Visa Screen Certificate / CGFNS

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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.)

Yichen5 said:
Hello, there,

I was from Taiwan and studied & graduated from ADN in TN, USA last Dec. and have just passed NCLEX and got my RN licensure number on 1/29,2007.  yeah!! I'm so excited.

OK.... now, my question is... I recieved trainning in usa, so does that mean I'm exempt for the English test(like TOFEL I.e.) for the VSC?

I can only stay until the end of Feb after I graudated. I'm somewhat confused about what to do next. I posted my resume on webs and hope to have a hospital to contact me. nothing new yet. I know I need to apply for a visa screen, which form on USCIS should I　obtain and fill out? Anyone kindly recommends a dependable lawyer who is good at this will be so much appreciated (I am in West TN). The hospital where I practiced as an intern did not do such a sponsorship thing despite my director has helped me to talk with them. and several nearby hospitals did not do such a thing, either. I was very upset but I'm not losing my hope.

I wish every one good luck!

and thanks for Suzanne's effort to keep us informed the updates.

Without having an OPT that you can work under there is no other way at the moment for you to be petitioned to work due to the retrogression. Only the I-140 can be submitted and that will not permit you to remain in the US, or to work. Do not expect anything to open up before this Summer at the very earliest. It will be easiest for you to be petitioned from home and then you can return to the US.

No one has done sponsorship in a few years, that was for the H1-B visa that does not exist for nurses any longer. For the green card, they only need to petition, and no further paperwork from them.

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You will not find any hospitals contacting you as no one knows when the retrogression will end and they can't do anything right now.

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Visa Screen Certificate application is on the CGFNS website, it does not come from USCIS.

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Suzanne,

I very much appreciate your taking time to answer our questions as you always do. :nurse: Your valuable opinions help us make decisions.

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After visascreen, What am I suppose to do?

Find an employer that will petition me? Is that correct?

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Actually, when you already have proof of passing NCLEX you can look for an employer already.

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I'm just wondering if this is the step I should be taking right now... applying for VSC even though I have not found a hospital to do the petition? Do I need to wait until the retrogression is resolved? (I have got my RN licene on 1/29). Will they deny my application because I have never had nursing experiences (I'm just a new America-educated, foreign-born RN)?

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I'm just wondering if this is the step I should be taking right now... applying for VSC even though I have not found a hospital to do the petition? Do I need to wait until the retrogression is resolved? (I have got my RN licene on 1/29). Will they deny my application because I have never had nursing experiences (I'm just a new America-educated, foreign-born RN)?

VSC is required only for immigration purposesa and has nothing to do with employers or anything else, or what experience that you have. I highly recommend that you apply for it now.

As a foreign nurse, you are required to go thru the same immigration process, the only thing that is waived for you is the requirement of the English exams if you did your basic nursing training in the US.

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Hello, Susanne,

I was going to apply it on-line... but I encountered a "internal server error" when I wanted to add my secondary school. Can I give that up and just go the mail rout? The order number is still there and I don't see the cancel button anywhere. Maybe I should call them Monday....

I've asked so many quesitons these days... Thank you for your patience! :)

The Visa Screen Certificate usually takes about four months, if you have not gone thru any CGFNS application previously. You only need the IELTS and the NCLEX to apply for it, but I suggest that you do it by a paper application, since you are going to need to mail them things in the first place. Have sen too many issues with the on-line applications in the past.

Go to www.cgfns.org and download the applciation for the Visa Screen Certificate.

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Specializes in Gyne Surger/Oncology.

Hi Suzanne, any chance you'd know which states require the cgfns? You are extremely informative....thanx so much

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Hi Suzanne, any chance you'd know which states require the cgfns? You are extremely informative....thanx so much

Please just do a search on this forum. But you should be selecting a state by where you wish to work, that should be your priority.

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Hello, Susanne,

I was going to apply it on-line... but I encountered a "internal server error" when I wanted to add my secondary school. Can I give that up and just go the mail rout? The order number is still there and I don't see the cancel button anywhere. Maybe I should call them Monday....

I've asked so many quesitons these days... Thank you for your patience! :)

I always recommend the pen and paper application to them, not the on-line form, for this very same reason. Once it is sent, it is sent and cannot be corrected.

Just call them.

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Specializes in Gyne Surger/Oncology.
Please just do a search on this forum. But you should be selecting a state by where you wish to work, that should be your priority.

Hi suzanne! thanx for the quick reply. I'm hoping to find work in Nevada...that is wear my husband wants to move to also. Good idea...why didn't i think of calling them? haha silly me.

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Hi Suzanne,

How much time does it takes to recieve Visa Screening certificate

Thanks !

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