Visa Screen Certificate / CGFNS

World Registration

Published

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.)

Hi Binangkal,

I think you should call CGFNS and tell them that you have sent your visa screen app. form along with the photo id form. And explain to them that if they received the app. form, the id form should be with your app. form as well.

I had a problem too when I sent my application form and documents. I have waited for 10 days for CGFNS to send me an email or letter that they received my application but they did not so I called them up and explained to them exactly how I sent the application form and other documents. Then the lady told me that they did not receive anything from me but they will look for it. And to make the story short, if I haven,t called them up, maybe my application will not be processed until now and they will not do anything about it and I will still be waiting for their confirmation....thank you to silverdragon for advising me to call cgfns...and I did so they looked for it and finally processed everything.

So I suggest that you call them to save you some time and also for them to know that you have some concern regarding your application. Hope this helps...

0 Votes

thanks Eugene224!!

ill try calling them...

0 Votes

anybody here who got issued a VISA Screen even without a local phil license? This question is for my cousin who is here in USA who has an actual US RN license, SSN and an F1 status but did not take the local exam after graduation because she moved here right away.

Is local license a requirement in VSC?

0 Votes
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
anybody here who got issued a VISA Screen even without a local phil license? This question is for my cousin who is here in USA who has an actual US RN license, SSN and an F1 status but did not take the local exam after graduation because she moved here right away.

Is local license a requirement in VSC?

Local license is not a requirement for VSC but if on F1 status how is she planning on getting a work visa or immigrant visa? Be aware can not AOS at the moment

0 Votes

her dad is a US citizen, she is just waiting for his petition. Anyway thanks.

0 Votes

Hi

I dont know if this question was being asked before... I just want to know, what is the best step? Apply for visascreen first after passing nclex or find an employer first before filling for visascreen. I am confused about the steps? and what is the reason why?

0 Votes

I have to say that you definitely need to have an employer first before you apply for a visa screen because you will only need one if you will already apply for a visa (thats why its a visa screen). This is to save money because as most of us know, there is still retrogression in the United States and we may be looking at a 10 year wait or more. That being said, visa screens only lasts for 5 or 6 years (not sure) but the point is if you apply now, there's a big chance that your visa screen will expire first before a visa gets available. It is safe to wait for the approval of your employers petition first before you apply for a visa screen, again, because of the retrogression. This is what I am doing now, since I am just waiting for the approval of my employers petition then what I will do is I will check the visa bulletin monthly to see how it is moving. Once I see the cutoff date becomes closer to my priority date then that will be the time that I will apply for a visa screen.

0 Votes
I have to say that you definitely need to have an employer first before you apply for a visa screen because you will only need one if you will already apply for a visa (thats why its a visa screen). This is to save money because as most of us know, there is still retrogression in the United States and we may be looking at a 10 year wait or more. That being said, visa screens only lasts for 5 or 6 years (not sure) but the point is if you apply now, there's a big chance that your visa screen will expire first before a visa gets available. It is safe to wait for the approval of your employers petition first before you apply for a visa screen, again, because of the retrogression. This is what I am doing now, since I am just waiting for the approval of my employers petition then what I will do is I will check the visa bulletin monthly to see how it is moving. Once I see the cutoff date becomes closer to my priority date then that will be the time that I will apply for a visa screen.

Ok.. In case I can find an employer who can sponsor for H1B Visa? That is if only happens? so what shall be the next step? Coz as of now I only have my NCLEX license and thats all.. pls guide me what shall I do next.. I thought there is so called a que for the application for the immigration visa.. what is that? and how can we be included in the que? pls explain... Im sorry I'm a new here a lot of question will be expected from me...

0 Votes

"Ok.. In case I can find an employer who can sponsor for H1B Visa? That is if only happens? so what shall be the next step? Coz as of now I only have my NCLEX license and thats all.. pls guide me what shall I do next.. I thought there is so called a que for the application for the immigration visa.. what is that? and how can we be included in the que? pls explain... Im sorry I'm a new here a lot of question will be expected from me..."

I am sorry if I forgot to mention about the H1B Visa. Now, if you will be able to find an employer who will be willing to file for this kind of visa in order for them to hire you, then that will be good for you, since you wont need to wait for the "que" as you have mentioned. I think what you meant was the waiting list for immigrant visa specifically under the EB3 category. For you to be included among the thousands if not millions of nurses waiting for the retrogression to be lifted, then you also need to find an employer who will file for one. Try to search about the retrogression issue here in this website and you will find a lot of information about it.

Now, you mentioned that you have passed the NCLEX, NCLEX is only good in the United States and with the current situation that they have there, I doubt it if it will be easy for one to find an employer willing to file these visas regardless if it may be EB3 or H1B. What I can suggest is that, if you have the hospital experience which is usually required for you to be able to work abroad, is that you consider other countries as well. Try, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and countries in the Middle East as they are those countries who are in need of nurses. Canada, UK and USA are not that good of an option nowadays because of the global crisis that we are experiencing and other related issues. Also, these countries have a lot of graduate nurses who are really struggling to find a job in their respective country.

0 Votes

Thanks so much for that informative explanation.. So now I know taht I might having some difficulty to go there unless i am very fortunate to find an employer who can sponsor for H1B visa..

You haven't answer my first question.. What will be the next step in case i can find an employer who can sponsor me in H1B Visa?. since I dont have anything except for the NCLEX RN passing cert (license). What will be the first step coz as you've said dont apply for visa screen until you got the sponsorship.. and I am afraid due to the long time we needed for processing everything to get the Viascreen, they might back-out.. That is the worst that might happen.. So shall I prepare for the Visa Screen or still need to wait for the employer? And pls answer the first question..

Thank you for your patience and consideration..

0 Votes

sorry about that...to answer your question, if and when you find an employer, make sure that they will be willing to wait for you to process the visascreen (everything in the world is negotiable it just depends on how you are going to convince them that you are worth the wait), or if not and if you have the means then go ahead and apply for a visascreen beforehand. That is to your own discretion. The only reason that I advised you not to process the visascreen yet is just to save money because it is still uncertain if you will be able to find an employer willing to hire you and file an application for your visa may it be H1b or other applicable visas. That for me is just being practical, but again if you are confident (and lucky enough) that you will be able to find an employer who will file for an H1b visa then go for it, take a risk and apply for a visascreen. Life, after all, is about taking chances and you, are the master of your own ship.

0 Votes

Bogchi...

Thnks for this immediate reply.. follow up question is.. I'm now in Singapore and Registered nurse here. I'm holding BSN in the Philippines. and got my RN in Philippines and Singapore, NCLEX passer in Vermont.. Now I'm trying to find an employer in USA.. Im a Dialysis nurse in Singapore for almost 5 years and prior to that OR nurse in the philippines for almost 4 years.. base on my data how are you going to assess it?

And you mentioned H1b Visa, does it cover the whole family? meaning can I also Bring my wife and 2 year old son?

Thank you so much..

I believe this was your post from another thread, with your credentials, I think you may have a better chance on finding an employer who will file for an H1b visa since you have a specialization (dialysis nursing) and you also have the experience to back it up. I think it will be best if you search for dialysis centers in the US and if you have the time give each of them a call and see what may happen. You can start by checking this link, http://www.cambridgehealthcare.com/, I dont have a first-hand experience with them but they may worth a try.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment