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'm a pediatric nurse from germany and I want to work in NY
here goes the questioning... :smackingf
What comes first- the application to CGFNS (CVS) OR the Board of Nursing ?
I specialised in pediatrics at the beginning of nursing school ( I know it's slightly different in the us) but I was also trained in adult care, medicine, surgery etc... but the main emphasis was in pediatrics.
My german license/diploma allows me to work in both fields: as a general nurse AND pediatric nurse. Does anyone know about the specific amount of hours that are required in adult care?
1. I'm from the Philippines.Would it be possible for me to go to ask a relative to submit the requirements for the NCLEX in California and ask her to mail to me the ATT from the board and then take the exam in hongkong or taiwan?
2. Can you confirm to me this story circulating about someone who was denied entry to the US because he had a tourist visa and the immigrations officer found out from the computer that he was scheduled to take the NCLEX and so decided not to let him enter the US because if he did pass the exam he would probably stay in the US illegally and look for work hence he wasn't a "tourist".
Thanks for all the help you've given to the numerous questions asked of you in the forum.:)
1. Please take a serious look at all of the postings at the top of this page.
Do not go for intiial licensure in CA, even if you are going to work there. If you are just applying noe, you will see your scores from NCLEX exam around Christmas.
The ATT gets sent via e-mail to you and that is accpetable. Again, if you are going to go the route of CA, you are looking at taking the exam around the time of the Chinese New Year, next year. You do the math, four to six months on average for approval, another two months to get a date, and then one month for results.
I never, ever recommend a foreign grad to go for initial licensure in CA. It is your choice.
Sorry for the trouble Suzanne...didn't realize until now that i typed in cali...relative is in arizona.Is processing faster there or is new mexico the way to go?
It comes down to where you wish to work. Period. Doesn't matter who is fastest, but what will be needed if you are planning to endorse to another state.
AZ requires the CES.
The ATT is via e-mail.
Please do all submitting yourself. I have seen too many problems crop up when a relative in the US does it for you. If you do it yourself, then you know that it is done.
I'm an RN from the Philippines. I've passed my NCLEX-RN & IELTS. I'm now looking for an agency or hospital to sponsor me; I wish to relocate to NY. Can anyone enlighten me on the advantages and disadvantages of signing up with a staffing agency vs. direct hire through an agency or direct hire by a hospital?
Staffing agency: they are free to move you when ever they want and to where ever, and this can be on a daily basis.
You need to get a good solid orientation in one facility before moving about. Your experience in your own country is quite different from working as an RN here. Staffign agencies are there to fill in gaps in a hospital or nursing home, when they are short. So no or minimal orientation, and the easiest way for you to lose your license.
Agency with direct hire to a facility: Only if the agency is being paid 100% by the facility, nothing should be from you. If the facility is paying a bonus, it goes to you, not the agency.
California will take you four to six months for approval, not the way to go.
Since you are Canadian, fastest for you would be either Vermont or Minnesota.
Hi Suzanne!!
I am a registered nurse in the Philippines, have recently applied for CVS and licensure for the NYBON. Now I am so worried that cgfns is taking so long to issue my report. Im at my fifth month of waiting for my cvs report to be issued. But no word from them. My school and licensing authority have already complied with the all requirements so I am hoping that by the sixth month cgfns can send the report to Albany. Plus another 2 months for the eligibility letter and the att from Pearson-Vue that would total to 8 months of processing in order for me to sit in for NCLEx...thats just a rough estimate if all goes well. My question is, would it be ok to apply for the state of Vermont so as to get things done quickly? I remember you have posted that Vermont can process application for a month or so...your respose would be greatly appreciated..thank you.
If your school has sent in the transcripts, have you checked with CGFNS to see if they have them? Are they listed as being received in your account, when you check?
It does not take another two months for eligibility letter, not sure who told you that. Just about two weeks, and as soon as Pearson-Vue receives approval from NY and you pay the fee, you can sit for the exam. Once it states in your file that everything is complete, go ahead and pay the fee. You are adding on extra time, though it may take you about two months to get a date scheduled for the exam.
Sure, you can go ahead with Vermont, but at this point, why? Unless you know for a fact that CGFNS did not receive the transcripts, etc.
Average wait of time is about four months, and that is average.
If your school has sent in the transcripts, have you checked with CGFNS to see if they have them? Are they listed as being received in your account, when you check?
It does not take another two months for eligibility letter, not sure who told you that. Just about two weeks, and as soon as Pearson-Vue receives approval from NY and you pay the fee, you can sit for the exam. Once it states in your file that everything is complete, go ahead and pay the fee. You are adding on extra time, though it may take you about two months to get a date scheduled for the exam.
Sure, you can go ahead with Vermont, but at this point, why? Unless you know for a fact that CGFNS did not receive the transcripts, etc.
Average wait of time is about four months, and that is average.
Thanks Suzanne for the quick response.
Yes CGFNS has received my documents..last document to be recieved by them was my transcripts, which was received May 3,2006. On all the documents they recieved, there was a small note that a credential specialist and a licensing specialist is doing a review now. But my status online is still waiting for approval.
I called up NY Albany and a girl from there said it could take up to 8 weeks but she didnt say 2 weeks.
I guess youre right about Vermont..Why do I need to apply there when all my docs are already with CGFNS? *sigh* the only thing is that I will be completely clueless on how fast or slow CGFNS can issue my report. and that really bothers me because its hard to review for the exam when all else is uncertain..for one, hard for me to make a schedule because I dont have a deadline yet. But anyway, would calling someone in charge of my papers be of help to expedite the processing? If yes, would you know who to contact?
It is not that they are taking so long, your school just sent in your transcripts less than one month ago, so you cannot blame CGFNS for that. There are thousands of applications that are procesed there, and they do not do anything with the, until everything is received, and the most important piece of the puzzle is the transcript. There is not one thing that can be done until theny review that. And that takes a couple of weeks.
NY BON cannot do a thing until they receive the information from CGFNS. Once they receive it there, then it is only about two weeks to get approval.
Your issue ehouls be with your school, not CGFNS. Sorry.
You will still need to send transcripts to Vermont, they do their own evaluation, so you are back to waiting for them to do that. At this point, I would probably just wait for CGFNS.
steffibee
16 Posts
hi there,
I'm a pediatric nurse from germany and I want to work in NY
here goes the questioning... :smackingf
What comes first- the application to CGFNS (CVS) OR the Board of Nursing ?
I specialised in pediatrics at the beginning of nursing school ( I know it's slightly different in the us) but I was also trained in adult care, medicine, surgery etc... but the main emphasis was in pediatrics.
My german license/diploma allows me to work in both fields: as a general nurse AND pediatric nurse. Does anyone know about the specific amount of hours that are required in adult care?
Thank u for helping me...