How Nurses Can Obtain U.S. Permanent Residence (Green Card)

You have most likely passed the CGFNS exam orrequirement:
are certified as an NCLEX-RN. Now you would likeAlabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut,
to obtain permanent residence in the UnitedDistrict of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho,
States. Whether you are residing inside or outsideIndiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
the U.S., you can find qualified employers toMaryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
sponsor your application for permanent residence.Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New
All you have to do is find the right immigrationJersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma,
attorney to assist you in the preparation ofPennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South
documents. You can do it yourself, but you willDakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington,
most likely spend many extra months or yearsWest Virginia, and Wyoming.
doing so. A good immigration lawyer can reallyLICENSURE BY ENDORSEMENT
save you valuable time.Nurses who have passed the NCLEX-RN in states
Foreign Nurses who are CGFNS or NCLEX-RNthat do not require CGFNS may acquire the
certified belong to the third preference group inlicense of another state through endorsements.
employment-based immigration. This category ofEach state's Board of Nursing has its own web
immigration requires employer sponsorship andsite that lists the requirement on endorsement.
means only the employer (hospital, nursing homeHOW TO AVOID THE REQUIREMENT OF
etc.) may apply for permanent residence forSOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND CGFNS
foreign nurses.EXAMINATION
Foreign Nurses that have passed the CGFNSMost states in the U.S. require nurses to present
exam or are certified as an NCLEX-RN can qualifytheir social security number in order to take
to obtain permanent residence, with assistance,NCLEX-RN. Some states allow foreign nurses to
whether they are residing inside or outside thetake the examination but will not grant a license if
U.S. In addition, an immigration attorney can helpthe nurse cannot provide a social security number
foreign nurses find qualified employers to sponsoror individual tax ID. Since the end of 2003, IRS
their application for permanent residence. Unlike(Internal Revenue Service) no longer issues tax ID
most of the employment-based immigrationwithout proof of a tax return. This virtually shut
applications, employers are exempted from filingthe door to licensure of foreign nurses thereby to
labor certification, an often lengthy andemployment immigration since few employers are
cumbersome process with the U.S. Laborwilling to sponsor a nurse who has no U.S. license.
Department and State Employment Agency.Currently, New York and New Hampshire do not
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONrequire a social security number or tax ID as
Whether applying outside the United States orrequirement for licensure. Nor do they require
within, the foreign nurse must possess:CGFNS examination as required by majority of
1. A diploma from a nursing school in their countrythe states. Foreign nurses should present their
2. A license to practice nursing in their countrycredentials to CGFNS for certification/evaluation
3. An unrestricted license in a state of intendedand, upon certification, become eligible for NCLEX
employment, or a certification that they haveand licensure.
passed either the U.S. licensing examinationAs NCLEX-RN was administered for the first time
(NCLEX-RN) but cannot obtain the license for lackin Hong Kong, Korea, and England in 2005, so the
of a social security number, or they has passedabove method is crucial for nurses who are
the examination given by Commission onunable to enter the U.S. for NCLEX.
Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).In order to properly obtain permanent residence
4. Visa Screen Certificate (see below)in the United States, the steps above should be
LICENSURE BY EXAMINATIONtaken as they are prescribed. For further
Please note that the majority of states requireinformation, please consult with a qualified nurse
foreign nurses to pass CGFNS before taking theimmigration attorney at the earliest point possible.
NCLEX-RN. The following are the states with such