Which state has the shortest waiting period for an ATT?

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 20, 2008

Hi, Im a PN student from the Philippines and am planning to work in CA. My fiance is petitioning for me, so I will be entering the US with a K1 visa.
Because I want to be able to work the soonest, my school recommended that I apply for licensure in NM or Vermont so I can take the NCLEX in about 3 months (one student waited an entire year for his ATT for CA license). And then, after getting a VT or NM license, that school officer said I can apply for CA license (by endorsement) and processing time to get CA license should be less than a month.
Im scared to death of being stuck at home, with nothing to do (and not earning money/being dependent on my husband) so please if you can suggest a move...
thanks :)

Moving to the International forum

Because you trained outside the US then you will have to meet the BON/BRN requirements and even if endorsing to another state you will need to meet their requirements. Going over on a K1 will not make any difference as average time for overseas trained nurse is 4-6 months and in that time you can not work as a nurse until you have meet requirements and passed NCLEX.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 20, 2008

My understanding is you can not apply for EAD (permission to work) until you are married, that can still take some time to come through.

suzanne4, RN · Oct 20, 2008

For a start, never rely on one bit of information being given to you by your school concerning licensure in the US. They get very few students coming thru there that actually will have a K-1 pending, or already hold a green card or have US citizenship. Without having one of these three things, one is unable to work in the US. However, most of the LPN programs there will state that one can easily take the PN exam, but that does not get one a visa to work here. LPNs are not issued visas to work here, and it is actually illegal for them to be sent over on the H2-B visa, they are subject to being deported for immigration fraud.

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Now onto your questions:

NM requires the CES done thru CGFNS. So guess that they do not have the updated information concerning NM that has been out for months. And as Anna mentioned above, coming here on the K-1 visa is not going to give you permission to work right away. You will have 90 days to get married in and then have to go for an interview at that time. You will not be issued a SSN# before that time either. So there is no way for you to begin to work right away.

One other issue that you are going to be up against is that CA requires the local license now and there is not one for you to take since your training is not recognized by your government. Not sure what CA is doing now about this.

You also cannot even start the process until you have a completed set of transcripts that can be submitted. You are also going to be applying to a separate Board or Bureau that handles the LVN license, it is different from the RN Board. You can expect four months plus for any BON to grant permission to test, things are actually getting longer, not quicker.

Best of luck to you.

kikoman06 · Oct 20, 2008

I see. So, assuming I already have an SSN, all I really can do is send an application to CA BVNPT and see what happens? What would be the "least long" way to get a CA license? Or is it totally impossible for me to get any license from any state?

There's a regulating body that oversees PN schools here and holds competency tests that would lead toward a certification from the government. That body is TESDA.. Wouldn't that count?

suzanne4, RN · Oct 21, 2008

Sorry, but TESDA is not a licensing board and the Philippine Government does not do anything to approve that training since they do not accept the PN for licensure in your country. There is no license that is available for one to work as a PN in your country.

TESDA is vocational or technical training only, and does not meet the requirements for the US in terms of one being able to get a visa to work with that training. You would be getting a visa based on a spouse or fiance petitioning you, but it has nothing to do with the training that you have had.

There is no certification from your government as they do not recognize the training there for licensure. Your school once again is giving you poor information. Much has already been written on this topic.

There is no reason to try to go thru another state, you would still need to endorse to CA. Since you are going thru a program that is not licensed in the country where it is offered, it is going to be up to the Board to decide if they will accept the training from there.

Please be aware that there is no guarantee that the training will be automatically accepted. And no matter again what your school tells you, even there is no guarantee with the RN programs there that they are alolo 100% accepted by each and every state here.

Not all of the programs that are held and given in the US meet the requirements for all states.

You are looking at four months at the earliest to be granted permission to test here, and then add in another month to get results. The Board here does not charge for the LVN license until one passes the exam and then gets the bill with the passing results and pays that. So figure on another six weeks or so to get an actual license in your hands if you pass the first time.

There is no way that you are going to be able to work here immediately when you come over here.

kikoman06 · Oct 21, 2008

I guess if I get permitted to take the NCLEX, ill just take it here then.. Thanks for all the info! :wink2:

suzanne4, RN · Oct 21, 2008

You are quite welcome and best of luck to you.