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.
Truly you are a beacon on stormy seas for many of us. Thank God for people like you.
If the school cannot/will not help me file my I-539 from inside the US, do you know if it is wise for me to just go ahead send in a "Change of status" application? I mean, should I go ahead and apply on my own?
Wayne
Best suggestion is to have an immigration attorney guide you and do the filing for you. You want to make sure that everyhting is done 100% perfectly. Since the school knows nothing about it, it is worth the fee of the attorney to have him do it.
I need some help from those of you who are already in the process for GC. I am a US educated nurse and live in NY. I am currently looking for an attorney who is familiar with this type of cases. Please send me a private message if you have any suggestions. Thanks!
actually, I am not in the process yet. There is a hospital that usually do not sponsor, but they might consider me. So they wanted to have some more info on the process and asked me if I have an attorney in mind.
You do not need to use an attorney in your state, they can be anywhere in the country. Make sure that you have a good rapport with them, and that they work with RNs. There are special items required for the nurse process for a green card which is different from others.
Essentially, the facility only needs to give a letter stating that you have been offered a job, pending immigration approval, a document that states that the salary that they offer to you is the same as that they are offering to American RNs. This is a requirement of the US Government, and immigration will not aaprove a petition if the salary is lower, as well as financials. Very easy on the hospital part.
I have an attorney here in California, if you are interested. Specialty is nurses.
Thank you so much Suzanne4, now I get the process much better. Do you mean Carl Shusterman as an attorney that you have in California (I've searched the link that Brian have posted)? If it is not, please forward the info to me. Thanks again.
Sorry, but I definitely do not use him. He is one that advertises quite a bit on the internet, but I much prefer some others. I have never referred anyone to him.
I recommend the hospital uses their own legal department to recommend an attorney for immigration.
My brother who lives in NY did a lot of research when i was seeking a position in the US and hospitals may sponsor you for a greencard however any management change in the hospitals (they are private and very large) or if there is a budget cut or financial difficulty, generally they cancel sponsorship for foreign nurses instead of making local nurses redundant.
Make sure hospital will hire you and there is an assurance or guarantee of continuing sponsorship no matter what
i have a question about geting H1 on nursing, the issue is i want to go and marry back in my country and bring my wife with me and gettinga green card would delay it...so wanted to knwo if nurses fall under the alloted quota of H1 visas? or i can bring my wife here after filling for my grrencard .. just want to clarify my facts before i start any resreach... i would be graduating frm a bSN prgm in May, 2006.
thanks for sharing all the valuable information... hope u gys have answer to my silly querry...
I recommend the hospital uses their own legal department to recommend an attorney for immigration.
My brother who lives in NY did a lot of research when i was seeking a position in the US and hospitals may sponsor you for a greencard however any management change in the hospitals (they are private and very large) or if there is a budget cut or financial difficulty, generally they cancel sponsorship for foreign nurses instead of making local nurses redundant.
Make sure hospital will hire you and there is an assurance or guarantee of continuing sponsorship no matter what
Hope this helps
Lena
Actually I do not advise that. Most hospital legal departments are not familiar with immigration law, and may not steer you in the right direction. The nurse should do her or his homework and find one that they feel comfortable with, just like you pick a doctor.
i have a question about geting H1 on nursing, the issue is i want to go and marry back in my country and bring my wife with me and gettinga green card would delay it...so wanted to knwo if nurses fall under the alloted quota of H1 visas? or i can bring my wife here after filling for my grrencard .. just want to clarify my facts before i start any resreach... i would be graduating frm a bSN prgm in May, 2006.
thanks for sharing all the valuable information... hope u gys have answer to my silly querry...
H1-B visas are not available for nurses right now, and I would stay as far away from them as you can if they ever do. They can pay you "slave" wages, they are not required to pay you at the going rate for American RNs. Your best bet would be to get the OPT that will permit you to work for one year after you get it, while getting immigration things done. Do not appyl for your green card without your wife on there as a spousal dependent on the application, or she will be waiting about two years before joining you.
Please send me a private message if you have any suggestions. Thanks!
suzanne4, RN
26,410 Posts
Best suggestion is to have an immigration attorney guide you and do the filing for you. You want to make sure that everyhting is done 100% perfectly. Since the school knows nothing about it, it is worth the fee of the attorney to have him do it.