until November if you add on 90 days to August. Your second semester would be done in April/May of 2008 or so. You would be able to work full-time that summer and get your hospital orientation done as a new grad.

Some hospitals actually have what they call the Baylor Plan, where you work a twelve hour shift each and every weekend. And get paid and get benefits of being a full-time employee. That is something to consider if it is available where you will be attending school. Most PharmD programs have course work only Monday-Thursday for many programs.

Let me think about this and see if I can come up with anymore suggestions for you.

[usdsu]

There is currently no Schedule A available so do not even focus on that. And with the PharmD, you will also qualify for the EB-2 visa, so that will speed things up for you in the first place. Unviersities do petition for the green card, it is done all of the time. You just do not hear much about it, because most are not nurses and cannot get expedited. But that you will also have the PharmD will get you brownie points.

I actually attended pharmacy school back when the PharmD programs were just starting, so very familiar with that. Also completed a pharmacy internship.

-----------------

If and when the visas become available, I would go for the Adjustment of Status as the RN. Do not expect anything to be available until November if you add on 90 days to August. Your second semester would be done in April/May of 2008 or so. You would be able to work full-time that summer and get your hospital orientation done as a new grad.

Some hospitals actually have what they call the Baylor Plan, where you work a twelve hour shift each and every weekend. And get paid and get benefits of being a full-time employee. That is something to consider if it is available where you will be attending school. Most PharmD programs have course work only Monday-Thursday for many programs.

Let me think about this and see if I can come up with anymore suggestions for you.

Respected Suzanne,

Thank you very much for your reply. I did a quick search in both Birmingham (AL) and Las Vegas (NV) because i have to choose one school from either of those states. I did find the Baylor plan in one of the hospital (St. Vincent Hospital) in Birmingham. Human Resource runs through the normal business hours. So, i will be calling them tomorrow.

Ms. Suzanne! how would i approach the hospital or Human Resource? How should i bring the issue of green card and EAD or AOS to them? I am ready to have my own attorney and willing to pay any cost for the procedure. Please give me some tips on how to approach them about it? What kinds of things i should be asking or making clear while i talk to them tomorrow regarding the green card processing?

Also, good thing about their baylor shift was that i will be working two 12 hours shifts (Sat and Sun) and will be considered full time employee. Thats all i was looking for. I wanted to work on weekend and it seems like a dream job to me. Very ideal one.

I will definately need a good attorney for sure. I would appreciate if you kindly send me a private message and recommend me few names of the attorneys who are good on handling these types of cases.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

R.S.