Steps that need to be taken if you need to apply for the green card.:
1. Apply to a state Board of Nursing for licensure by examination. Follow the requirements that are listed on the application. Some states will require a credentials verification, please be aware of that. Once your credentials have been accepted, they will send you a letter stating that you meet all requirements for licensure except the NCLEX-RN exam. Once you have received this letter, you can go ahead and pay the fee for the exam to Pearson-Vue. This can be done on their website: http://www.pearsonvue.com.
The charge for taking the exam in the US is $200 US, and for the overseas centers is $350 US. The overseas centers require that you phone them to schedule your appointment at this time. See the website listed for Pearson-Vue to obtain their phone numbers.
2. Finger print cards can be done at any police station unless otherwise stated by that particular Board of Nursing. If they are needed, I would have two sets completed.
3. Visa Screen Certificate is handled by CGFNS and can be downloaded from their website at http://www.CGFNS.org. This is required of all nurses who are applying for a green card on their own. If you are married to a nurse who will also be working, currently just one person needs the Certificate as the other will be on a spousal visa. However, this is subject to change.
4. English exams are required if you are not from an exempt country.
Approved exams are TOEFL, TWE, and TSE or the IELTS series with the academic branch and the speaking section.
5. Any forms that require a notary can be done at the U.S. Embassy where you are living. There is a fee for this. Last time that I checked, the charge was about $35 US per signature required.
6. For those of you wishing to go the New York route, they require a special credentials verification, called a CVS, also done thru CGFNS. They can use the same submitted documents for the Visa Screen Certificate. But you do not submit the documents and are unable to do so. CGFNS is required to obtain all needed documents for this, you just submit the applications and pay the fee and they do the rest.
Hope that this helps clear up many questions that keep popping up. :)
I decided to apply to N.Y State, but I have some question before doing that. I hope you can helpe by giving me some advice. I am Mexican Nurse, and I graduate in 1998 of the BSN program at a Nursing School in Mexico City. I did not have a License for practicing as BSN yet. In Mexico we can work as BSN with out not license, but yet we not get a good salary. Any way I practice as BSN since 1998 until 2001 when I quit my job in order to come to America to learn Englis and to validate my Nursing credencials. I went through the process withthe CGFNS from April 2003 until October 2004, but I ended up cancelled because CGFNS argue thath I do not have Psyquiatric Nursing education plus CGFNS also argue that I am a first level Nurse since I sent my Associate Science of Nursing education, but CGFNS said that in order to become a Nurse I needed to study elementary school, then junior high school, then high school and then Nursing, but in Mexico I was allowed to study 6 years of elementary, then 3 years of junior high , then Nursing 4 years of Nursing along with the two last years of high school , and I graduate from the program plus I got my nursing license, so CGFNS said there is no way for them to accept that kind of program specially from Mexicans. They told me the only way to get approved is by Having a BSN. Well after severals years I finished my ASN in Mexico I went back to school to get my BSN. Now I have all the credits fro becoming a Nurse , a Nursing Diploma , and I was allowed to practice Nursing in my Country as BSN, but I aven't gotten the BSN license yet. As I told you I quit my job in Mexico almost 5 years ago and I came to USA to learn English and to validate my nursing credentials, so I am still in college under a student visa (F-1) and i am planning to graduate next May 2007 from the AAS Biotechnology program, and because of my near graduation , and since I will get my optional practical training OPT permit I want to have advantage of that , so I'd like to apply to the N.Y state to see if I can get validated my Nursing education. With all this background information I'd like to have some advice from you.
One question I have is.Should I apply first to N.Y. I mean, should open first a file and then should I apply to the CVSfor N.Y state through the CGFNS.
Other question is that in the CVS of N.Y state there is a form regarding my license " Authorization for Validation of registration/License", so should I fill ou this form also eventhough I do not have my BSN license? .
Since I inted to work in Kansas or Texas states should I put eitherone or should I put N.Y state?
In number 11 of the CVS of N.Y state there is a question " please provide the information the following information . Choose answer a, b or c
a. I was never registered /license outside the United States
b.My diplome serves as my license /registration
c. I am/ was license /registered outside the United States."
