visa screen certificate

wmarat, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2005

January 10, 2005
Hi, We are graduating Nursing students from the Philippines and we plan to take the NCLEX examination at Maryland this June 2005. We are holders of multiple tourist visa. We have received already our RN-NCLEX application packet from Maryland and we are just waiting for our transcript to be released before we can start processing our papers. We have an immigration lawyer already that will help us. A hospital is already waiting for us to be fitted in their latest Novice programs.
Per requirements of Maryland Board of Nursing there are only several papers they need in order for us to be qualified to take the NCLEX examination and the following are:
1. CES evaluation
2. TSE or ILA-OPI
3. ATT
When we asked the intended hospital for requirements before we can be admitted and sponsored, they said that they just need MD RN Licensure.
I believe that in order for us to work and be legal is that our lawyer must file a change of status for us.
1. The question is, do we need a Visa Screen Certificate before our lawyer can process our papers?
2. Can we file a Visa screen certificate even if we are only graduating students?
3. Is a local Philippine License a pre-requsite to a Visa Screen Certificate?
4. Do you think we have to clarify this matter thoroughly with our immigration lawyers?
Many thanks.
John and Mariel

Hi!

1. Yes, you do.

2. Yes, you can.

3. Yes, it is.

4. Your choice, but it would not cause any damage.

What ILA-OPI means?

Good luck

jaypee88 · Jan 11, 2005

Thanks for replying. ILA-OPI means

This is from Maryland Board of Nursing:

Graduates of any other nursing school MUST demonstrate oral English competency by passing an oral English examination. The Maryland Board of Nursing accepts either the Oral Proficiency Interview administered by Inter-American Language Associates (ILA OPI) with at least a score of 3, or the Test of Spoken English (TSE) with at least a score of 50. The Board does not accept the Test of Spoken English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), MELAB, or the IELTS for the purpose of meeting this requirement.

suzanne4, RN · Jan 20, 2005

You must have a final transcript in hand before applying for the Visa Screen Certificate. There is nothing for them to verify without it. The same way that Maryland will not release an ATT letter for you until they have a copy of your transcripts on hand.

When are you actually going to be graduating? I woulodn't suggest filing a change in status until you know when you will be taking the exam for sure. You would staret working 90 days out from the filing, and you would not be able to do so. Rememjber that you also must allow time for Maryland to go over your transcripts, it won't be done instantly.

Hope that this helps.............

The Visa Screen Certificate is supposed to be attached to your change in status application, especially if you will be in the US. It just has to be shown when you go for your appt if you would still be in Manila. Your documents will not get processed without the Certificate. This may put a damper on your plans.

carvanaragon · Jan 20, 2005

John and Mariel,

1. after graduation from nursing school, you have to take and pass the phil local board exam.

2. verify from maryland bon if cgfns is required prior to nclex. if so, u have to take and pass cgfns. visit their website for details. if cgfns is not a prior requirement, then submit your nclex application to maryland bon.

3. you may submit your local RN license later. submit your request for credentials to your school so they can send it to maryland bon asap.

4. one requirement of bon is your fingerprinting which may be done thru hard card or live scan. hard card takes a longer processing time than livescan, so if all your documents are received by bon and certified in order, u can have ur livescan printing here in the US. livescan processing takes about a week to be processed.

5. if everything in order, bon will issue your att, then u can sit for ur nclex. if u pass ur nclex, look for a hospital who can sponsor you. this will be the time u go to ur lawyer for filing of appropriate documents for you.

6. visa screen is needed when you will apply for your green card. apply for visa screen when your school credentials are ready.

jaypee88 · Jan 20, 2005

You must have a final transcript in hand before applying for the Visa Screen Certificate. There is nothing for them to verify without it. The same way that Maryland will not release an ATT letter for you until they have a copy of your transcripts on hand.
When are you actually going to be graduating? I woulodn't suggest filing a change in status until you know when you will be taking the exam for sure. You would staret working 90 days out from the filing, and you would not be able to do so. Rememjber that you also must allow time for Maryland to go over your transcripts, it won't be done instantly.
Hope that this helps.............
The Visa Screen Certificate is supposed to be attached to your change in status application, especially if you will be in the US. It just has to be shown when you go for your appt if you would still be in Manila. Your documents will not get processed without the Certificate. This may put a damper on your plans.

