Blue Heron HealthPro: Quality Healthcare Staffing

Step By Step Guide For the Nurse Who

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STEP #1:
Obtain the CGFNS Certificate OR obtain a state license (NCLEX)

CGFNS Certificate

A CGFNS certificate consists of three parts:

A credentials review: An evaluation of your education and nursing registration to certify that you are a first-level, general nurse.
A qualifying exam of nursing knowledge: The CGFNS exam is a one-day test that measures an applicant’s nursing knowledge and is premised upon what nurses must know and do when they practice nursing in the United States.
An examination of English language proficiency: The Test of English as a Foreign Language/Test of Spoken English (TOEFL/TSE) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is designed to measure proficiency of the English language.

Application for CGFNS Certification Program
http://www.cgfns.org/cgfns/downloads/CP Application Packet.pdf

CGFNS Examination

The CGFNS Examination is offered three times per year at a variety of cities worldwide. The list of cities is found at www.cgfns.org.

English Language Proficiency

All nurses must pass a test of English Language proficiency. Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency as part of the Certification Program by submitting passing scores from an approved testing organization. Currently, applicants may take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS); the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), administered by the Chauncey Group; or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), administered by Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia.

Applicants must successfully complete one of the English exams (TOEFL, TOEIC or IELTS) and the Qualifying Exam within a two-year period in order for test scores to be considered valid. The English exam may be taken prior to or following the CGFNS Qualifying Exam.

If the nurse was educated outside of the United States, she can be excused from taking an English proficiency exam if she meets ALL of the following criteria:

The nurse’s native language is English;
The country of nursing education was in Canada (except Quebec ), the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand ;
The language of instruction was English; and
The language of the textbooks was English.

NCLEX Examination / State License

The NCLEX is offered six days a week in: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands ( Saipan ), US Virgin Islands, and the US. (Seating capacity for Guam and Saipan is limited; wait times of 4-6 weeks are not uncommon.)

Each state’s specific licensure requirements can be found here: www.ncsbn.org

STEP #2:
Mail Items to HLG

Obtain all of the items on this checklist and mail to:

Hammond Law Group LLC
3311 Carew Tower
441 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
USA
Attn.: ATTORNEY NAME

Be sure to use a tracking service, such as Federal Express, DHL or UPS.

STEP #3:
Review and sign the documents

Allow one week for Hammond Law Group to prepare your case. We will then email the complete, typed version of Form 750B and DS-230 to you to sign. We will also email you a secure password and user identification number so you can access the status of your case through our website. You may also download your Form 750B and DS-230 via the website. After signing the documents, you should mail them to Hammond Law Group. We will promptly file the documents with the Citizenship and Immigration Service (successor to the Immigration and Naturalization Service or INS). You may monitor the status of your case through our website’s Case Status.

STEP #4:
Complete the VisaScreen Certification process

The Visa Screen establishes:

That the nurse’s education is equivalent to a U.S. nursing education;
That the nurse has either passed CGFNS or holds an unencumbered US state license; and
That the nurse has proven English proficiency by passing either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) OR the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The same waiver of examination for English proficiency applies as in the CGFNS certification process.

English Language Proficiency

The English language proficiency assessment confirms that the applicant has demonstrated the required competency in oral and written English by submitting passing scores on tests approved by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. Currently, to fulfill this requirement, applicants may take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Test of Written English (TWE) and Test of Spoken English (TSE), administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS); or the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), along with the TSE and TWE, also administerd by ETS; or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), administered by Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Australia.

If the nurse was educated outside of the United States, she can be excused from taking an English proficiency exam if she meets ALL of the following criteria:

The nurse’s native language is English;
The country of nursing education was in Canada (except Quebec ), the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand;
The language of instruction was English; and
The language of the textbooks was English.

VisaScreen Certification Application
http://www.cgfns.org/cgfns/downloads/Visascreen Application.pdf

STEP #5:
USCIS approval

Upon USCIS approval of your case, Hammond Law Group will promptly file for your Consulate interview appointment date through an Application with the National Visa Center (NVC).