I'd like to know how to answer correctely and accurately since I do not want to make any mistake this time.
Final question . I also have studied one year of a Master degree in "Quality Control for Organizations" Should I put this information in the "record of your educational preparation" in the postsecondary education space?
By applying to N.Y state I am hoping to get my nursing education validated and to take the NCLEX-RN and thus try to use my OPT after graduation and eventually get a NAFTA (TN-2) VISA I am looing for the GreenCard. I'm looking for the tn-2 VISA.
oK . I hope I did not confuse you,but yet I am ready to answer any question and I eagerly wait for your insight.
I spoke with Pearson and registered for the NCLEX. One month later I find out from the state they don't do that. Which means they don't allow registered nurses to write the NCLEX. I contacted the National Board of Nursing who told me its up to the state.
I'm confused about two months ago the state told me it was doable that they would allow me to take the exam.
I need some help. I applied for an ATT in NY. They toldme that tey received my application last March 5 but until now they are not giving my ATT yet. What is the problem with it? Who am I gonna call?
Did you submit the CVS to CGFNS? They cannot and will not process your application before they receive the information from CGFNS.
Not sure what you have done as of yet. It actually takes more than one month for them to process anything. It even takes at least two weeks to receive the ATT after NY has received the documents from the CVS, from CGFNS. Not sure who told you that it would be an immediate procedure. It definitely is not. If you want to work in NY, then you need to go thru their process, even if endorsing there as a foreign grad.
Actually, you can expect about a 4 month wait on average.
*****This is why I always tell everyone to have the ATT in hand before leaving for the US. I definitely suggest that you speak to your agency about this. They brought you over, and are responsbile for paying you. They knew that they never submitted your application to NY. CGFNS alone is not a license, it will not even give you a Limited Permit in NY, until you have also gone thru the CVS process.
If you need to, contact the Attorney General for NY. There needs to be a stop put to agencies treating people like this.
My suggestion as before was to go to another state. Not the one where you hold a license.
Did the state actually give approval for you to take the exam to Pearson-Vue?
You are right, am in contact with Maryland. Any idea which state would be the easiest to work through ? Somewhere I got the idea California might be, BUT no idea.
I read your post stating that NY is the way to go for foreign nurses when applying for the RN licensure exam. I read this way too late. I am an RN from the Philippines and currently in Los Angeles holding a tourist visa. I arrived on January 28th; was given a 6 month stay from the port of entry and therefore wasted no time in applying for the NCLEX exam (California) which I submitted last Jan. 30th. I checked with the CA BRN and I was told that they received my application last Feb. 8th. I know it takes them like 5 months to process my application. Now, when I read your post regarding the NY route, I was dismayed since I would have loved to work in the south (maybe Dallas, Texas) and was thinking that if I pass the NCLEX exam, I will apply for endorsement. But as you've stated, it's not possible to do this since CA will not release my license until I get my SSN. I would admit my time here is really running out and I'm kinda panicky . My questions are: 1) if I submit an application to NY, how long do I have to wait until I'm found eligible to take the NCLEX?
2) When I register for NCLEX exam with Pearson Vue, how many months before I could be scheduled to take the test?
3) Is it a requirement to have a VisaScreen Certificate on hand before any employer can sponsor me for an employment-based immigrant visa? How long does it take for the ICHP to process my VisaScreen Certificate?
4) If I am stuck in California, are you able to recommend a good place for me to start my career (entry-level)? Los Angeles, Hercules, or Fremont perhaps?
I am sure that you respond to sooooooooooooo many inquiries and your response to my questions (pardon me if I've asked some similar questions to your previous threads...I might have just overlooked them somehow) would be greatly appreciated. Knowing that someone is there to bring some light, means so much to us, foreign nurses, who are caught in a maze. Thank you very much for your time! You have a wonderful weekend!
