Moving to Phoenix from UK

suzanne4, RN · Aug 30, 2005

Please do a search on this forum, there are already several posts by nurses from the UK. If you are just beginning the process, and going thru and agency, you are looking at about one year, some have done it in quicker time, and some have taken much longer.

Do you already have approval from Arizona BON to sit for the exam? As far as immigration, not one thing can be filed on your behalf until you have taken and passed that exam.

Also check out the UK and International forums, you will find more helpful information there. :)

nurse rnfa · Aug 30, 2005

Hi everyone,
I'm a British haemodialysis nurse about to take NCLEX in a couple of weeks, scary or what ! I've been out to Phoenix for a holiday with hubby and 13 year old daughter and love it, I've got a job through an agency once visa goes through ( does anyone know how long that's likely to take ? ) but don't know where yet apart from it will be in the Phoenix area. If anyone has got any advice or tips in living and nursing in Phoenix that would be cool.

Hi,

I'm originally from Canada. I'm not a traveller, but I decided I wanted to a much much warmer climate, so , I relocated to Albuquerque, NM and I hate it here. I hate the state and my place of employment. Anyhow, I'm seeking out potential employers in AZ as I still want to stay in a dry heat state. We went down for the July 4th weekend and we, too, loved Phoenix and Scottsdale. We will be relocating to Scottsdale by December of this year. Phoenix is a great, bustly, happening city. Lots of entertainment, the shopping is great, cost of living is affordable and the pay for RN's is fairly good, but, do shop around.

As for your visa, it will take a little while. Are you doing it on your own? Or is your agency doing it for you or do have you hired a lawyer to do the footwork for you? My suggestion is that you hire a lawyer to do it for you. It may cost a bit, but you know it's being done right and they do have connections and shortcuts. Definitely, worth it. I applied for my CGFNS, wrote my NCLEX. The CGNFS application process took about 2months and the NCLEX about 2 months. As for your visa, I'm not sure, since I'm a Canadian and we can work under a TN work visa. Start studying for your NCLEX, start your application with the CGNS and everything should come together. Make sure YOU get the ball rolling and don't wait for your agency, be on top of things and please don't get ripped off by the agency. If you don't feel things are right, leave them and do things on your own. Who is your agency by the way?

Best of luck in your future endeavours. If you have any more questions, you can send a private message and I will try and help out.

Cheers :chuckle

debdins · Aug 30, 2005

Hi, Thanks for getting back to me. I'm taking NCLEX on Sep 12th so should have a result soon, hopefully a favourable one ! Funnily enough we were thinking of Canada to move to as my husband was stationed there for a couple of years and loved it but the processing time for visa was sooooo long. We're coming back to Phoenix just for a holiday in October and I think we'll be looking in the Mesa area to live, just hoping the agency puts me somewhere near. The agency are doing mine and my family's visas so hopefully they'll be as efficient as possible. The agency are K force and they pay for all your flights etc. and put me up in Florida for 3 weeks prior to going to Phoenix for orientation to American Nursing. What kind of nursing do you do ?

Good luck with your job seeking

Debs

I'm originally from Canada. I'm not a traveller, but I decided I wanted to a much much warmer climate, so , I relocated to Albuquerque, NM and I hate it here. I hate the state and my place of employment. Anyhow, I'm seeking out potential employers in AZ as I still want to stay in a dry heat state. We went down for the July 4th weekend and we, too, loved Phoenix and Scottsdale. We will be relocating to Scottsdale by December of this year. Phoenix is a great, bustly, happening city. Lots of entertainment, the shopping is great, cost of living is affordable and the pay for RN's is fairly good, but, do shop around.

As for your visa, it will take a little while. Are you doing it on your own? Or is your agency doing it for you or do have you hired a lawyer to do the footwork for you? My suggestion is that you hire a lawyer to do it for you. It may cost a bit, but you know it's being done right and they do have connections and shortcuts. Definitely, worth it. I applied for my CGFNS, wrote my NCLEX. The CGNFS application process took about 2months and the NCLEX about 2 months. As for your visa, I'm not sure, since I'm a Canadian and we can work under a TN work visa. Start studying for your NCLEX, start your application with the CGNS and everything should come together. Make sure YOU get the ball rolling and don't wait for your agency, be on top of things and please don't get ripped off by the agency. If you don't feel things are right, leave them and do things on your own. Who is your agency by the way?

Best of luck in your future endeavours. If you have any more questions, you can send a private message and I will try and help out.

Cheers :chuckle

Silverdragon102, BSN · Aug 31, 2005

hi Debs

I have been at this process for ages but hopefully getting towards the end. Bewarned that you are looking for atleast 12 months. PM or email me if you would like more info re where to stay, got a few websites under my belt. there are a couple of us on here presently going through the process to AZ

Belinda-wales, RN · Sep 1, 2005

Hi Debs

Welcome to reclocation wait, my advise is what ever time fram you have in your mind x2 and then you will not be dissapointed we sat and passed our nclex in april and are now waiting for visa have been told that takes any thing from nine to eleven months. We are going to be working for banner health they have got a few hospitals in Phoenix. Good luck for the 12 just remember take your time read the question and its the nursing answer they want, remember priority breathing, bleeding, breaks and burns. Ps you will be able to go on the ABON website that day to see if you passed.

Cheers Belinda

debdins · Sep 1, 2005

Hi

Anna/Belinda

Thanks for your replies, I guess I'm just going to have to be patient re. visa wait... not something me and my husband are good at ! I didn't know I could check my nclex result on that website, so thats useful to know..... The recruitment agency will apply for my visa once I've passed nclex, they have specialist immigration people but is there anything I should be doing in the meantime to speed things up ? Also are you both applying for your visas off your own backs or agencies ?

Roll on Phoenix.... Debs

Silverdragon102, BSN · Sep 1, 2005

Hi
Anna/Belinda
Thanks for your replies, I guess I'm just going to have to be patient re. visa wait... not something me and my husband are good at ! I didn't know I could check my nclex result on that website, so thats useful to know..... The recruitment agency will apply for my visa once I've passed nclex, they have specialist immigration people but is there anything I should be doing in the meantime to speed things up ? Also are you both applying for your visas off your own backs or agencies ?
Roll on Phoenix.... Debs

Hi Debs

For me it is a bit of both I have a recruiter in AZ who has helped with finding a job and getting paperwork together plus she is able to do any phonecalls thats been needed for chasing anything up. Even with a specialist immigration people it will take time. It depends on how quick you are processed thro the system

Belinda-wales, RN · Sep 2, 2005

Hi a bit of both for us too as my husband is with interstaff on contract with banner health and I am going it alone but I will get my green card through his visa. I think all of recruitment companies are of a muchness we choose interstaff as they are with banner and we wanted phoenix.

Cheers Belinda x