New NCLEX ATT Requirements/Rules

[anncg]

I am a foreign reg. nurse applying for a permit to test the NCLEX for Arkansas state, currently I feel so frustrated :crying2:to my communication to the ARSBN (Arkansas State BON) since it is already more than 1 week now, the BON has not yet responded to me. My problem was I submitted (actually we're 3 nurses) our application (forms & credentials + background investigation fees) to ARSBN to get an ATT last Sept. 11 2010, the mails arrived to them 1 week after (Sept. 18). But unfortunately the following month on October 2010, the BON posted a new form & rules/requirements to get an ATT for foreign nurses. One of the requirements for a foreign nurse to be eligible to get a permit for NCLEX is CES (Credential Evaluation Service) and Social security number, wherein we as foreign nurses absolutely has no US SS number.

I wrote to their office asking to reconsider our application since during those times when we processed our application we downloaded the old form found in their website without the CES requirements & SS number. But to our disappointment they only replied that all applicants should follow the rules posted in their website.

So is it not fair for us, as foreign nurses to ask their consideration? considering that our credentials & applications has reached their office a month before they announced and posted the new rules/requirements? We wrote that it might be an insignificant amount for you Americans who are earning dollars to pay the processing fee for the application which is $125 & $41.25. But to us it would take a couple of months of our entire salary to be able to earned $166.25 as equivalent to our money to pay for the NCLEX application. So I believe it is just fair & lawful to ask these people in the BON of Arkansas to reconsider our application. We even pleaded to them that we will comply to the CES requirement but it would be impossible for us to furnish them with SS number since we don't even have US visa.

Please anybody out there who can help, or any advice you can give to us would be greatly appreciated. If somebody out there will sympathize with us, we have already completed our review (we enrolled in a review center just to review for an nclex) we studied & reviewed comprehensively for 6 months now, and we will just get a rejection from the BON? without a valid reason.....

thank you for your kind help US RN people :)

[15isto2]

I cant offer any advice but I am in a similar situation, I sbmitted all my information and fees then three months later got an e-mail telling me I now need a SSN etc. I have had several e-mails to the BON and can get nothing other than a curt response that "all fees are non refundable" which I feel is morally wrong and probably legally incorrect given that they changed their conditions.

[anncg]

To 15isto2,

Then what would be our move to this response? IT IS REALLY UNFAIR!!! not only for the monetary aspect but the labor/effort we did in the processing phase, the preparation for the examination and all the hard work we have to prepare before the sending of our application. I believe we have every right to question their rules, IS IT RETROACTIVE??? on 2010? when they only posted this new requirements and form on October 2010?

I am thinking of asking a lawyer this time and I hope all the nurse applicants who are affected will also help shout out their sympathy to get the attention of ASBN, if there is still a way to reconsider our application, especially those who sent their packet before the posting of their new requirements.