Visa Screen Certificate / CGFNS

[suzanne4]

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.)

[koinurse]

hi ms. suzanne!

I have asked the BRN - CA to kindly resend my request for validation of passing test results for my NCLEX to CGFNS, but unfortunately they said that I took too long waiting, so I need to send another request and pay another US$60.

I'm just writing because I was always following up before and they just said that they did send it, but it was only now upon your suggestion that I actually asked them to resend. So to the others who have the same case as I, if CGFNS states that they are still waiting for passing test results and according to the BRN , they have already sent it, just don't wait too long to ask them to resend, otherwise, it is going to be costly.

warmest regards

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Hi Suzanne

I had written to you first back in Feb08 about applications to work/exams etc for a Canadian RN to work in Florida.

Well, All paper work is at CGFNS, passed my NCLEX back in Nov. received

my letter from BON Florida stating they will not issue a license until I have a Social Security Number.

Called CGFNS if they received my results from Florida BON, and they said NO.

I called BON and they said "did you mail the $25.00 that is required for us to mail the results to CGFNS". I did not know that there was a further charge for this!!!

So it has been a month with nothing done. Then they would not take my Visa number over the phone, they wanted a money order,,,which will take time thru the mail at this holiday time of year.

Sorry I am so lengthy, but after all this time, you think you are coming to an end,,,but there is always something else to think about or do.

So now,,,how do you go about getting a Social Security Number, so that I can receive my License in my hand....that I worked so hard for.

Any words of wisdom,,,for someone who is getting frustrated, as my application with CGFNS is up in March 09

Thank you so much

Most BON's will charge to send results to CGFNS. I doubt once payment is received you will have a long delay to get your VSC as they only need results from NCLEX not a license. Once you have your TN visa and in the US ready to work you go to your local SSN office and apply for a SSN which may take a couple of weeks and then submit this to the BON an they will issue you with your license

[shybaby09]

i am a bit confused here, some say you need a local license for the VSC, at the 1st page of this thread, it says you don't need it. which is which? thanks!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

You do not need local license for VSC but if the BON/BRN requires it then you may have to acknowledge it

[shybaby09]

I see.the thing is I am holding a Taiwan passport and as far as I know I am exempted to take the local boards so I was wondering if I will have problems regarding immigration. I passed my nclex though. and since it was Ca, will they still require me to present a local license when it's time to get my hard license from Ca? Can I explain my situation to them? Is it valid?

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

I see.the thing is I am holding a Taiwan passport and as far as I know I am exempted to take the local boards so I was wondering if I will have problems regarding immigration. I passed my nclex though. and since it was Ca, will they still require me to present a local license when it's time to get my hard license from Ca? Can I explain my situation to them? Is it valid?

Ca will accept a letter from PRC stating you can not sit local exam. You should have no issues with VSC as they just need a copy of transcripts and a pass in either NCLEX or CGFNS exam

[shybaby09]

but what if I was born in the Philippines, that's the thing my citizenship is so wierd. i dunno why my parents made me follow my dad's citizenship when I was born when in fact i have to pay like acr yearly. what if i try to get a dual citizenship and take the NLE so i can get hospital experience here since it is retrogression. but what if i won't pass it? then i will have to declare that I took the NLE and didn't pass it with VSC or US immigration? need serious advice! help! dunno what to do :c

[suzanne4, RN]

You are exempt from writing the NLE since you do not possess citizenship in the Philippines. It will not affect anything with the VSC, or anything else concerning licensure in the US since you are not permitted to sit for the NCLEX exam.

Even if you were to go for dual citizenship and then be required to write the NLE and even pass it, the problem more importantly is that there are currently more than 500,000 unemployed RNs there right now, so it is going to be almost impossible to get any type of paid work experience there that would count as experience. Any of the training programs or the volunteer programs do not count in any other country.

If CA has exempted you, then you are just fine. I would leave things just like that.

[shybaby09]

thanks for that clarification miss suzzane. i have another question though.. can i apply as RN in other countries besides US? like australia perhaps? it would have been better if i'm holding a hard license right now, too bad Ca doesn't issue one without SSN.

[suzanne4, RN]

It is not just CA that does not issue a license without a SSN#. It is actually the majority of them that will not issue it, but CA has strict limits as to how long that they will keep a file open without the SSN# being presented. That is the only difference.

And other countries are aware of this as well. As long as you have taken and passed the NCLEX exam, then there really is no problems with another country. And Australia would be an excellent idea. But you will need to check into their specific requirements since you will not have any work experience as an RN.

Best of luck to you.

[firstyearRN]

I am Canadian. I will finish my ABSN last rotation in July in IL. Then I will sit for the NCLEX a month later. When is the earliest I can apply for the visa screen with the anticipation of applying for a TN Visa? I don't want to delay the process of employment. Also, can I fill out the GC application while on a TN or is this considered dual intent? Once retrogression ends, I'm wondering how one moves from a TN to a GC. Thank you so much for your help.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

I am Canadian. I will finish my ABSN last rotation in July in IL. Then I will sit for the NCLEX a month later. When is the earliest I can apply for the visa screen with the anticipation of applying for a TN Visa? I don't want to delay the process of employment. Also, can I fill out the GC application while on a TN or is this considered dual intent? Once retrogression ends, I'm wondering how one moves from a TN to a GC. Thank you so much for your help.

You can apply any time for VSC (Wait until you graduate though) but you need a pass in NCLEX for it to be issued. To go from TN to GC your employer needs to be willing to petition you but with retrogression you are still looking at several years waiting so will have to maintain TN visa because all an employer can do is file I140 which doesn't give permission to work