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 am originally from the UK and am here on a J1. I am changing my visa to an F1 and starting the process of doing the prerequisites, and then doing the Accelerated BSN (I already have a Bachelors in Law from the UK) which will take 2.5yrs or thereabouts. After that I will do the NCLEX and 12 months OPT. I am hoping to specialise in PICU or NICU. Please could you advise me of the process for getting a GC when I have graduated? Thats if I want to stay of course :)
It is the same process for anyone that wishes a green card as an RN. It requires petitioning by an employer. There must be visas available at the time that the I-485 would be submitted. That is the problem that is happening right now, they are not accepting that at this time. Not sure what will be happening when you graduate.
But first you will need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam after you graduate. Nothing can be done until then.
Each case is decided on its own merit. And the US Embassy is the one that will make the final determination on this.
50% scholarship, does that include living expenses as well, or just your tuition and books? Do you have the funds to cover the other 50% plus? That is what they are going to be looking at. Since your degree that you will be working on is not directly related to nursing, it is going to be hard for you to work in that area with the CPT, if you qualify for that. And maximum that you can work is just 20 hours per week. Depending on where you will be studying, that may or may not be able to cover your expenses. And also be aware that it will not be working as an RN, but in something related to your field of training. And in most cases, that will be much less than what a nurse is earning in that area.
50% scholarship of international tuition still leaves you with a large sum that you need to show how it will be covered. And they are watching that very closely right now.
All I can say is try and see what they will let you do.
yes, i will be under my parents support financially and i will present them the other half 50% and God willing i will be able to add up some more for the personal expenses
the scholarship covers the food and accomodation, i will be staying at the university dorm the whole school semester.
with the 50% scholarship,how much do u think shud i present to the embassy aside from the other half that i shud hold for the tution fee? the tution together with the living expenses is for a total of $17,286
I am going to apply for a green card. I heard that there is a new immigration policy, which is that I 140 and I 458 can not file together. I 458 can only be filed after the approval of I 458. Does it affect a nurse who belong to schedule A? How fast will be the process?
Thank you.
Vicky
Hi,
I am a citizen of Italy. I have a bs in business from a US university and now I am working on my ADN. I will be an RN in a few months. I already contacted some recruiters at different hospitals in FL, AZ, UT that are willing to sponsor my green card. I have a couple of questions for you.
I will start working as an RN in ICU using my OPT. The hospital says that they will sponsor quickly my green card. How long is it going to take? I hear about 2 years....
Second, after finishing my OPT can I get some sort of EAD to keep working while I wait for my Green Card?
Third, during my opt I wanted to take classes at the university to finish my BSN, I am getting opposing info, can I do that during my OPT?
My ultimate goal is to get my green card while I work on ICU for 2 years, then enroll in CRNA school, but before doing that I would like to have my Green Card coming.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi,
I am a citizen of Italy. I have a bs in business from a US university and now I am working on my ADN. I will be an RN in a few months. I already contacted some recruiters at different hospitals in FL, AZ, UT that are willing to sponsor my green card. I have a couple of questions for you.
I will start working as an RN in ICU using my OPT. The hospital says that they will sponsor quickly my green card. How long is it going to take? I hear about 2 years....
Second, after finishing my OPT can I get some sort of EAD to keep working while I wait for my Green Card?
Third, during my opt I wanted to take classes at the university to finish my BSN, I am getting opposing info, can I do that during my OPT?
My ultimate goal is to get my green card while I work on ICU for 2 years, then enroll in CRNA school, but before doing that I would like to have my Green Card coming.
Thanks
Roberto
hopefully by the time you finish opt visas have been sorted but until they are and your OPT has finished then there is no EAD that you can apply for. If there are visas then it shouldn't take 2 years but a few months. I would suggest you have a read on this forum regarding retrogression as that will up date you on what is happening regarding visas
hopefully by the time you finish opt visas have been sorted but until they are and your OPT has finished then there is no EAD that you can apply for. If there are visas then it shouldn't take 2 years but a few months. I would suggest you have a read on this forum regarding retrogression as that will up date you on what is happening regarding visas
Thank you. I read about retrogression til 2 am yesterday. I will keep my options open and I will apply to BSN on line degrees for RNs in October. If the retrogression will still be there in May08 I will do my opt for 12 months than start school again to finish my BSN and buy that way more time. If the visas are sorted out I will start my BSN during my OPT then in order to shorten my way to CRNA. My ultimate goal. I found lots of hospitals in AZ, UT, FL that are willing to petition my GC, so I bet they are lobbying to get this visa problem solved before too long.
i m also applyin to jscc and will need student visa(f1),could u please provide me ur email id or contact no. so that i can talk to u personaly,could u please tell me wat kind of college is this for adn and wat r the job prospects after that.
If international students will graduate and can use OPT,
can they get a job as in a provation state like other American nursing student?
I mean, american students apply for jobs and get offered before they graduate or pass NCLEX and get license, and hospitals ask them to pass Exam in 3 months or so.
I wonder if I can do that too.
Because OPT is legal and, if I mention the hospital(of course they petitiion) that I am an international and need to be petitioned, if that possible?
My plan is,
I am graduating in 12/07 and will take the NCLEX in early February,
and my OPT will begin in sometime in Feb also.
I am currently in NYC, but I want to move to California and I know that CA requires SSN to get a license.
In my knowledge, beginning OPT with job offer, I can apply a SSN and get one. then am I ok to get a regular license and process petition?
