Visa Screen Certificate / CGFNS

World Registration

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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.)

my application for the VS is to expire in a few days, do you know if there is an extention fee or do I have to pay the whole amount? I haven't paid them yet, but all my correspondence to verify my education is done, it tooks like 6 months to happen, so I would if they would let my extend my application.

I wish I had read before starting the application.

my application for the VS is to expire in a few days, do you know if there is an extention fee or do I have to pay the whole amount? I haven't paid them yet, but all my correspondence to verify my education is done, it tooks like 6 months to happen, so I would if they would let my extend my application.

I wish I had read before starting the application.

You are speaking of the CVS that is done specifically for those that wish to work in NY, this thread is speaking of the Visa Screen Certificate that one applies for after they have actually completed and passed the NCLEX-RN as well as the English exams.

If you are wishing to go for licensure in NY, there is no reason to write the CGFNS exam as you have mentioned in another one of your threads. NY does not require it and it will not help you in any fashion.

There is no such thing as an expiration for the CVS, once the 6 months are past, then CGFNS will usually submit your documents to NY for their evaluation. The eval is done by NY, all that CGFNS does it to obtain the documents for the Board in NY. There is no additional fee to pay as long as you have paid for the service originally.

good day.

I'm just wondering, does a VSC speed up the visa application process?

Why is it really required?

Will I be issued a visa though I don't have an employer yet?

I hope my questions will be answered. Thank you.

what is the difference between the VSC and the CES. someone told me that the difference is that the VSC is to get the Visa for the united states?

hi everyone...need some advice here...i am american and i went to nursing school in the philippines. i am graduating by march 2009 and i do not plan to attend the graduating ceremonies. i plan to just leave right after my final days of exam and after making sure i have completed all the requirements for graduation due to personal reasons. i have talked to the registrar and told him that i have to leave and he said it was fine as they have already submitted to CHED the batch's list of graduating students to get the S.O. number (i was very particular about this one because for the CES and the BON of massachusetts , one must have graduated from a government approved nursing school...)

i have just found out that i still need to verify with PRC that i can not sit in for the NLE because after all i am not filipino. i thought that all i needed to do was write a letter of explanation (like BON california if u did not take the NLE) stating i am not legible because i am american and not filipino. this is really dissapointing because it would take a long time for them to actually process my request and send the letter to cgfns for my CES.

anyway just an important question...i really absolutely need to leave right after my exams...would this be alright? i have trusted relatives to follow up the processing of my papers in the philippines. but would it look strange or even illegal or suspicious because i am not in the country when the date of graduation appears on my diploma (the date of the graduation ceremony???)

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
what is the difference between the VSC and the CES. someone told me that the difference is that the VSC is to get the Visa for the united states?

CES is a credential evaluation of your training. VSC is a screen that you meet immigration visa requirements. As a USC you do not need a VSC

Hello,

I am Register Professional Nurse – New York :

Status: Current

I resived from CGFNS that there is no verification of my NCLEX PASS.

"PASSED CP OR NCLEX WAITING FOR PASSING TEST RESULTS "

I am interested to get visa sckeen as soon as possiple.

As I understand I need a form for license verifying and a check

in the amount of $20.00 payable to New York State Department of Education, where is this form?

Thanks a lot.

How could you help me?

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

If you look at the visa screen handbook there is a form there that you can use

hi, im a secound courser nurse. i applied online for visa screen, they asked me to print the form for REQUEST FOR ACADEMIC RECORDS OF NURSES FOR VISA SCREEN and send it to my first school and second school, I'm wondering because the subjects listed on the form are all nursing subjects and my 1st course is dentistry so the subjects are all different. what will i do? will i still need to send the form to my 1st course school? thanks :)

Specializes in Orthopaedics / Medical Oncology.

Hello guys, I'm also starting to work on my VSC. I read every page of this thread (my goodness, that's a lot of posts)

Please verify some steps for me:

Based from what I read, you guys do NOT recommend the use the online method right?

I will then, cancel my current order by contacting CGFNS.

Based from what I read, I should fill in the questions like this (I have no work experience and I understand that training does not count):

I recently worked in the country: n/a

I recently worked in the City / State / Province: n/a

I recently worked in the profession: n/a

I worked at this job for how many years? 0 years

I also sat the exam in Makati City, Philippines. So I will instead write the following information in the Nurses Only Questions - NCLEX-RN or SBPTE Test Details:

Test date: Jan 21, 2009

Test Country: United States of America (Instead of Philippines)

Test State/Province: Illinois

Did passing of this exam lead to a license being issued in the same state/province and country? yes (I found my name and license number in the license look-up page, I don't have the physical license yet though).

I don't have to submit the Request for Academic Records as well as Request for verification of registration / licensure since I already went through the CES process prior to taking the NCLEX.

The signature for the VSC application is a complete name written in script / cursive. However, for my other forms, I can use my original signature (short hand). I used the short hand signature for the CES and I didn't get any problems.

Also, I'd like to take the opportunity to raise some more questions:

1. Can anyone tell me where should I sent the Request for verification of registration / licensure for the IL license and how much does it cost?