Dear Suzanne4,

Thanks for replying. We really appreciate it much. We will be graduating this March 2005. I have read your reply and it was very informative. There is one thing I want to you to enlighten us and that is on local licensing requirement.You know we are really in a hurry to be employed in the US as soon as we graduate. We have been in a communication with a hospital in Maryland and that they have a Novice Program this comning July 2005.

Per requirement of the Maryland Board of Nursing , they don't require us to be licensed in our country in order to take the NCLEX examination. If they don't require us to be license , I assume that CGFNS CES will also don't require us to be license inour country in order to be evaluated.

We are really in a state of confusion whether we would take the local board examination(Philippine License) that will take place June of 2005. It will be too late for us take advantage of the Novice Program our hospital(Maryland) is offering (July 2005).

Again , the information I want to solicit to you is that can we get a Visa Screen Certificate even if we dont have a Philippine local license?

Thanks and God Bless.

John and Mariel

jaypee88 · Jan 20, 2005

John and Mariel,
1. after graduation from nursing school, you have to take and pass the phil local board exam.
2. verify from maryland bon if cgfns is required prior to nclex. if so, u have to take and pass cgfns. visit their website for details. if cgfns is not a prior requirement, then submit your nclex application to maryland bon.
3. you may submit your local RN license later. submit your request for credentials to your school so they can send it to maryland bon asap.
4. one requirement of bon is your fingerprinting which may be done thru hard card or live scan. hard card takes a longer processing time than livescan, so if all your documents are received by bon and certified in order, u can have ur livescan printing here in the US. livescan processing takes about a week to be processed.
5. if everything in order, bon will issue your att, then u can sit for ur nclex. if u pass ur nclex, look for a hospital who can sponsor you. this will be the time u go to ur lawyer for filing of appropriate documents for you.
6. visa screen is needed when you will apply for your green card. apply for visa screen when your school credentials are ready.

carvanaragon,

Thanks for replying. Maryland Board of Nursing(MBON) does not require us to be licensed in our country in order to qualify to take the NCLEX examination. We have written them about this matter. We are really in a hurry to take the NCLEX examination for us to join a Novice Program in one of the Hospital in Maryland. The program will start this July 2005 and our local board(Philippine Licensing will take place this June 2005.

John and Mariel

suzanne4, RN · Jan 20, 2005

Dear Suzanne4,
Thanks for replying. We really appreciate it much. We will be graduating this March 2005. I have read your reply and it was very informative. There is one thing I want to you to enlighten us and that is on local licensing requirement.You know we are really in a hurry to be employed in the US as soon as we graduate. We have been in a communication with a hospital in Maryland and that they have a Novice Program this comning July 2005.
Per requirement of the Maryland Board of Nursing , they don't require us to be licensed in our country in order to take the NCLEX examination. If they don't require us to be license , I assume that CGFNS CES will also don't require us to be license inour country in order to be evaluated.
We are really in a state of confusion whether we would take the local board examination(Philippine License) that will take place June of 2005. It will be too late for us take advantage of the Novice Program our hospital(Maryland) is offering (July 2005).
Again , the information I want to solicit to you is that can we get a Visa Screen Certificate even if we dont have a Philippine local license?
Thanks and God Bless.
John and Mariel

You do not need to be licensed in the Philippines first to get a license in the US. However you must have a completed set of transcripts for you to be processed for anything. If you are a student in a school in the US, then they will permit you to sit for NCLEX right after graduation since they are aware of what was covered in your schooling. But since you are graduates of a foreign nursing school, there is nothing that can be done until you have a completed set of transcripts. For the BON as well as Visa Screen.

It is going to be almost impossible for you to make the July deadline if you are just graduating in March. Really quite impossible. It takes approximately four months for you to receive the Visa Screen Certificate once CGFNS has received everything, and this is after you have completed the NCLEX exam. You need that Certificate before a change in status can be submitted for you to be processed. You will not be able to work for 90 days after the submission. So do the math.

No one can tell you anything else as these are the rules. Have you completed your set of English exams that are required?

I would probably recommend that you go ahead and get your license in the Philippines, because you probably won't be in the US working until late this fall. As a foreign grad, there is nothing that can be done to speed these things up. I am sorry that your attorney did not give you all of the correct information. CGFNS will not require the license, but you will need it if you need to work for the time before you come over. It it your choice.

suzanne4, RN · Jan 20, 2005

Just thinking about the answer that I previously posted, and I think that I need to be more specific. This should also help many other foreign nurses.

