Visa Screen Certificate / CGFNS

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Visa Screen Certificate is required by all foreign nurses wishing to obtain a green card to work in the US, as well as any type of temporary work permit, such as the Nafta TN Visa for those from Canada and Mexico.

It requires that you pass either the NCLEX-RN or the CGFNS exam, as well as the series of English exams if you are not exempt from them.

The CGFNS exam is only required now in about five states, and rumor is that one or two will be removed from that remaining list as well. Do not bother with that exam if you are not going to work in a state that does not require it, or you have no way to be able to take the NCLEX exam from where you are currently located.

The application for the VSC is now only good for one year.........please do not apply for it until you have passed at least one of the required exams, or you may need to pay an additional fee.

(This thread is replacing the original thread that was from more than 2 and 1/2 years ago, and has updated information.)

Specializes in MIDWIFERY.

Thank you Silverdragon102 for your advise to telephone ICHP.As soon I saw the advise I called right away .The gentle man who answer did not wait for any explaination he was so sympathetic ,he appologised and and said he will deal with it right away,and he did .He ask me for my mailing address and assured me that by Friday 3rd I will receive certificate in the mail.

He told me to check my status ,when I did it says service completed sucessfully and my status is up-dated.

Susan ,yes my information is correct.It has nothing to do with CGFNS exams .

I am a Vincentian.

I have a NY RN License ,and I passed my IELTS 28th August 2005.I think this is more a case of maybe improper storage of records OR AN UNFORTUNATE CASE OF NEGLECT .whatever it is I can,t explain .I keep giving ICHP time to process and follow-up every now and then via e-mail because I didn,t want them to think I am "bugging them".

Sometimes they took at least 15 working days to respond but it was cheaper to e-mail than to call from my country.

Anyway the problem is solved.

I must however let you know that I am not the only Vincentian with this problem and we tend to blame our Nursing School and License Office for late submission .But not until lately when we will receive e-mail verifying that they( CGFNS/ICHP )recieved the documents they requested we realise who is the problem .

I have friends waiting for CVS for 2yrs as well.Some are not fortunate like others ,where as others re-take IELTS up to 2 times before they receive their Visascreen certificate.My CVS application took about 7 months even though I submitted every thing at once even my IELTS

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Thank you Silverdragon102 for your advise to telephone ICHP.As soon I saw the advise I called right away .The gentle man who answer did not wait for any explaination he was so sympathetic ,he appologised and and said he will deal with it right away,and he did .He ask me for my mailing address and assured me that by Friday 3rd I will receive certificate in the mail.

He told me to check my status ,when I did it says service completed sucessfully and my status is up-dated.

Susan ,yes my information is correct.It has nothing to do with CGFNS exams .

I am a Vincentian.

I have a NY RN License ,and I passed my IELTS 28th August 2005.I think this is more a case of maybe improper storage of records OR AN UNFORTUNATE CASE OF NEGLECT .whatever it is I can,t explain .I keep giving ICHP time to process and follow-up every now and then via e-mail because I didn,t want them to think I am "bugging them".

Sometimes they took at least 15 working days to respond but it was cheaper to e-mail than to call from my country.

Anyway the problem is solved.

I must however let you know that I am not the only Vincentian with this problem and we tend to blame our Nursing School and License Office for late submission .But not until lately when we will receive e-mail verifying that they( CGFNS/ICHP )recieved the documents they requested we realise who is the problem .

I have friends waiting for CVS for 2yrs as well.Some are not fortunate like others ,where as others re-take IELTS up to 2 times before they receive their Visascreen certificate.My CVS application took about 7 months even though I submitted every thing at once even my IELTS

:balloons: really glad you got it sorted

Thank you Silverdragon102 for your advise to telephone ICHP.As soon I saw the advise I called right away .The gentle man who answer did not wait for any explaination he was so sympathetic ,he appologised and and said he will deal with it right away,and he did .He ask me for my mailing address and assured me that by Friday 3rd I will receive certificate in the mail.

He told me to check my status ,when I did it says service completed sucessfully and my status is up-dated.

Susan ,yes my information is correct.It has nothing to do with CGFNS exams .

I am a Vincentian.

I have a NY RN License ,and I passed my IELTS 28th August 2005.I think this is more a case of maybe improper storage of records OR AN UNFORTUNATE CASE OF NEGLECT .whatever it is I can,t explain .I keep giving ICHP time to process and follow-up every now and then via e-mail because I didn,t want them to think I am "bugging them".