2. My brother will be handling the expenses through his CC. We were able to pay for the CES just by logging in the site and punching in his CC number. But now that I will go through the manual method, how will we do that?

3. Will my progress still be available online even though we will use the manual method?

4. My license will expire by May 31st 2010 (says on the website), if I'm here in the Philippines and I don't have an SSN, how will I renew it?

5. My friend who never had any transactions with CGFNS before is now taking the Visa Screen. Unlike me, he hasn't gone through CES. Sadly, he took the IELTS 2 years ago and will expire on april 28 (I pray that CGFNS will still consider his scores). Since he lives in a far away province, I helped him. I personally asked IDP to forward his score report to CGFNS since their office is in Makati and much nearer to where I am. Problem is, he does not have a CGFNS / ICHP ID number and he has no documents with CGFNS yet, not even the applications. So, should I advise him to cancel his VSC order on line and proceed with the manual method even if he doesn't have a CGFNS ID number?

Thanks guys,

I'll wait for your responses before we proceed with the application.

God Bless you!

- Josh

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hello guys, I'm also starting to work on my VSC. I read every page of this thread (my goodness, that's a lot of posts)

Please verify some steps for me:

Based from what I read, you guys do NOT recommend the use the online method right?

I will then, cancel my current order by contacting CGFNS.

Based from what I read, I should fill in the questions like this (I have no work experience and I understand that training does not count):

I recently worked in the country: n/a

I recently worked in the City / State / Province: n/a

I recently worked in the profession: n/a

I worked at this job for how many years? 0 years

I also sat the exam in Makati City, Philippines. So I will instead write the following information in the Nurses Only Questions - NCLEX-RN or SBPTE Test Details:

Test date: Jan 21, 2009

Test Country: United States of America (Instead of Philippines)

Test State/Province: Illinois

Did passing of this exam lead to a license being issued in the same state/province and country? yes (I found my name and license number in the license look-up page, I don't have the physical license yet though).

I don't have to submit the Request for Academic Records as well as Request for verification of registration / licensure since I already went through the CES process prior to taking the NCLEX.

The signature for the VSC application is a complete name written in script / cursive. However, for my other forms, I can use my original signature (short hand). I used the short hand signature for the CES and I didn't get any problems.

Also, I'd like to take the opportunity to raise some more questions:

1. Can anyone tell me where should I sent the Request for verification of registration / licensure for the IL license and how much does it cost?

2. My brother will be handling the expenses through his CC. We were able to pay for the CES just by logging in the site and punching in his CC number. But now that I will go through the manual method, how will we do that?

3. Will my progress still be available online even though we will use the manual method?

4. My license will expire by May 31st 2010 (says on the website), if I'm here in the Philippines and I don't have an SSN, how will I renew it?

5. My friend who never had any transactions with CGFNS before is now taking the Visa Screen. Unlike me, he hasn't gone through CES. Sadly, he took the IELTS 2 years ago and will expire on april 28 (I pray that CGFNS will still consider his scores). Since he lives in a far away province, I helped him. I personally asked IDP to forward his score report to CGFNS since their office is in Makati and much nearer to where I am. Problem is, he does not have a CGFNS / ICHP ID number and he has no documents with CGFNS yet, not even the applications. So, should I advise him to cancel his VSC order on line and proceed with the manual method even if he doesn't have a CGFNS ID number?

Thanks guys,

I'll wait for your responses before we proceed with the application.

God Bless you!

- Josh

If you have already started the online application in my opinion stay with it but make sure all forms are completed correctly before you press submit. Any errors will have to be done manually by sending form to CGFNS.

Contact Il BON and check with them what their fees are. The form generally is sent to the BON and they will send it to the person or alternatively ask them at the same time as you ask them cost of fee to verify license.

If paid online and send manually you should still be OK with that although I am not 100% sure

yes you can still observe process online even when sending application manually

If his IELTS expires in April all depends on when they review his file to whether they accept it or not. If expired by the time they review his file they may reject it. Even if he submits online they should still send him a CGFNS number

Specializes in Orthopaedics / Medical Oncology.

Hey Silver,

Thanks for the response. I'll see to it that all forms will be done properly and if the online method can't do it right, I'll just go for manual method.

Anyway, how about the answers for the experience field and nurses only questions, are those OK? If I do the online method, I won't have a choice to do n/a and I'll be forced to type in Philippines - Registered Nurse - 0 years - Quezon City (place where I got most RLE experience).

Thanks and have a nice day!

- Josh

PS: I checked the forms, the online application seems to be OK except for this one:

16. For Nurses Only:

a. Have you ever taken the CGFNS Certification Examination, the State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE), or the U.S. Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN)? X Yes No

If yes, which examination(s) did you take: X CGFNS CP Qualifying Exam X

SBTPE X NCLEX-RN X NCLEX-PN

b. Have you ever passed any of the above exams? X Yes No

If yes, which examination(s) did you pass: CGFNS CP Qualifying Exam SBTPE X NCLEX-RN NCLEX-PN

OK, I don't remember any part of the online process asking me which exams have I taken (pertaining to 16a) but I do remember some asking me about which exams I passed (pertaining to 16b), which seemed OK. 16a makes me feel dumb. hehehe

So, what do you guys think? Online or Manual?

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