STEP #6:
NVC - Filing of the DS-230 (Packet III)

Hammond Law Group will file the DS 230, Part One with the National Visa Center

STEP #7:
Follow the instructions that you receive from the Consulate (Packet IV)

The Consulate will send you a notice of your scheduled interview and a list of documents that you need to bring with you to the interview. Those documents will include: passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, medical examination, two passport-sized photographs, educational documents, and VisaScreen Certification.

STEP #8:
Attend your Consulate interview

You should appear at the consulate on the day of your interview and complete the interview with the consulate interview. The consular officer then issues you a permanent visa to live and work in the United States. [Consulates vary slightly in procedures. For example, most consulates will issue the visa the same day of the interview while other consulates may ask you to return the following day to obtain your visa.]

STEP #9:
Enter the United States

The Consulate will issue you Permanent Residence status. You may then schedule a flight to the United States.

You will probably be issued a temporary state nursing license and can begin working. You should certainly contact the local state nurse licensing agency to confirm licensure. If you have not registered for the NCLEX examination, you should do so at this time.

CHECKLIST FOR A GREEN CARD APPLICATION
FOR A PROFESSIONAL NURSE

Your Name:	_________________________________________
Current Address:	_________________________________________
	_________________________________________
Email ID:	_________________________________________
Phone:	_________________________________________
Fax:	_________________________________________
Date you began and completed college (e.g. May 1997 – May 2001):	_________________________________________
Date of Birth:	_________________________________________
Country of Birth:	_________________________________________

Documents required for the CIS I-140 Petition:

A copy of your college/university diploma
A copy of your college transcripts
A copy of your nursing license from your home country
A copy of EITHER your CGFNS certificate OR your state license to practice in the U.S. OR NCLEX pass letter
A copy of your resume/CV
A copy of letters from previous employers verifying your experience as a nurse (if you have them)
A copy of your Visa Screen (if you have already received it)
A copy of Passport
A copy of all approval notices and I-94 cards that you have received from the INS if you have previously been in the U.S

Family Information:

Spouse’s name:	_________________________________________
Date of Birth:	_________________________________________
Country of Birth:	_________________________________________

Child’s Name:	_________________________________________
Date of Birth:	_________________________________________
Country of Birth:	_________________________________________

Child’s Name:	_________________________________________
Date of Birth:	_________________________________________
Country of Birth:	_________________________________________

SAMPLE RESUME / CV

CHRISTOPHER T. MUSILLO

DATE OF RESUME: JAN 01, 2003

US ADDRESS:
123 MAIN STREET
CINCINNATI, OH 45202

FOREIGN ADDRESS:
456 SEVENTH STREET
LONDON, ENGLAND UK

cmusillo@hammondlawfirm.com
513-381-2011(W) 513-555-1212 (H)

VITAL INFORMATION

DATE OF BIRTH: MAY 08, 1970
WHERE: NEW YORK , NY , USA
CITIZENSHIP: US
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: 088-28-5999

MARITIAL STATUS: MARRIED
WIFE: ANNA MUSILLO
DATE OF BIRTH: MAY 03, 1970
WHERE: NEW YORK , NY , USA
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: -NONE-

FORMAL EDUCATION

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
VILLANOVA , PA , USA
START DATE: SEPT 1992
GRADUATION: MAY 1996
DEGREE RECEIVED: NURSE

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

CURRENT EMPLOYER: XYZ HOSPITAL .
789 TENTH STREET – SUITE 11
SYDNEY , AUSTRALIA
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT: MAY 1999 – CURRENT
TITLE: REG. NURSE
CURRENT SALARY: $1,000,000 PER YEAR

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT:
HOSPITAL ABC
1212 THIRTEENTH STREET – SUITE 1415
NEW YORK , NY 10012
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT: JUN 1998 – MAY 1999
TITLE : registered nurse

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