RN without SSN or work permit

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2008

You can't legally work in the US without a green card. Period.

I'm sure you can volunteer.

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Sep 1, 2008

you need to apply to be in the country legally... all that education and you can't do anything with it...

you can volunteer

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2008

you need to apply to be in the country legally... all that education and you can't do anything with it...
you can volunteer

She very well may be here legally, on something other than a work visa.

aasaludable · Sep 1, 2008

I came here with a tourist Visa and obviously stayed. I've been reading about how to get work permit by filling 1-140 but I don't think RN ASN is enough, is it?

againmlg · Sep 1, 2008

This is a volatile issue. So I'll preface this by saying that this is solely from what I know and understand.

If you are admitting that your Visa has expired, and you haven't got a green card, then you are illegal. If you were able to find work, you still wouldn't be legal to hire.

Workers that are out of status (expired I-94) must wait for an Amnesty, issued by the U.S. President. The last Amnesty, issued by President Clinton, ended on 4/31/2001.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Sep 1, 2008

If you have no legal means of staying in the USA then being illegal opens you up to a 3-10 year ban. You can not AOS and stay as you need to have a valid visa to adjust plus with retrogression you are looking at a few years until if at all a window opens up. It would be much better for you to go home and start the process. I seriously doubt you can volunteer

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Sep 1, 2008

No volunteer RN positions in a hospital. My state has a Volunteer program in case of emergency, they checked my credentials and place of employment. I can't think of a single program that would allow an illegal RN to work.

Silver Dragon gave you good advice, go home, perhaps you can work at home and then reapply if the US opens it's boarders again.

Chemistry_guru · Sep 1, 2008

Immigrations have special rules about foreigners volunteer. A foreigner without proper work authorization cannot volunteer at a position that is usually paid. Doing so violates Labor Law as well as immigration laws.

For example, a foreigner cannot volunteer at an RN position in med-surg unit at a hospital. This type of position is usually a paid position. However, a foreigner can volunteer at a Red Cross team, in which, all other American team members are volunteers.

It all depends on the nature of the position. If the position is usually a volunteer, then foreigner volunteer is OK. If the position is a usually paid working position, then foreigner volunteer is equal to illegal work, even without pay. Any foreigner who wants to volunteer has to be careful about the position to make sure they do not violate the law.

allnurses Guide · Sep 1, 2008

Actually, as she was legally admitted to the US, she is not "illegal" but "out of status". There is a difference. However in practicality, it means you are subject to deportation, or bans from ever entering the US again. How many days have you overstayed your tourist visa by? If it's less than 180, leave in a hurry to avoid a longer ban. If it's over 180 days, be prepared for a very long ban.

suzanne4, RN · Sep 1, 2008

Working in any form requires that you have a legal visa to be able to work here; wishing to do so as an independent contractor is not exempt from this requirement. It is grounds for getting you immediately deported if caught, and sent to immigration detention until processed which is essentially a jail that is attached to federal prisons and you are kept in a cell. You do not get to chose your roommates either.

And to vlounteer, it requires that you be sponsored for a specific visa for that as well, coming here on a tourist visa does not permit one to volunteer for more than two weeks or so without special approval from the US government as well.

You have no choice but to leave the US, as there are no visas available and we do not expect any for quite sometime for the AOS route. There is no way that you can get work experience in the US without having a visa that will permit you to work. Please do not try to do things illegally for your safety.

And with how things are with immigration at this time, staying over one day and you are subject to being deported; ICE is not going to ask how you entered the US, but the fact that nothing would be current. And the other major factor is that if not current, there would be no way to adjust to something if visas were available.

Have a safe flight home.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2008

Actually, as she was legally admitted to the US, she is not "illegal" but "out of status". There is a difference. However in practicality, it means you are subject to deportation, or bans from ever entering the US again. How many days have you overstayed your tourist visa by? If it's less than 180, leave in a hurry to avoid a longer ban. If it's over 180 days, be prepared for a very long ban.

Yes, she was admitted here on a tourist visa, not a work visa. So yes she is out of status, but also she is here illegally. Now that's neither here nor there. Now my question is how is someone allowed to obtain an education here who doesn't have legal residence status? Here in California you have to state if you're a citizen, legal resident or here on a student visa before they admit you. So did this person lie on their college application? There are stiff penalties for ones who lie on the college application. How were they able to pay for school? If you're not a resident of the state then you have to pay out of state tuition which can mean $$$$. Since she's not living here legally her education might be worthless until she can get it fixed. A friend of mine wasn't allowed to finish college (we went to college together) until he got his legal resident card fixed. He had let it expire and it took him about a year to fix it. Once he fixed it then he was able to finish school and obtain his Bachelors degree in Marketing. I don't see how she can get a work visa as a foreigner and work as a nurse when you need a BSN. Would it be possible for her to get legal residency period and work as a nurse with an ADN degree? I do know that in order for you to work here you would need a social security number and you have to show legal residency. My mom has her US citizenship and for work purposes they have asked to see it.

I also read somewhere (can't remember if it was on this board or if it was in the local newspaper) that there was this woman who had graduated from nursing school and wasn't able to work as a nurse because she wasn't a legal resident. Her education was worthless because she wasn't able to take it back with her nor was she able to use it here. She needed that social security number and legal status which she didn't have.

Even if you volunteer, I don't see how they will let a person even with a RN license volunteer and not look into the legal status. Usually even if you're a volunteer they will still 1. do a background check 2. ask for legal status. It will be a liability for a facility to let one volunteer as a nurse, I just don't see it happening. Even if you're able to volunteer as a nurse and get experience as a volunteer, once you get your immigrant status fixed and you apply for a job. Do you think the facility isn't going to question why you volunteered vs working as an RN? How would you think the facility would view you if you told them the truth that you came here on a tourist visa, broke the law and stayed to obtain an education? Then again, how would you look in their eyes if you "lie" on the application and someone found out who worked there and brought you in for questioning? Which lying on an application is grounds for termination.

If you do things the wrong way, then obviously you're stuck and it's going to be hard to get out of that jam. If you abide by the rules and wait your turn, then things will work more smoothly. Patience is a virtue. Good luck and hope things work out in your favor.