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 just graduated from a BSN program and just applied to NJ sate board for testing (we have to do fingerprinting and background checks). Meanwhile I thought I will get my visa screen stuff done but it won't let me complete the online application without entering license information / certification; which I don't have. The customer support informed me that they need state license to verify and process visa screen under 'streamlined processed' in addition to school transcript. Now it seems that it is going to take couple of months to complete. Is this true? Any thought on this process?
Visa Screen normally can take about four months to process. There is nothing that can be done with it as far as processing until you have actualy passed NCLEX and have been issued a license, especially since you are already in the US.
You can receive the VSC in as early as one month after they receive th eproof that you passed the NCLEX exam, but without that, there is nothing that they can do. But if you have an OPT, then it should not be an issue.
Did you graduate from school in the US? If so, you should have applied for the OPT before you graduated, if not you will have to wait. What type of visa are you on? You can still be petitioned for the green card with an Adjustment of Status filed on your behalf as soon as you pass the NCLEX exam. You do not need the VSC in hand to do that.
I was under the impression that they need only school transcript for US educated nurses, to start processing the visa screen. I have applied for OPT before my graduation and it is under processing (about 45 days). Now that I have cleared the exit exam, I am waiting for school to inform the state board for testing.
Would you recommend sending a postal visa screen application + $325 fees , and asking school to send transcript, so that they can start the process subject to pending license info.?
The nursing recruiter at local hospital told me that they can't start the filing process without the visa screen certificate. But you have mentioned that the employer can petition me for the green card with an Adjustment of Status filed on my behalf before the visa screen. At what stage do they need Visa screen certificate? thanks/Mano
They need transcripts as well as proof that you have passed NCLEX before you will be granted a Visa Screen Certificate. The requirement for the VSC is either to pass CGFNS, which you do not need to take, or the NCLEX exam. Have you actually applied yet for the VSC?
Sorry, but the hospital has incorrect information, only a passing score on NCLEX is actually required to submit the AOS on your behalf. The VSC would be needed bofore the actual issue of the green card, but you can get the EAD without it. And since you are not required to ahve the English exams, then there is only the NCLEX that you need.
Thanks a bunch! so the employer can file I-140 and I-485 Adjustment of Status with nclex.....great relief!
I tried the online application but I am stuck at the license information / certification screen and with out that it won't allow me to progress or pay the fee. I can only print a transcript request page from that. I gus I need to mail the application with the fees.
Also what is the current EB3 processing time, I am worried whether the retrogression on visa umbers going to impact by the time I start (march/april 06). thanks/ mano
I am new here, and this, let me say is a great site. I am an F1 student and will be graduating from a US school (RN). I am a canadian citizen, born in India. so when filing for GC which country will be taken into consideration? will I fall into the retrogression (for India etc...) or will I be a canadian filing for US greencard.
Also suzanne, can you suggest me (or any who happens to know) any hospitals in Texas or elsewhere who file for GC for non- residents but have studied here. really appreciate your help and input.
Thanks a bunch! so the employer can file I-140 and I-485 Adjustment of Status with nclex.....great relief!
I tried the online application but I am stuck at the license information / certification screen and with out that it won't allow me to progress or pay the fee. I can only print a transcript request page from that. I gus I need to mail the application with the fees.
Also what is the current EB3 processing time, I am worried whether the retrogression on visa umbers going to impact by the time I start (march/april 06). thanks/ mano
I am new here, and this, let me say is a great site. I am an F1 student and will be graduating from a US school (RN). I am a canadian citizen, born in India. so when filing for GC which country will be taken into consideration? will I fall into the retrogression (for India etc...) or will I be a canadian filing for US greencard.
Also suzanne, can you suggest me (or any who happens to know) any hospitals in Texas or elsewhere who file for GC for non- residents but have studied here. really appreciate your help and input.
Thnx.
Technically, it goes by your birth country, not where you are citizen of now. So, for the green card, you need to list where you were born, that is what it will ask for, not where you are now, or have citizenship. Those are the current rulings. However, the one thing that you do have in your favor, is that you now have a Canadian passport, so you would qualify under the NAFTA-TN visa to work here, even if a retrogression came back in.
I do not know of any hospitals in Texas, but I do know of several in CA if you are willing to relocate. Make sure that you get an OPT before you graduate so that you beign work right after you graduate. It must be done before you graduate or will not be accepted by immigration.
I am new in the forum. I would like to get my green card by working as a nurse. My question is how long in average in takes for a nurse to get its green card after graduating from school. I live in new york and I am originally from Bolivia? Is it easy to find a sponsor for a green card?
I am not a RN, but I am considering in applying to a nursing program. My immigration situation is a kind of complicated. My dad brought me to USA when I was 12 years old. At this moment I am an undocumented/illegal immigrant. But I am grandfathered under this immigration law that gives me two options of fixing my immigration status by being sposered through marrige or a job. However now I am concern that if go to school and get my nursing degree I won't be able to be a Licensed as a RN in NY. My question is do you have to be in legal status to be licensed in NY or it do not matter? Are there other states that will license your if you don't have a legal status?
mps
30 Posts
A big hello and happy New Year!:balloons:
I have a question to Suzanne / all
I just graduated from a BSN program and just applied to NJ sate board for testing (we have to do fingerprinting and background checks). Meanwhile I thought I will get my visa screen stuff done but it won't let me complete the online application without entering license information / certification; which I don't have. The customer support informed me that they need state license to verify and process visa screen under 'streamlined processed' in addition to school transcript. Now it seems that it is going to take couple of months to complete. Is this true? Any thought on this process?
Thanks/ Mano