Registration Verification from Saudi Council

World Registration

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Hi! Been following the discussion about verification of nurse registration since last week and I decided to join this site to get some help and be of assistance, if possible.

Currently, I am applying for Further Assessment in Alberta's College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA). At this stage, the only requirement I need is the Verification of Registration from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) or known as the Saudi Council. I was advised that it is done online so I paid and received a Certificate of Good Standing via email in a matter of minutes. I thought everything was fine but the problem has just get started from that point.

Two weeks ago, I sent the said certificate electronically but they advised me to have it printed and sent directly from its source that is Saudi Council. So I went there a couple of days back to ask them to send it as it is the requirement of CARNA (with the fee of sending to be paid by me) but they declined my request. They just gave me an envelope and instructed me to send it myself.

The dilemma did not end there because last night, CARNA emailed me that the certificate does not include the Initial Date of Registration and that their Nurse Consultant will call them with this concern. As for my end, I am planning to go back there and have the Verification of Nurse Registration Form filled up in addition to the good standing certificate. However, I would like to hear from you guys who have the same concern or been processing their CARNA registration or with any other jurisdiction (eg., NMC UK, AHPRA) that requires registration verification from Saudi Arabia.

Thank you!

Specializes in ICU.

Hi, I hope the following could help:

Although they accepted the explanation letter alone, I still secured the unregistered practice form in Jeddah thru a friend I met here on allnurses.com who went for exit early this month. If you accomplish that, no more question is asked based on what is stated on that form. From what I remember, I sent him copies of my SCFHS license, professional accreditation certificate and employment certificate along with that form but you may add other documents if so you wish just to be sure. For the payment, try to send her the amount needed for this form (+ courier fee) and ask her to borrow a credit card from a friend or co-worker and pay the fees incurred later (as the bank notifies the card holder for every transactions made everywhere, the lender should not worry). Once the NMC receives all of the outstanding documents, they will scan & allocate these to your file within 2 weeks. After which, you'll be on the decision queue that usually is around 30 to 90 days. However, it may vary as some only waited for 3 weeks only. Good luck!

Thank you so much for the prompt reply. Oh no, I read on the previous pages that it's very difficult to get the Riyadh main branch to sign and stamp the unregistered practice form. My friend is from Riyadh. I read that it's easier if you try to accomplish this form in the provincial branches, is that true? Would the one in Al-Khobar sign it as easily as they would in Jeddah? I'm running out of options. :( I am very disheartened. Is anyone currently in the same boat as I am?

@misplacedpens you haven't submitted the form to NMC yet? I was one of those unfortunate people who submitted my requirements last January and they sent me a form for this unregistered practice and some clarifications regarding my TOR and when I called them, I didn't make the deadline (they sent the forms last Feb 18 and there's no way for me to be able to complete it by the end of this month) so I have to undergo the new process.

Did they consider your application?

I just received the papers today at 6am but I will call them once the council opens. Wait so we're going to be back to square one is that what you're saying? This can't be happening, that's heartbreaking. T_T

That is what they told me when I called to follow up with them. It's sad as we were just caught up in this change but I think there's really nothing we can do about it anymore. I am just waiting for their letter which is set to arrive next week which explains how I will continue under the new process. After all the effort, time and money, this happened. It's kind of depressing, really, but I guess it is what it is.

If you have a chance to send your form and make sure that NMC receives it before the 28th, grab it. Do whatever you can to process it now. Just make sure they receive it by the 28th. Good luck!

The thing is I don't know anyone in Jeddah, I think it's around 9 hours away from the hospital I worked at if not more. :c I need to talk to NMC and ask if it's even worth it anymore. I knew I should have listened to my gut instinct when I started this back in mid-October, I already had the feeling that the deadline was way too soon and that I might not meet it. I feel so discouraged and I still can't believe they can just discard ongoing applications like that so inconsiderately. Did you try to appeal to them?

I tried to beg the person I talked to on the phone and I sent an email right after. The following day I called them again to ask about this new process. I wanted to know if the previous forms that I sent them (such as verifications, police clearance etc) will be considered since the same things will be asked under this new process and they would not give me a direct answer. Rather, they kept telling me that I have to wait for the post that they sent me because the instructions are all there.

Sadly, they told me the same thing. They advised me to continue with the new process and to forget about the old scheme as everything will be discarded. They're willing to transfer the fee but not the documents. We would have to start from scratch.

They told you that they will discard the documents? That is just not fair. I was actually hoping that they would allow to transfer these documents since they are still valid and really expensive. Now I'm angry.

The lady basically told me I shouldn't bother with the unregistered practice form because they were just gonna ask for it again should I decide to continue with the new scheme during the assessment phase. I asked if there was a possibility for the documents to be transferred over to the new scheme and she just said no. This day is very upsetting.

They told you that they will discard the documents? That is just not fair. I was actually hoping that they would allow to transfer these documents since they are still valid and really expensive. Now I'm angry.

I don't understand why they could not keep the documents. We were simply caught in the middle of this and they should at least give us some consideration.

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