Changes to Immigration

suzanne4, RN · Apr 19, 2004

Yes, this policy affects you. If you leave the US, and want to re-enter after

July, 2005, AND do not have the Visa Screen Certificate, you will not be permitted to re-enter. The law goes into effect this July, if you already have a visa you are grandfathered for year, but afterwards......................

even if you have a home and car in the US, you will not be permitted back into the US without it.

:balloons:

oneLoneNurse · Apr 20, 2004

I have a home and car(1987 Chevy Nova with 61,000 miles on it, I am sure it could not get into Canada ). I live in Philadelphia, but am pretty sure that won't expediate the process. Only other thing is a H1-B as a programmer since I work in medical applications programming. Not sure if that would fly, never actually tried it. In 1996 when I made the switch into Nursing Informatics there was a hull-a-aballo. The guy on the gate didn't know how to file my application. The documents I had with me at the time did not support Nursing Informatics. I paid my lawyer $1,000.00 for a lawyer letter to get me in. Updated copies of the letter have worked for me ever since. That was the best $1,000.00 I ever spent. The opportunities in the US for Nursing Informatics greatly excede those in Canada.

suzanne4, RN · Apr 20, 2004

H1-B visas are full for this year, and probably won't be issued next year for nurses. There are only 65,000 for the whole US this year, and they expect the number to be lower next year. H1-B visa now has the same requirements, including the Visa Screen, it used to only be required for green cards. You may want to consider applying for that if you plan on staying in the US, especially since they are so easy to obtain as a nurse right now.

Good luck.................. :balloons:

suzanne4, RN · Apr 20, 2004

You are okay for now. You just have to make sure that you complete the Visa Screen process before you return to Canada or leave the US for a visit after July, 2005. So you essentially have 15 months to complete it. I think that you can get it done in that time..............

:balloons:

oneLoneNurse · Apr 20, 2004

Many thanks for your help. I was seeing 2004 not 2005. I sometimes think about returning, the training I have received here just cannot be replicated up there. I was going to ask you what you were doing in Bangkok, but read that you have an English school for nurses and doctors. Sounds very exciting !

suzanne4, RN · Apr 20, 2004

The date that the law becomes mandatory is this July, however, if you already have a current visa, then you are "grandfathered" in for one year. But anyone who leaves the country after July, 2005 to go for a vist, will not be allowed back into the US without completing Visa Screen first since it is a condition of you working in the US, and your Visa isa work permit, not a tourist Visa, so they won't allow you in on the US side.

Hope that this helps to make it clear for you........... :balloons:

JesseCanada · May 17, 2004

I was told that the immigration laws are changing due to homeland security. I was told that as of July of this year the stipulations are changing and if I don't have a "letter of intent" from a prospective hospital that it will take me at least a year to get my paper work done to work in the US. Does anyone know anything about this? I am graduating in Decemeber and was wanting to work in Arizona. I was told that a letter of intent is like a promise to hire. How am I supposed to get a letter of intent when I am not even done my program? If anyone has any information on this can you please reply.
Thanks
Renee

Hi Littlefeet, are you still looking at going to the US?

mushberry · May 20, 2004

hmm, I'm a little confused. I know the Visascreen becomes mandatory...well, it already is, but some states are letting us start work without it provided we can start work before July 26th. I'm going to be starting work in Nebraska, and several other people in my class are starting work in North Carolina. Once I'm down there I need to complete the visascreen but provided I get down there before July 26th, which I am on my way to doing (I just wrote my NCLEX about 2 hours ago) , then I can start work minus the Visascreen. Not sure why you say it's mandatory right now.

suzanne4, RN · May 21, 2004

If you happen to want to go home, such as for an emergency, let's say August 1st, you will not be permitted to reenter the US without it, if you have not already begun a contract before the end of July.

Do you want to take that chance. You do have this first year that is grand-fathered in, but after that, you are screwed without it. I definitely wouldn't wait until next visa renewal to get it, but you can't go home without it after this first year. And expect to return to the US. I wouldn't want to feel that I could never visit my family, etc. You are Canandian so you can get things done quicker than someone going on a different visa, but not all of you will have completed the Visa Screen on time and will not be allowed to return if they leave.

Great for you that you can begin before the 26th, but many people can't. :balloons:

mushberry · May 21, 2004

No, what I'm saying is if you already have the contract...I already have a job in Nebraska starting June 28th. For me it was just a matter of manipulating the system slightly, finding the fastest way down, as long as I was careful about what states I went to. Certain states will let you in, like Texas, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Carolina...others won't, such as Kansas and Oklahoma. I'm getting myself in there first, and work on my visascreen while I'm there, which I have already started, of course. It will finish while I'm there. I was just confused because from what you seemed to be saying, you had to have the visa screen for every state regardless of time. But thanks!

suzanne4, RN · May 21, 2004

No, what I'm saying is if you already have the contract...I already have a job in Nebraska starting June 28th. For me it was just a matter of manipulating the system slightly, finding the fastest way down, as long as I was careful about what states I went to. Certain states will let you in, like Texas, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Carolina...others won't, such as Kansas and Oklahoma. I'm getting myself in there first, and work on my visascreen while I'm there, which I have already started, of course. It will finish while I'm there. I was just confused because from what you seemed to be saying, you had to have the visa screen for every state regardless of time. But thanks!

If you already have your TN Visa in hand and will be starting a job in June, then you are okay. But to get one after July, 2004, you must have the Visa Screen in hand to renew your visa or even to get one.. If you don't get it and have to leave the US for any reason after July, 2005, you will not be allowed back into the US without it. Which means if you have a car, apt, home in the US, you will not be able to get to it until you complete the documentation. For most of the people posting, they do not have their TN in hand, so yes, they have to have Visa Screen. And remember your words, you are "manipulating the system".......Don't recommend that for anyone because you can easily get burned. :uhoh3:

mushberry · May 21, 2004

I will be getting my TN Visa when I cross the border in the end of June actually. And I just found out I passed my NCLEX!! Now THAT is good news. :D

Honestly it's not really manipulating the system. I was just trying to get down as fast as possible...I took my NCLEX through Minnesota, and am applying for endorsement to Nebraska, and all that will happen in plenty of time to get down before July 26th. I know a lot of other Canadian nursing students doing the same thing. I wouldn't even have thought of it had a recruiter from Texas not recommended it, and Minnesota told me a lot of people do that.

Either way, I'm just happy...it was important to me to get down there, my fiance is in Kansas, and Nebraska is a big step closer to Kansas from Newfoundland, Canada. :) If it hadn't worked out, I could have just stayed in Canada and worked, so it wasn't a huge deal if it all fell through. I have a job in Prince Edward Island too. You just have to plan for the worst is all.