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.)

Maybe I was wrong about the NJ thingy, sorry. hehe. And about the SSN, I think NJ requires SSN. I also thought I can just take the NCLEX on Maryland, but it would be just the same, since I would also have to take NCLEX on NJ coz my employer is from NJ. And I dont know a thing about that Letter of Endorsement. It's a very long process, and would definitely waste a lot of money. Dont you think?

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

NCLEX is national so it doesn't matter which state you sit the exam for. Issues may arise when endorsing. If CES is required in one state then usually you can request at a later date a copy to be sent to the new state for a small fee. What you need to do is enquire with the state you will be working in what requirement they have for endorsement if trained outside the US. They may be happy just to endorse your license or alternatively apply as if applying for initial registration and submit documentation like CES report.

Generally I would say apply to the state you plan living and working as it can be expensive going from one to another, with CA being the only exception.

A lot of states will allow initial application with no SSN however to renew your license you need a SSN. Saying that if you are caught up in retrogression and going to take several years to get a SSN because it takes several years to get a visa allowing you to live and work in the US the state may allow you to renew license until you get in the US and a SSN is issued. That also would be something you need to discuss with the state

HI SUzanne, i wonder if having a visa screen certificate will able me to work in us? Im taking the nclex in nevada state this oct if i luckily pass do i need to have that cgfns visa screen to be able to work? is that a way to have a working visa or ssn?

If your a nclex passer and you dont have a ssn, Will cgfns visa screen help you obtain a ssn? Im confuse? i know about retrogression and all but im just concern if they will be able to provide visa? Its okay for me to wait.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
HI SUzanne, i wonder if having a visa screen certificate will able me to work in us? Im taking the nclex in nevada state this oct if i luckily pass do i need to have that cgfns visa screen to be able to work? is that a way to have a working visa or ssn?

VSC just means you meet requirements to work in the US it doesn't mean you can actually work. It is usually a requirements when obtaining a work/immigrant visa

If your a nclex passer and you dont have a ssn, Will cgfns visa screen help you obtain a ssn? Im confuse? i know about retrogression and all but im just concern if they will be able to provide visa? Its okay for me to wait.

CGFNS do not provide work visas or SSN. You need a employer who files for you. SSN can only be obtained once in the US with a valid work/immigrant visa

ok so it means it will be easier for me to find an employer if a have a VSC? if it is not too much to ask.. i need some advice to my situation here. Im recently residing here in L.A with my husband and daughter. my husband just holds a student visa which makes my status dependent to him (both no ssn). my daughter is born here(lucky her bcoz instant ssn).. I tried to apply before in CA but just return my app bcoz of no ssn so i tried NV instead luckily i got att letter and scheduled to take the exam this oct. but i just learned that my application to them got expired already since i applied it last yr and it is just good for a year. so now, if hopefully,i pass my exam this oct,what would be the next best thing to do? What are my options? Can i renew my app w/o ssn? Will VSC will help me in the future? Or apply to new york to have an actual license endorse to CA? oh wait Ca will not process endorsement app w/o ssn ryt? PLZ HELP ME>>> i really intend and wish to work here in CA soon. Also is't true that if you fail to submit ssn in given time they will destroy it and then you have to take the exam again? I have a friend in the Philippines with the same situation and she is afraid that she had to take another exam again. Also, even if my app is already expired will the NV board still informed me my exam results? or i need to renew my app first? Thank you so much. God Bless

Specializes in Acute Care. ER. Aged Care/LTC. Psyche.
ok so it means it will be easier for me to find an employer if a have a VSC? if it is not too much to ask.. i need some advice to my situation here. Im recently residing here in L.A with my husband and daughter. my husband just holds a student visa which makes my status dependent to him (both no ssn). my daughter is born here(lucky her bcoz instant ssn).. I tried to apply before in CA but just return my app bcoz of no ssn so i tried NV instead luckily i got att letter and scheduled to take the exam this oct. but i just learned that my application to them got expired already since i applied it last yr and it is just good for a year. so now, if hopefully,i pass my exam this oct,what would be the next best thing to do? What are my options? Can i renew my app w/o ssn? Will VSC will help me in the future? Or apply to new york to have an actual license endorse to CA? oh wait Ca will not process endorsement app w/o ssn ryt? PLZ HELP ME>>> i really intend and wish to work here in CA soon. Also is't true that if you fail to submit ssn in given time they will destroy it and then you have to take the exam again? I have a friend in the Philippines with the same situation and she is afraid that she had to take another exam again. Also, even if my app is already expired will the NV board still informed me my exam results? or i need to renew my app first? Thank you so much. God Bless

Having a VSC will not necessarily increase your chance of finding an employer wishing to sponsor you for a work visa. It won't change the fact that the employer needs to go through all the process of the immigration and sponsoring a foreign nurse, which these days are kind of rare. It is one of the requirements, though. So it'll save you time in the future.

Regarding the NV licensure application. I'm just confused on why they issued you an ATT and yet your application is already expired. I don't know for sure how it goes, but I would contact your BON and ask them for sure what to do.

And regarding the reapplication without a SSN. I think you can still reapply even without your SSN, but some states will not issue an actual license if you don't have that SSN. And no, they won't "destroy" your NCLEX file. California used to do it I guess, but it won't matter now coz they won't accept application anyway without the SSN.

oic tnk u for your reply. about the application. I was able to schedule my exam before my application expired. When i scheduled to pearson vue they quickly send me an att letter but my application to NV is only for one year.

Specializes in Acute Care. ER. Aged Care/LTC. Psyche.

be sure to check with your BON. It maybe possible that since you already have your ATT, they may give you some sort of extension. So if you haven't talked to someone from the BON just to check your status, then do so.

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.

hi suzanne! i did what u advised, im just planning to have a paper application for my CVS. im confused on what to write on the order number.. do i need to register online first or when i pay that someone from cgfns will notify me about my order number?:uhoh3: thank u very much :D

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

You will not get a cgfns ID number until you have applied and fees paid

You will not get a cgfns ID number until you have applied and fees paid

hi silverdragon! :) thanks for the reply.. yes i know i can get a cgfns number after i apply and pay.. because there's another blank for the order number.. i wonder what to put there?

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