Sometimes they took at least 15 working days to respond but it was cheaper to e-mail than to call from my country.

Anyway the problem is solved.

I must however let you know that I am not the only Vincentian with this problem and we tend to blame our Nursing School and License Office for late submission .But not until lately when we will receive e-mail verifying that they( CGFNS/ICHP )recieved the documents they requested we realise who is the problem .

I have friends waiting for CVS for 2yrs as well.Some are not fortunate like others ,where as others re-take IELTS up to 2 times before they receive their Visascreen certificate.My CVS application took about 7 months even though I submitted every thing at once even my IELTS

I was just trying to inform you that we have seen delays with documents being submitted or then something left out by your licensing board. And this has been the case more times than not. I never even paid any attention to what you country that you had listed, that does not make a difference to CGFNS/ICHP. But the same thing that I tell people that have waited more than a year to get approval on the I-140 with immigration, 98% of the time there was a problem with the file or application, not the immigration service. Same thing with the VSC.

If you got a license in NY, it meant that they had received everything in the first place as far as what was required as far as licensure for you, other than needing the required English exams since you went thru the CVS procedure.

My point that I was trying to make is that if it has been two yearsm there is a problem some place with something. This is not the norm. Average wait time is four months from the time that they receive the English results, as well as the passing results from the CGFNS exam or the NCLEX exam. When it is longer than that, it needs to be followed up with them more readily. And I go by when the final exam was done, not from when the application was submitted. There are others that read this forum, and I am just trying to clarify what they need to do.

VSC is differnt from the CVS. The issue with the CVS is that they must obtain all of the records, but they can use them for the VSC.

Specializes in MIDWIFERY.

Thank you Susan.I read this forum everyday and it is very helpful.

My visascreen certificate is in the post but today is Emancipation day in my country so not until friday I can collect it.

I had since then recieved two more e-mailed auto-reply appologies.

I guess I lapse in terms of agressiveness towards the follow-up,but it is better to humble at times and let go of certain things.As a matter of fact I was doing all my prepartion on my own and was just waiting on the Visascreen to finalise my approach towards the relocation process .

I had done several interviews and are still doing reseach as to what exactly I am looking for .

I was just praying that I don,t have to travel to Trinidad and resit my Ielts or even re-apply for for visa screen certificate .It is just too costly .I did all my necessary preparation up to this stage on my own financially and otherwise and of course by capitalising on this forum.

Thanks for your understanding. I am also trying to alert others: If you do not receive your VSC four months after you have submitted the final test results that they need, you must be persistant in following up with them. The only time that it normally takes longer than that is if there was a problem with them receiving something, or an issue with something that was submitted.

Never, ever wait more than six months. And actually now, the applications are only good for a year.

Glad to hear that it will soon be arriving for you.

Specializes in ICU, crisis intervention.

Dear Suzanne and Silverdragon,

I'm a little bit confused regarding the visa screen certificate.

When do I need it for the first time?:uhoh21:

I thought I need it for the first time for the employe and the I-140 petition.

Is it right that I need it only for the us embassy in germany and the border and not before?

I'm really confused, please help.:o

Thank you very much for your help, I appreciate it and wish you both a nice day!

Ludazka

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Dear Suzanne and Silverdragon,

I'm a little bit confused regarding the visa screen certificate.

When do I need it for the first time?:uhoh21:

I thought I need it for the first time for the employe and the I-140 petition.

Is it right that I need it only for the us embassy in germany and the border and not before?

I'm really confused, please help.:o

Thank you very much for your help, I appreciate it and wish you both a nice day!

Ludazka

If going through the Consular Processing (CP) route you do not need your VSC until your interview. If going the AOS route (currently can't be done due to retrogression and is actually against immigration if using tourist visa)then I believe you need it when starting the process.

Employer can file I140 without it

Hope this helps

But some employers are asking to see it now in the beginning, especially because of wanting the nurse to pass the English exams already.

Anna is correct in what she stated.

Specializes in ICU, crisis intervention.

Thank you very much for your reply Suzanna and Silverdragon.

I'm very relived to have your help.

Regards

Ludazka

You are quite welcome.:balloons:

Specializes in MIDWIFERY.

Just want to say thanks again .I finally collected my VisaScreen Certificate today from UPS.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Thank you very much for your reply Suzanna and Silverdragon.

I'm very relived to have your help.

Regards

Ludazka

your welcome

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