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.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
That means even my I-140 get approved, but there is retrogression, I can not turn in the I-485, so I can not work. Am I understand it correctly? But isn't that we can turn in applications for I-140 and I-485 at the same time?
See, I get confused with I-140 and I-485, I don't know the retrogression affects the I-140 or I-485. Which will allow me to work in the US legally?
OK, if I get the I-140 approved but still can not file I-485 before OPT end, I need to change to F-1. My question is that if retrogression stops after I change to a F-1, will the I-140 still valid and will I be able to apply for I-485?
Thanks again!
L.Y.
Currently with retrogression you can only file I140 not the I485 and it is this which authorises you to work. Your I140 once approved and with the same facility is still valid but I am unsure if you can then apply for I485. Suzanne is the one to answer this
Currently with retrogression you can only file I140 not the I485 and it is this which authorises you to work. Your I140 once approved and with the same facility is still valid but I am unsure if you can then apply for I485. Suzanne is the one to answer this
Dear Silverdragon102,
Thank you for clarifying. I really appreciate your time and effects to answer my questions!
I will see if Suzanne get a chance to take a look at my questions.
I am currently in the first year of an ADN program in Texas. I am on an H4 Visa.
My husband's company had applied for his Green card in August 2001 under EB3. His case was stuck under retrogression until now but his date is now current in June 2007. He is filing his 485 this month and has applied for EAD card for me.
I have couple of questions
1) With this EAD card can I get a SSN.
2) With EAD card can I work as a nurse when I graduate ? As I understand the EAD is renewable every year until we get our green card.
3) Do I need to get visa screen if I am a US ADN and working on an EAD derived through my hubby ?
I think you can get a SSN and work as a nurse when you graduate. I believe the Visa Screen is needed only if you need the hospital/agency sponsors you Green Card or H1C/TN visa etc.
I have a friend who is a foreign nurse married to a US citizen, she didn't pass the English test and didn't have a Visa screen, but she has GC through marriage and she works as a nurse for more than a few years now. So I guess there should not be any problem for you either.
I am currently in the first year of an ADN program in Texas. I am on an H4 Visa.
My husband's company had applied for his Green card in August 2001 under EB3. His case was stuck under retrogression until now but his date is now current in June 2007. He is filing his 485 this month and has applied for EAD card for me.
I have couple of questions
1) With this EAD card can I get a SSN.
2) With EAD card can I work as a nurse when I graduate ? As I understand the EAD is renewable every year until we get our green card.
3) Do I need to get visa screen if I am a US ADN and working on an EAD derived through my hubby ?
at what stage during employment on opt does your employer start sponsorship?. MY opt starts may 07 and ends May 08. Do employers have a special time to start sponsorship or it can be started as soon as i am hired.
at what stage during employment on opt does your employer start sponsorship?. MY opt starts may 07 and ends May 08. Do employers have a special time to start sponsorship or it can be started as soon as i am hired.
Hello Nursedenes,
I would like to make pass on few comments for you even though your questions were directed to Ms. Suzanne.
1. Please do not use the word "sponsorship" for nurses. That is completely different story. Once your nurse recruiters hear the word "sponsorship", they will assume it as H1B process which is comparatively very hectic and time consuming and requires a lot of paperworks. (please use "search" as your best friend in this forum, you will find a lot of information about it).
2. Currently there is no Schedule A visa available for right now. (its a period of retrogression). Please do search in the forum and you will get a lot of info on it. Green card will be available for nurses only after lifting retrogression.
Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any further questions.
I am currently in the first year of an ADN program in Texas. I am on an H4 Visa.
My husband's company had applied for his Green card in August 2001 under EB3. His case was stuck under retrogression until now but his date is now current in June 2007. He is filing his 485 this month and has applied for EAD card for me.
I have couple of questions
1) With this EAD card can I get a SSN.
2) With EAD card can I work as a nurse when I graduate ? As I understand the EAD is renewable every year until we get our green card.
3) Do I need to get visa screen if I am a US ADN and working on an EAD derived through my hubby ?
Thanks
You can work as an RN on that EAD, you are getting a visa as a dependent of your spouse. And yes, that EAD is renewable for you until you get the green card.
Currently, you do not need the VSC since you are not the one that is applying for the visa. However, by the time that you graduate, you may be required to have one. We are expecting it to be required of all foreign nurses working in the US in the near future. We have had a big problem with nurses not being able to speak English well enough to pass the exam, but because they married someone from here, that requirement got waived for them. But there has been many facilities pushing for this to be done. Since you have trained in the US, you only need to go thru the process once you take the NCLEX exam. That is all that you need to do for it.
at what stage during employment on opt does your employer start sponsorship?. MY opt starts may 07 and ends May 08. Do employers have a special time to start sponsorship or it can be started as soon as i am hired.
A petition can be submitted for you as soon as their are visas available. Currently, they are only accepting the I-140 petition and nothing more. You are still under the F-1 status while you are on the OPT until the AOS petition is filed for you, that is on hold currently. Process must be started before your OPT finishes, or you will have only 60 days before you will need to leave the US.
And do not use the word sponsorship, it just does not exist for nurses. Neither does the H1-B visa, or anything similar.
I think you can get a SSN and work as a nurse when you graduate. I believe the Visa Screen is needed only if you need the hospital/agency sponsors you Green Card or H1C/TN visa etc.
I have a friend who is a foreign nurse married to a US citizen, she didn't pass the English test and didn't have a Visa screen, but she has GC through marriage and she works as a nurse for more than a few years now. So I guess there should not be any problem for you either.
You only get a SSN# when you have a visa that will permit you to work. This poster will be able to work because of the spouse, but that is not the case for many posters here that remain on the H-4 visa. They are required to wait until the AOS can be obtained.
And again that your friend got a green card thru marriage, but did not take the English exams and they were not waived for her, just proves my point now. Expect to see the VSC as a requirement for any foreign nurse that wishes to work in the US, and that not waived if they are getting a spousal green card.
I am a F-1 student who's currently under OPT (expires on June, 2008). There is a hospital agree to petition me once I get the license. I know there is retrogression. Even the hospital file I-140 for me during OPT and get approved, I can not file I-485 , so I want to continue to a BSN program.
My question is, if I have an approved I-140 in hand, will I still be eligible to apply for a new I-20? Should I wait until retrogression almost ends to file I-140?
BTW, is there hope that the retrogression can be lifted before my OPT ends?
hi there...my name is daniel..i'm a male nurse from Romania...i found something interesting while surfing the web....http://www.foreignnurseseducation.com..this is the site that caught my attention...this organisation says that they are specialised in recruiting,preparing and placing foreign nurses for US...after paying a $50 admission fee into their programme..they will help u with immigration visa,CGFNS,NCLEX...even the preparation courses(4-8 months)are paid by them...i need some advice here..there is anybody who knows them?..is this a serious thing or a swindle?
Silverdragon102, BSN
1 Article; 39,477 Posts
Currently with retrogression you can only file I140 not the I485 and it is this which authorises you to work. Your I140 once approved and with the same facility is still valid but I am unsure if you can then apply for I485. Suzanne is the one to answer this