Thank you for reading this poorly organized question.
yes, i will be under my parents support financially and i will present them the other half 50% and God willing i will be able to add up some more for the personal expenses
the scholarship covers the food and accomodation, i will be staying at the university dorm the whole school semester.
with the 50% scholarship,how much do u think shud i present to the embassy aside from the other half that i shud hold for the tution fee? the tution together with the living expenses is for a total of $17,286
Living expenses do not include laundry, food (you will not be eating 24/7 on campus), clothing, etc. And transportation costs just around town. It is not a point of trying to come up with things, you will be required to prove to them that you will have full support. And the money in the back when you go for your interview. Suggest that you speak with the international advisor at your school so they can give you a better idea of expenses in that area.
Final decision is always up to US Embassy, they make the final determination.
If international students will graduate and can use OPT,
can they get a job as in a provation state like other American nursing student?
I mean, american students apply for jobs and get offered before they graduate or pass NCLEX and get license, and hospitals ask them to pass Exam in 3 months or so.
I wonder if I can do that too.
Because OPT is legal and, if I mention the hospital(of course they petitiion) that I am an international and need to be petitioned, if that possible?
My plan is,
I am graduating in 12/07 and will take the NCLEX in early February,
and my OPT will begin in sometime in Feb also.
I am currently in NYC, but I want to move to California and I know that CA requires SSN to get a license.
In my knowledge, beginning OPT with job offer, I can apply a SSN and get one. then am I ok to get a regular license and process petition?
Thank you for reading this poorly organized question.
Looking forward to answer! Thanks!:balloons:
You have wrong information. CA will not issue a hard license until the nurse has a SSN#, but that does not mean that you cannot go thru the licensing process with them in the first place. Actually in CA, you can endorse a license from another state and get a temporary license issued that day to you when you go to the BRN in Sacramento. As long as they have verification from where you got licensed, then a done deal. Or you can go thru the licensing procedure for CA in the first place, since you will be graduating from an US program and will have a SSN#, then not an issue to do that.
In CA, very few hospitals will accept a nurse that trained in another state that only has the IP, they want to see actual proof of passing the exam in the first place. I always recommend that the foreign nurse have the NCLEX done before even applying.
Right now, the US is under a retrogression; therefore there is nothing to be started other than the I-140 submission. That does not give you permission for anything else if you would be applying at this time. We have no idea as to what will be happening next year. But if visas are available, there is no reason to wait until you finish the OPT to start the process for the green card. Not all hospitals that accept a nurse under the OPT will do their petitioning for the green card.
If you are asking for my opinion, and I think that you are: Focus on getting the NCLEX exam done as soon as you can, even before you move to CA. Always easier to get a job then. And the other thing that you need to be aware of is that most facilities in CA only have new grad programs two or three times per year, they are not roving like they are in other areas. So, you may also find it more difficult to have a facility that will let you start in February, next starting time is usually July from when you graduate. Suggest that you check things out like that first, before doing anything.
I am a citizen of Italy. I have a bs in business from a US university and now I am working on my ADN. I will be an RN in a few months. I already contacted some recruiters at different hospitals in FL, AZ, UT that are willing to sponsor my green card. I have a couple of questions for you.
I will start working as an RN in ICU using my OPT. The hospital says that they will sponsor quickly my green card. How long is it going to take? I hear about 2 years....
Second, after finishing my OPT can I get some sort of EAD to keep working while I wait for my Green Card?
Third, during my opt I wanted to take classes at the university to finish my BSN, I am getting opposing info, can I do that during my OPT?
My ultimate goal is to get my green card while I work on ICU for 2 years, then enroll in CRNA school, but before doing that I would like to have my Green Card coming.
Thanks
Roberto
Very important question for you: Did you use the OPT with your other degree at all? If so, you will not qualify for it now. That is something that I did not see you post about.
You are currently under the F-1 status, and will remain under that even if under the OPT. The OPT is not a visa, only a document that permits you to work for up to one year. It cannot be renewed.
You can continue your studies while you are under the OPT. You are still a student at that time.
The I-140 and the I-485 can be filed at the same time, the issue is that it takes about a month to get the documentation together that the attorney needs submit the I-140. The other issue is that the US is still under the retrogression, and only the I-140 can be submitted at this time. If there are no visas avaiable when you are done with your OPT, you will have to go back to becoming a full-time student to be able to remain legally in the US. And there is no way to work during that time until you can qualify for the CPT, available during you during school under certain circumstances.
I've been registered on this forum for a while, and I love reading it:redbeathe . This is my first time posting anything. I have an H-4 visa and will graduate from BSN RN programm in May of 2007. I know that I am not eligible for OPT training, and there is no GC available for nurses right now. I am very frustrated:angryfire , and I do not even know if there is another way of getting a working permit. I have a feeling that I will have my license but I will not be able to work.
I will appriciate any advice on what do I do know, or what are my choices after graduation.
klama78
23 Posts
Hi
I am originally from the UK and am here on a J1. I am changing my visa to an F1 and starting the process of doing the prerequisites, and then doing the Accelerated BSN (I already have a Bachelors in Law from the UK) which will take 2.5yrs or thereabouts. After that I will do the NCLEX and 12 months OPT. I am hoping to specialise in PICU or NICU. Please could you advise me of the process for getting a GC when I have graduated? Thats if I want to stay of course :)
Thanks :)