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.
Sounds like a good plan. But you make mention of if you go home, then you will not get back into the US. If you do not have the proper documentation right now, then you cannot even start the green card process, or even the OPT process without having immigration problems.
Please be very careful with this, the EAD that comes with the OPT is sent by immigration, if you do not think that you can go home again and return; then you are going to have big issues with this.
thanks, actually I have all the prope documentation to go home. I am fully legal, and I believe that nurses should be good citizens and respect all the laws.
My attorney told me, however, not to get out of the country with a student visa because with a wife and two kids somme immigration officials at the border may deny you access for any little thing they might find wrong......... I heard of horror stories of people with proper documentation being denied access because of a typo or any small mistake in the documentation. I spent so much money and time in this education that hearing this from an attorney makes me want to take no risks and stay in the US till the GC is approved.....
That is fine then, we just see those that post here that do not have the legal documentation to return home and come back to the US. And then they cannot even apply for anything to begin work.
Always like to follow up before the person starts anytime of petitionng process, or even for the EAD.
Your attorney has given you great information. I would follow that.He is correct, the Advanced Parole does not guarantee that you will be permitted back into the US. Many do not understand that.
I am a senior nursing student graduating in May. This is going to be my second career, second bachelors degree, which means I will not be able to use my OPT. I am positive that I will pass NCLEX without any problem. I am thinking of enrolling in Kaplan for something like GRE after passing my NCLEX, so that it could provide me with some time to look for jobs and allow me to stay in the US legally. Suzanne, do you see any problem with my plans?
I am also planning to apply for Visa Screen Certificate next year after completion of my school. I am trying to remain on top of things at the moment. As an international student who have completed nursing school here, am I eligible for EB-3 category? Only problem, I see with my position is that I don't have work experience to show after school?
Or anyone in the forum, if you know any hospitals or recruting agency that have succesfully hired international nursing students who were educated in the US, please lend me your advice or information.
Any foreign nurse that needs to get petitioned is under the EB-3 catedoty, whether they train in the US or in another country. No difference. So that is not a problem.
The issue will be that you need to pass the NCLEX-RN exam before you should even look for a job. A facility cannot legally offer you anything without having that done since you are not able to use the OPT.
Does not matter who is hiring at this time, things are changing all of the time, and who is petitioning now may not be doing it next year.
I would focus on getting close to finishing your program before even starting to look. And again, you will find more open doors with the NCLEX passed already.
Hi....i just want to ask if i have a BSN already but was done outside USA....is it possible to take a refresher course in the US and work eventually?
Yes it is possible. Try to contact Gateway Community College here in Phoenix AZ. They have a program for returning nurses (nurses who did other jobs and wanting to do nursing again). The school adm will also tell you the requirements. If you are from the Philippines you may need a student visa. Gateway's international student advisor: [email protected]. Good luck.
thanks silverdragon102...i dont think PI offres refrsher courses for nurses....i had my BSN in 1996...i have been working in the Arabian Gulf as a nurse for 8 years...and i plan to take or have a Nursing refresher course in the States. I dunno if there are places i can work with just my BSN degree Have my RN when i get there.
If you are already working as a nurse why do you need a refresher course? If your intention is to work in the US it would be advisable for you to work on getting and passing the nclex, then getting an employer or recruiter to file a petition for you.
Yes it is possible. Try to contact Gateway Community College here in Phoenix AZ. They have a program for returning nurses (nurses who did other jobs and wanting to do nursing again). The school adm will also tell you the requirements. If you are from the Philippines you may need a student visa. Gateway's international student advisor: [email protected]. Good luck.
For those that are reading this:
You must hold a US license to be able to take a refresher course in the US. Student visa alone is not acceptable without having the actual RN license.
And a student visa for just this one course is very hard to get.
You have been the goddess, the savior, in these rough times. I was actually trying to pay money to immigration lawyers to find all these information that you already have in your forum. I had many questions and just reading all the questions/answers in your forum has helped me with most questions that had bothered me for quite some time. To add to the list of question, here is one more for you:
Since I will not be enjoying the benefits for OPT once again, as I used it already for my first degree, after passing NCLEX exam, am I required to have to have an employer in order to petition for AOS or I can apply for petition on my own? Sorry if its a dumb question, but if I can on my own, that would be nice.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hi Suzanne,
You have been the goddess, the savior, in these rough times. I was actually trying to pay money to immigration lawyers to find all these information that you already have in your forum. I had many questions and just reading all the questions/answers in your forum has helped me with most questions that had bothered me for quite some time. To add to the list of question, here is one more for you:
Since I will not be enjoying the benefits for OPT once again, as I used it already for my first degree, after passing NCLEX exam, am I required to have to have an employer in order to petition for AOS or I can apply for petition on my own? Sorry if its a dumb question, but if I can on my own, that would be nice.
Wherever you are, big hugs!
psherpa
you need an employer to do AOS it can not be done on your own and that is as long as there are visas to adjust which at the moment there isn't although things may have changed by the time you complete your study
You have been the goddess, the savior, in these rough times. I was actually trying to pay money to immigration lawyers to find all these information that you already have in your forum. I had many questions and just reading all the questions/answers in your forum has helped me with most questions that had bothered me for quite some time. To add to the list of question, here is one more for you:
Since I will not be enjoying the benefits for OPT once again, as I used it already for my first degree, after passing NCLEX exam, am I required to have to have an employer in order to petition for AOS or I can apply for petition on my own? Sorry if its a dumb question, but if I can on my own, that would be nice.
Wherever you are, big hugs!
psherpa
You are quite welcome.:balloons:
A couple of other facts for you:
Your student visa is only good for 60 days after you last day of class. You need to be able to have the I-485 submitted at that time, or continue on with your studies to be able to keep the student visa designation. At this time, it will up to what will be happening with immigration at that time.
Please keep me posted as to how things are going for you.
( And Anna is correct on what she told you above.)
roberto6464
12 Posts
thanks, actually I have all the prope documentation to go home. I am fully legal, and I believe that nurses should be good citizens and respect all the laws.
My attorney told me, however, not to get out of the country with a student visa because with a wife and two kids somme immigration officials at the border may deny you access for any little thing they might find wrong......... I heard of horror stories of people with proper documentation being denied access because of a typo or any small mistake in the documentation. I spent so much money and time in this education that hearing this from an attorney makes me want to take no risks and stay in the US till the GC is approved.....