Resource list for working in US

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for those of you wishing to work in the us and obtain a green card, these are the steps that you should follow:

1. apply for visa screen certificate (this will be the most time consuming,

and can be done before you take any of your exams) http://www.cgfns.org

there is a separate area for nurses form canada or mexico who are covered under the nafta treaty. look towards the bottom of the list to see this one.

2. complete application for cgfns exam (if you are going to take it)

hint if you submit a complete set of your transcripts with the school verification form, this will cover the complete requirements for visa screen as well as the exam. deadline for exam is approximately 90 days before the exam. this is the date that all data must be recieved by cgfns in their office, which includes verification from your nursing board, as well as transcripts. there are no exceptions, if anything is late, and you will have to wait another four months for the next exam time. the exam is only given in 6 locations in the entire us, if you are planning on taking it there.

importantthe verification from your nursing school as well as your license verification must be sent in an envelope with the appropriate seal over the flap as well as the person's signature who sealed the envelope over the flap. if either of these are missing, it will not be accepted.

3. contact the bon (board of nursing) in the state where you are interested in getting your license. you are not committed to working in this state once you get your license. once accepted by them, you will receive a letter called "authority to test", usually referred to as att. you must have this letter in your hand before you register to take the nclex exam. you do not need to take the exam in the state where you will be licensed.

passing nclex does not automatically give you your license. until you actually have been assigned a number, you do not have a license in the us. so please do not list a us license for visa screen if it is not in your hand or you will delay your processing . also any reference to your "current" license means the license where you are currently working, not the one that you will receive in the us.

hope that this helps you and answers many questions for you in advance.

good luck with reaching your dreams and goals......

:balloons:

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Hello Suzanne.

Quick question. Assuming you have completed all forms sent to you, received your licence and papers have been sent to immigration by your employer. Do u know what happens next and also how much behind BCIS is.thank you for your effort.

CARAMEL

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All depends through which processing facility that the papers have been filed with. Right now I have been hearing that the shortest time is 3 months with the longest about 9 months. Do you also have your Visa Screen Certificate?

If, not and you are applying for your own green card, the US Embassy will not begin any processing..................

:balloons:

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Hi Suzanne:

If I was trained here in the US, do i need to apply for a visa screen certificate also. I am an F-1 student and trying to seek employment through the NY hospitals but because I did not apply for my OPT in time, they are saying that it is difficult to file since I have not taken the NCLEX as yet and have only 60 dys to change my status. An agency and a hospital sent me to a lawyer (but I will have to pay the fees ). Do you think they will be able to help me? What questions should I ask them? I,ve seen you help so many others! Thanks for your response. :imbar

:coollook:

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You will need to speak with an immigration lawyer as soon as possible.

If you would have filed that form at the appropriate time, it would have given you one year to complete everything. And now, with the new law in effect, you need the Visa Screen Certificate to be filed with your change in status.

It will take you minimum of two months to get that from CGFNS, once you take and pass NCLEX.

Not sure what else I can offer to you................. :balloons:

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Hi Suzanne,

I have a friend, and she is a nurse. Her husband won a green card on lottery and he works in NY. She has a green card now, too. She would like to work as a nurse in US, but she doesn't know what she needs to do, what exams she needs to take. I don't work in Health Care, so I don't know what are requirements to work as a nurse. Also, if the requirements are different in different states (she would like to work in NY). TIA for any info

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She needs to apply to NY Board of Nursing for licensure. She will also need to submit to CGFNS for the special credentials verification for NY.

If you send me your e-mail address, I can forward them to you.

That is all that she will need to do. Once she gets approved by NY, they will send her a letter called an ATT, which stands for authorization to test. That will give her permission to sit for the NCLEX exam, which she needs for actual licensure.

She is not required to take the set of English exams but the hospitals may require it. If she wants to do only one, I would recommend the TSE, as the speaking part is the most importnat in my opinion, and I am sure everyone elses.

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Goodluck to everyone seeking work! Ill pray for those who needs to get visas! :)

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Hi suzanne - can u offer me any kind of direction. i am an A&E nurse here in uk, and am hoping to relocate to florida, and am about to begin 'green card' journey. have house being built in florida which will take another year plus, and hv visited the hospital i wish to work at - all very welcoming there. but am lost as to how to begin the process. do i firstly apply for visa screen cert (is this the same as credentials evaluation service cert?) and will this pack give me info on how to obtain transcripts and veriftication fm nursing board? i heard rumour that you dont need to take CGFNS in florida?

I hv been sent a licesure application from florida board of nursing - do i go ahead and fill this in? as u can see, i dont really understand what i should be the priority? and at what stage do i need an immigration lawyer? i have a million other questions, but i felt this was enough for starters!! many thanks. flick.

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hI

please can you advise me what to do now that I have passed NCLEX I am told the license is on the way. I would like to apply for a green card or visa...or do I need both?

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hI

please can you advise me what to do now that I have passed NCLEX I am told the license is on the way. I would like to apply for a green card or visa...or do I need both?

If you are a Canadian, you can work in the US under the NAFTA agreement with a NAFTA visa. You do need to have a Visa Screen Certificate first to be able to apply for the visa. You can apply for the green card, which gives you permanene residency once you are in the US working. It is much faster for you to begin with a NAFTA visa.

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

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If you are a Canadian, you can work in the US under the NAFTA agreement with a NAFTA visa. You do need to have a Visa Screen Certificate first to be able to apply for the visa. You can apply for the green card, which gives you permanene residency once you are in the US working. It is much faster for you to begin with a NAFTA visa.

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

thankyou...you are a great resource for us all!!
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