First, you never should have come to the US with the plan of working and not already had the ATT or at least permission to sit for thexam from CA. They take four to six months before you will be given permission to sit for the exam, then it is another four weeks or so after you take the exam before you will find out your results. Not one thing can be done until you have the results.
There is no place for you to start a carer without having passed the NCLEX-RN. You need those results. And under no circumstances apply for an extension to your visa. You will not be able to do one thing until you get the results from that extension, and if you get deinied, you must leave the country immedaitely, even if you have found an employer.
Hi everyone! I am currently enrolled in RN Associate degree in Louisiana as an international student, F-1 visa. I will be graduating May 07 and plan to apply for post completion practical training in order to be able to gain some experience and have time (and $$$) while in the process of application for certifications, etc.
My question, who can hire me? Can it be a private practice physician? Home health? or does it have to be like a certain kind of employer?
You will find very few physicians that will be willing to do it. They have to submit their financial records to immigration. Your best bet is with a hospital. Same thing with Home Health Agencies.
. My questions are: 1) if I submit an application to NY, how long do I have to wait until I'm found eligible to take the NCLEX?
tetitto
57 Posts
Dear Suzanne4
I decided to apply to N.Y State, but I have some question before doing that. I hope you can helpe by giving me some advice. I am Mexican Nurse, and I graduate in 1998 of the BSN program at a Nursing School in Mexico City. I did not have a License for practicing as BSN yet. In Mexico we can work as BSN with out not license, but yet we not get a good salary. Any way I practice as BSN since 1998 until 2001 when I quit my job in order to come to America to learn Englis and to validate my Nursing credencials. I went through the process withthe CGFNS from April 2003 until October 2004, but I ended up cancelled because CGFNS argue thath I do not have Psyquiatric Nursing education plus CGFNS also argue that I am a first level Nurse since I sent my Associate Science of Nursing education, but CGFNS said that in order to become a Nurse I needed to study elementary school, then junior high school, then high school and then Nursing, but in Mexico I was allowed to study 6 years of elementary, then 3 years of junior high , then Nursing 4 years of Nursing along with the two last years of high school , and I graduate from the program plus I got my nursing license, so CGFNS said there is no way for them to accept that kind of program specially from Mexicans. They told me the only way to get approved is by Having a BSN. Well after severals years I finished my ASN in Mexico I went back to school to get my BSN. Now I have all the credits fro becoming a Nurse , a Nursing Diploma , and I was allowed to practice Nursing in my Country as BSN, but I aven't gotten the BSN license yet. As I told you I quit my job in Mexico almost 5 years ago and I came to USA to learn English and to validate my nursing credentials, so I am still in college under a student visa (F-1) and i am planning to graduate next May 2007 from the AAS Biotechnology program, and because of my near graduation , and since I will get my optional practical training OPT permit I want to have advantage of that , so I'd like to apply to the N.Y state to see if I can get validated my Nursing education. With all this background information I'd like to have some advice from you.
One question I have is.Should I apply first to N.Y. I mean, should open first a file and then should I apply to the CVSfor N.Y state through the CGFNS.
Other question is that in the CVS of N.Y state there is a form regarding my license " Authorization for Validation of registration/License", so should I fill ou this form also eventhough I do not have my BSN license? .
Since I inted to work in Kansas or Texas states should I put eitherone or should I put N.Y state?
In number 11 of the CVS of N.Y state there is a question " please provide the information the following information . Choose answer a, b or c
a. I was never registered /license outside the United States
b.My diplome serves as my license /registration
c. I am/ was license /registered outside the United States."
I'd like to know how to answer correctely and accurately since I do not want to make any mistake this time.
Final question . I also have studied one year of a Master degree in "Quality Control for Organizations" Should I put this information in the "record of your educational preparation" in the postsecondary education space?
By applying to N.Y state I am hoping to get my nursing education validated and to take the NCLEX-RN and thus try to use my OPT after graduation and eventually get a NAFTA (TN-2) VISA I am looing for the GreenCard. I'm looking for the tn-2 VISA.
oK . I hope I did not confuse you,but yet I am ready to answer any question and I eagerly wait for your insight.
Thanks in advance