Maryland requires a credentials evaluation done by CGFNS. This cannot be started until they have actually received a copy of your final transcript. You must allow time for them to receive the transcript, such as a few weeks. Then the evaluation begins, add another few weeks. Maryland will not offer the ATT to you until they have the completed information from CGFNS. The ATT letter essentially says that you have met all criteria for licensure, except the NCLEX exam. Bear in mind that the earliest that you will even receive this letter, and this is with everything going your way is probably June if not longer, as this is when the US students graduate and the office will have many applications to process. Then again, many slots will be filled for the NCLEX exam at that time of year, as it is the busiest time. Once you take the exam, allow another four months for the Visa Screen Certificate, then they can submit a change for you. Then you have to allow 90 days before you will receive your EAD which will permit you to work while waiting for processing.

So working in July is gong to be impossible as an American RN. You are looking at next winter, at the earliest, if you are doing everything legally.

The hopsital requires that you have your license to begin work, but you also must have an EAD letter in hand to legally work.

You are very fortunate that you have the tourist visas, which will save you a few years. Whether you begin in July, or the following year, what is the rush? You have your whole life ahead of you. :)

carvanaragon · Jan 20, 2005

dear john and mariel,

suzanne is right. allow time for documents to be processed. give at least a year or so.

we have the same case (mdrn). i graduated march 2004. i took n passed the Phil local board june 2004. took nclex (california) 30 november 2004. received my notice of passed nclex 17 dec 2004. a hospital in california filed I-140 for me with concurrent I-485, I-765, I-131, I-824 on dec 27, 2004. i received receipt notice from USCIS, the processing time for my I-765 is 90 days which means i can only start working by april 2005.

jaypee88 · Jan 23, 2005

Just thinking about the answer that I previously posted, and I think that I need to be more specific. This should also help many other foreign nurses.
Maryland requires a credentials evaluation done by CGFNS. This cannot be started until they have actually received a copy of your final transcript. You must allow time for them to receive the transcript, such as a few weeks. Then the evaluation begins, add another few weeks. Maryland will not offer the ATT to you until they have the completed information from CGFNS. The ATT letter essentially says that you have met all criteria for licensure, except the NCLEX exam. Bear in mind that the earliest that you will even receive this letter, and this is with everything going your way is probably June if not longer, as this is when the US students graduate and the office will have many applications to process. Then again, many slots will be filled for the NCLEX exam at that time of year, as it is the busiest time. Once you take the exam, allow another four months for the Visa Screen Certificate, then they can submit a change for you. Then you have to allow 90 days before you will receive your EAD which will permit you to work while waiting for processing.
So working in July is gong to be impossible as an American RN. You are looking at next winter, at the earliest, if you are doing everything legally.
The hopsital requires that you have your license to begin work, but you also must have an EAD letter in hand to legally work.
You are very fortunate that you have the tourist visas, which will save you a few years. Whether you begin in July, or the following year, what is the rush? You have your whole life ahead of you. :)

Dear Suzanne4,

We are really happy that you guys are replying back to my post. We are very much gifted that some people we did not even know have time to guide us in our quest for better opportunities away from our country.

We quess we have to really slowdown a little bit. About those English examinations. We are planning to take IELTS examinations this coming April. Right now we are reviewing for the June local board examination and we are enrolled at Kaplan for NCLEX review. Would you suggest IELTS or TOEFL for Visa Screen Certificate?

Again, thank you guys for the reply. You are all angels to us.

John and Mariel

jaypee88 · Jan 23, 2005

dear john and mariel,
suzanne is right. allow time for documents to be processed. give at least a year or so.
we have the same case (mdrn). i graduated march 2004. i took n passed the Phil local board june 2004. took nclex (california) 30 november 2004. received my notice of passed nclex 17 dec 2004. a hospital in california filed I-140 for me with concurrent I-485, I-765, I-131, I-824 on dec 27, 2004. i received receipt notice from USCIS, the processing time for my I-765 is 90 days which means i can only start working by april 2005.

Dear Carvanaragon,

Congratulations! That is really fast. We hope we can duplicate what you guys have done. From where are you? We are from Parañaque. We really want to communicate from you guys. What's your e_mail address? Mine is [email protected]. We need people like you to enlighten us from time to time. Lots of people give us ideas, but their's are not verified and misleading. We only need informations that are correct and verified to guide us. During those processing you undergone, have you ever use an agency to help you? What agency did you use? Would you suggest one?

Thanks and again congratulations.

John and Mariel