Michigan Licensure Questions- Canadian

Silverdragon102, BSN · Nov 17, 2011

Moved to the International forum as per the red banner.

Probably best to ask the BON

StudentRS · Nov 17, 2011

Hello!

I graduated from York University in Ontario in April and I am currently in the process of applying for a Michigan license. My end goal is to get to California, but they require a SSN to apply and Michigan does not so leave that space blank on your application. HOWEVER, Michigan will require Canadians to have a CGFNS certification as of January 1st, 2012 so I suggest you apply ASAP and send EVERYTHING by courier. I called them and they told me as long as my application is approved and deemed eligible by Jan. 1, 2012 I am ok and can write the NCLEX whenever. As for the school code, I think I googled York's and found a random code that may have been it i'm not 100% on it, but i'm thinking the school code is more of a US thing. They accepted my application anyway and they are just waiting on my school transcripts and criminal background check. I highly recommend sending everything by courier, you will pay more but it will definitely get there and will get there literally the next day. I had my transcripts sent by regular mail and that was 4 weeks ago and the MI board of nursing still haven't gotten them, so I just reordered them and had them sent by courier. Oh and for your fingerprints, go to a Commissionares place and do them. They do them on the cardstock FBI cards that are accepted by L-1 Identity Solutions and you can just walk in at any time and get them done, with my police department I had to make an appt 3 weeks away and they didn't use cardstock. I mailed my application and got a response back saying they recieved it with a customer number a few weeks later and they reviewed it shortly after, so it didn't take as long as I thought and that was sending it by regular mail. You may have a chance to get everything done if you do it in the next week and send everything by courier. If not, I was just looking at New Hampshire and it looks like they don't require CGFNS or SSN from Canadian RNs. If you have any other questions let me know and I will try to help, I know it can be a confusing and frustrating process :)

StudentRS · Nov 17, 2011

Oh and Alaska doesn't require Canadian nurses to take the CGFNS or have a SSN, you just have to fill out a SSN exemption form and get one once you get employed there. Just another idea for a backup plan if MI doesn't work out, you can always apply there by endorsement once you get licensed somewhere else if you are wanting to work there.

pooks · Nov 18, 2011

Thanks for your response! I would love to have it done before January 1st, the only issue is I wrote my CRNE in October, so I am still waiting on the CNO to process my registration application. I'm trying to sort everything out so that as soon as it is processed I can apply. The CGFNS would be a hassle, but I guess it would be doable. I hear of people getting licenses through Minnesota as well...I just thought it would be easier to go through the state I wanted to work in if possible, but I will look into it. Thanks!

StudentRS · Nov 18, 2011

Hm yes the CNO takes forever to process your registration, but you will get your number before your actual license is mailed to you. MI requires them to send a license verification, so you must mail the request for verification form to the CNO with a cheque or money order for $16.75 to request it and they will fill out their own template and send it to the MI board of nursing. I`d just mail it to the CNO now so as soon as they have your registration number they can send that verification to MI. I`m not sure what MI`s requirements for application by endorsement will be once they institute the CGFNS requirement for Canadians, or else i`d say don`t bother doing CGFNS and applying to MI first and get licensed elsewhere then apply by endorsement. They might require anyone who applies by endorsement to have CGFNS too...so if you`re really wanting to go there then you might as well do it. Good luck to you, I hope it all works out, and congrats on becoming a nurse!

pooks · Nov 18, 2011

Sorry for being so clueless, but do you mean send the Michigan Verification of Licensure or Registration in Another State form to the CNO with a cheque or money order for $16.75? Or does the CNO have their own form somewhere on their wesbite? How did you know to send $16.75? In the city I live in, the police department and the Commissionares do not have FBI cardstock. They suggest me buying FBI cardstock myself or just going to Michigan to get my fingerprints done. Thanks for your help!

StudentRS · Nov 18, 2011

That's ok! Yes, you must fill that out and mail it to the CNO with the $16.95 (sorry I just double checked my bank account and saw the money order was for $16.95 not $16.75). I called the CNO and they said you cannot request verification over the phone or online, you must send them Michigan's form to request it with the fee (they require a fee for their license verification service) and they will fill out the verification on their own template and send that to MI. Hm that is strange they do not have the FBI cardstock when the Commissionares here do. It does just say on the form though that it must be done on cardstock, and when I called the board of nursing in MI about it they said whatever card your local police department uses is fine. However, to be safe I got my prints done again on cardstock (it just happened to be the FBI card) because my police station used normal thin paper and I was scared they wouldn't accept it. I couriered my prints on Nov.15 and apparently MI has my background check done already as of today. I thought it'd take weeks like it does here so maybe you can get everything done in time for Jan.1. I would just find a place that does them on cardstock since that is basically all they require, it says you can go to a police station or private agency so look around before you decide to go to MI, I don't see going there being any faster than doing it here if you can find somewhere here with cardstock and courier it right away.