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.
What is your sudgestion if you hold ADN RN degree from a school and missed OPT opportunity from that school. And then you tranferred to different school as F-1, major in surgical technology. Can I apply OPT while I go to that school ?
Hi, I am international nursing student at RCC NY. I will graduate in december 2007
i will apply for my OPT somewhere in october 2007
I have a question about Visa Screen Certificate :
-when should i send my application for Visa Screen Certificate
- can i do my opt without Visa Screen Certificate
- can i work without Visa Screen Certificate
Anybody can give me a list of the hospitals in NY that sponsor for green card
Thank you for your answers
The VSC is needed for immigration purposes, when you are on the OPT, you are still under the F-1 status. Yes, you can work under the OPT without the VSC, but it is needed to get a green card. Suggest that you start the process when you complete the NCLEX exam. You are going to need it sooner or later. Remember that the OPT is only good for up to one year and is not renewable.
What is your sudgestion if you hold ADN RN degree from a school and missed OPT opportunity from that school. And then you tranferred to different school as F-1, major in surgical technology. Can I apply OPT while I go to that school ?
Thank you in advance.
The OPT was only good to be applied for before you graduated from the ADN program. If you are under a different major now, then anythign having to do woth the previous degree is not in effect. As a student, the only thing that you could possibly get is the CPT, the OPT is only for once you have finished that degree and are getting a year of training.
No OPT in nursing is available to you at this time.
Hi. I am new here and I have a question. I am currently an international student LVN who is about to graduate from an Associate Degree RN program on november, I want to know what my chances are of getting a working visa. I studied my LVN here and i am currently using my OPT to work and at the same time attend RN school. I am scared that i might not be able to work after finishing school and get sent home because I am international student. help pls...
To answer your first question right from the start, there are no working visas available for you. Only the green card. H1-B visas are not available for nurses, and the bigger issue is that they are only open to submit a petitin two times per year and they will not even be available until next April at the earliest, so that does not help you in any way at all. The only reason that you can work with the LVN is that you are under the F-1 status and have the EAD.
Whether or not you can get another OPT will be the defining answer, as well as if visas are currrent at that time for anything further.
Hi is this only for international students who are graduating withthe BSN or MSN degree? What about those who are graduating with just an AS degree and do hospitals only petition for those with a BSN or MSN degrees?
H1-B visas are not available for nurses, and have not been available for a nurse in the bedside role for more than three years. The only thing that is available for you is the green card. If you are under the F-1 status, then you have the OPT available to you in most cases. If under the H-4 status, it will be dependent on if visas are available when you graduate.
Hospitals can petition you with the two year degree, but the issue is if there will be current visas available when you are ready to begin the process.
Is there still retrogression for nurses?and what is the current immigration law of acquiting employment based green card through nursing.Any information will be appreciated.I currently have EAD.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Dear Suzanne,
Is there still retrogression for nurses?and what is the current immigration law of acquiting employment based green card through nursing.Any information will be appreciated.I currently have EAD.
retrogression is currently still on although next month bulletin will be current. I think you should be OK if you keep renewing EAD although next month there is a chance you will get one of the visas being released
I HAVE CURRENTLY NOT FILED FOR THE EMPLOYMENT BASED GREEN CARD THOUGH I FOUND AN EMPLOYER ONE WHO IS WILLINGLY TO DO THAT FOR ME.I GRADUATE IN 4 WEEKS AND I WILL BE STARTING THE PROCESS THEN.
MY COUNTRY IS NOT IN BACK LOG OF VISA NUMBERS.mY SISTER JUST GOT HER GREEN CARD THROUGH HER HUSBAND WHO IS A MEDICAL DOCTOR SND IT TOOK THEM 8 MONTHS FROM FILLING TO GREEN CARD ISSUANCE.
iTS THAT THE SAME FOR NURSES?AND WILL BE THE RETROGRESSION BE OVER ANY TIME SOON?I AM THINKING OF TRYING CANADA IF THERE WILL STILL BE RETROGRESSION IN PLACE.MY EAD EXPIRES OCTOBER 08,BUT I WANT A GREEN CARD BEFORE THEN.I START NP SCHOOL IN JANUARY AND I REALLY DONT WANT TO PAY OUT OF STATE AND HUGE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FEE.I AM ALSO PLANNING TO GO HOME IN APRIL TOO.WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE?BUT NEVERTHELESS THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
hI,
I HAVE CURRENTLY NOT FILED FOR THE EMPLOYMENT BASED GREEN CARD THOUGH I FOUND AN EMPLOYER ONE WHO IS WILLINGLY TO DO THAT FOR ME.I GRADUATE IN 4 WEEKS AND I WILL BE STARTING THE PROCESS THEN.
MY COUNTRY IS NOT IN BACK LOG OF VISA NUMBERS.mY SISTER JUST GOT HER GREEN CARD THROUGH HER HUSBAND WHO IS A MEDICAL DOCTOR SND IT TOOK THEM 8 MONTHS FROM FILLING TO GREEN CARD ISSUANCE.
iTS THAT THE SAME FOR NURSES?AND WILL BE THE RETROGRESSION BE OVER ANY TIME SOON?I AM THINKING OF TRYING CANADA IF THERE WILL STILL BE RETROGRESSION IN PLACE.MY EAD EXPIRES OCTOBER 08,BUT I WANT A GREEN CARD BEFORE THEN.I START NP SCHOOL IN JANUARY AND I REALLY DONT WANT TO PAY OUT OF STATE AND HUGE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FEE.I AM ALSO PLANNING TO GO HOME IN APRIL TOO.WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE?BUT NEVERTHELESS THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY.
May be a little easier for you are you trained in the US, No one knows how long retrogression is going to last although releasing some visas next month may make things a little easier the visas do cover all categories not just nurses. Once visas are released you should be able to file and start GC process
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
I Am Schooling In The Us.so Are You Saying That The Release Of Visa's Means The End To Retrogression?
no the release is more like a band aide and won't last long. From July visas will be current but once they have gone who knows where it will regress back to
Things are not any easier if the nurse trains in the US, they still need to go thru the same processes for immigration. Not special merit for training in the US. And if you have not graduated yet, it means that your EAD is thru the OPT. That EAD is not renewable, it is different from the one that you get when you go thru Adjustment of Status.
The issue for you is that you have not actually graduated yet, and have not taken and passed the NCLEX exam. That must be done before any attorney can submit any initial petition on your behalf. The I-140 is not under retrogression, but the rest are. There is still no separate category for nurses, all are included with all that under the EB-3 cateogry.
And it also requires a document from your BON, not just seeing your name on their website or getting early results on the Pearson-Vue website. So you are not really going to be able to do anything until Spetember in terms of getting something submitted on your behalf. Not sure what visas will be like at that time. But again, the retrogression for nurses is not over. This is only a small window of opportunity.
Even if you start the process this fall, no saying as to how long that it will take for you to actually get the green card. Will just have to wait and see.
helpme
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Hi all and especially you madam/miss Suzanne.
What is your sudgestion if you hold ADN RN degree from a school and missed OPT opportunity from that school. And then you tranferred to different school as F-1, major in surgical technology. Can I apply OPT while I go to that school ?
Thank you in advance.