Visacreen-its a crying shame and rip-off

Silverdragon102, BSN · Sep 7, 2007

that an rn who attended a government approved, accredited nursing school at a college or university right in the us, has to pay $398.00 plus $50.00 processing fee for a visascreen certificate to state that the nursing education that they received (adn or bsn) at a us nursing school is equivalent to what?...a us nursing school education!
who do we call or write to about this expensive redundancy? has anyone told cgfns about that?
i am just getting ready to pay this $448.00, since i have no choice, but i had to vent.
anyone feel the same way?

all foreign nationals have to go through it regardless on where they trained. this is set down by immigration and has nothing to do with cgfns all they are doing is providing the service

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Sep 7, 2007

I am an American citizen. I attended a US school, took my NCLEX here. I paid close to 300.00 to write my Boards, plus other fees for fingerprints, etc.

Whenever, I try to endorse my license to other states with in the USA, my home state requires fees to send my NCLEX results and show that I passed and was licensed. Usually 25-35 each time.

In addition, some states require paperwork from each state in which I have ever been licensed. Each one of those states require fees for this service - between 25-50 each. I have been licensed in 9 states. That is in addition to endorsement fees.

This runs my licensure fees up several hundred for just getting a license in another state in the US, despite already being licensed in the US and a citizen here.

Not to be unsympathetic but....

Trust me, fees for that service are not that unusual, and many similar fees are levied against US nurses for various licensure issues, such as proving their good records, for release of their records or their NCLEX results.

RNGrad2006 · Sep 8, 2007

I am an American citizen. I attended a US school, took my NCLEX here. I paid close to 300.00 to write my Boards, plus other fees for fingerprints, etc.
Whenever, I try to endorse my license to other states with in the USA, my home state requires fees to send my NCLEX results and show that I passed and was licensed. Usually 25-35 each time.
In addition, some states require paperwork from each state in which I have ever been licensed. Each one of those states require fees for this service - between 25-50 each. I have been licensed in 9 states. That is in addition to endorsement fees.
This runs my licensure fees up several hundred for just getting a license in another state in the US, despite already being licensed in the US and a citizen here.
Not to be unsympathetic but....
Trust me, fees for that service are not that unusual, and many similar fees are levied against US nurses for various licensure issues, such as proving their good records, for release of their records or their NCLEX results.

You are missing the point completely!!!! Foreigners who study in the US pay those fees you mentioned as well, and in addition pay over $400 to get their US education verified to ensure that it matches a US education.

lawrence01 · Sep 9, 2007

visa screen is mandated by the us federal gov't for all foreigners seeking occupational visas. it is for immigration or work visa purposes. it's strictly for that. it would be streamlined if coming from a us educational institution.

*faq fro cgfns/ichp:

i am from a foreign country, but graduated from a college in the united states. do i still need to apply for the visascreen program?

yes. although your professional education was completed in the united states, the purpose of the visascreen program is to provide a screening program which meets all federal requirements for international healthcare professionals seeking an occupational visa in the united states, irrespective of where the professional education was completed. however, there is a streamlined process for foreign-born healthcare professionals educated in the u.s.

*source: http://www.cgfns.org/sections/tools/faq/vs.shtml#3

suzanne4, RN · Sep 9, 2007

And again as mentioned:

CGFNS is under contract to the US Federal government to provide this service, it is required by the US government for immigration purposes and has nothing to do with CGFNS/ICHP from any other standpoint.

And just because you have graduated from nursing school in the US, it is running a verification on you and what you did before you came to the US, and it is not specific for nurses if you actually check further. Anyone going to work in health care and desiring a visa, even as a pharmacist or physical therapist, must go thru this as well.

The US does not differentiate between those that attended school in the US and those that attended out of schoo, you still have the same requirements to complete. Nothing actually gets waived other than the English exams, and that is it. Also attending school in the US does not guarantee you a green card and that you will be permitted to stay. You still need to go thru the formalities.

CGFNS has nothing to do with this other than providing the service. So please do not blame it on them.