Question:
Any Canadian nurses out there trying to get their green card? Anyone
actually got a green card from INS?
Answer:
Another Canadian checking in. Had started applying for a green card years
ago (I've been here since 1993), but dropped the process since it seemed to
be such a hassle. Now I really wish I had stuck with it!
Allen, did your wife know that she could write the NCLEX instead of the
CGFNS exam? That's only been the case since the most recent immigration law
changes. It's a lot less expensive, but about the same amount of running
around to do for it. The one nice thing about writing the NCLEX is that you
can do it in so many more locations, and at a time that you pick (once you
receive authorization to test from whatever state you apply to for a
license).
There are several Canadians at the hospital I work at in a bit of a bind
with their green card applications. They had received notices that they had
to have their test results in to the INS in 90 days - a virtual
impossibility if you hadn't already started applying to write the test.
Haven't heard yet how they're making out with their appeals.
Have you been checking any of the immigration web sites to stay up to date
on all of the changes that have been made to the immigration laws? A good
one to try is: http://shusterman.com/toc.html.
Yes I am still waiting for my green card. I applied Sept 97. I have no
idea when it might or even if it will come through. What is your story
in regards to getting a green card? I originally applied in Houston and
in the mean time have transfered my papers to California.
I am the long suffering husband. My wife works in a hospital in Houston.
She is writing her CGFNS this summer and hopes to have all paperwork to INS
by fall or early 2000 in compliance with the new temporary rules announced
by INS in Oct.1998. We have been here since 1996. I would love to hear from
any other Canadian nurses out there and get a feel for how we as a group
are doing. I know a lot of nurses are getting very feedup with the slow
pace.
I actually worked at Methodist in SICU in Houston and then
moved to the Bay area in California. It has been almost two years
waiting on my green card. VERY frustrating. Just curious to know which
hospital your wife works at. I would appreciate keeping in contact with
you to see how your green card is progressing. My husband is also in
limbo due to the delay with my green card.I started my papers with a
lawyer at Methodist and ended up having to get my own lawyer when I
changed States. VERY expensive too! Again good luck to you and your
wife.
Is this new? I had to write BOTH the CGFNS and the NCLEX for Michigan.
When was this passed? I did it in 1997.
I think it passed in 1998. You can check out the information at the
following sites:
http://www.cgfns.org/ICHP/VISASCRN.HTM
http://shusterman.com/toc-rn.html
The second site is for an immigration lawyer in California. He has about the
best site I've seen for immigration information. He also has a monthly
newsletter that will help you stay up to date on all the immigration law
changes. No one else seems to put it together into a nice, neat package like
this.
My wife works at MD Anderson in critical care and loves it. Which only adds to
the frustration because you are in limbo. She would like to take her masters
which the hospital pays most of but this requires a green card, and oh yea, don't
think of moving . As far as other suggestions made, yes we are pretty well on top
of the INS matter, my job is to prowl the web and keep my wife informed on the
latest news.
The web site recommended, (Shulman), is very informative and up to date.
As I may have mentioned earlier we are trying our best to comply with the new INS
temporary ruling of OCT.1998 and yes it is nice to keep up on how other Canadian
nurses are progressing. We started our green two years ago. By the way my
observation is that immigration lawyers are a last resort. But then our hospital
has a pretty good International office.
Always eager to hear from Canadian nurses stuck in "LIMBO",
Hi from another Canadian nurse! Been in NH with my husband since June
96. Guess what? We're still waiting for green cards too. My husband
as well is in limbo and it's just about killing him. He went back to
school 2 yrs ago, has just graduated and can't even practice his
trade. We were sure we would be finished this process by now!
Awaiting my Visascreen certificate, which we will forward to INS along
with a current letter of employement, for what we hope is the final
processing. We did it all on our own, no help from my work or a
lawyer.
I'm a Canadian nurse. We've been trying for green cards x 2 years. We
just got receipt notices. I'm working on getting my visa screen
certificate from ICHP/CGFNS.
Yep, that sounds like us. We have been doing the green card trick two years
and my wife is planning on writing her CGFNS this summer. Boy I bet that
exam will set a record for attendance. I guess that is why you can hardly
get CGFNS on the phone.
Hi again! Just a word of advice for all about to take CGFNS exam.
They are really strict about having all the req. paperwork to admit you
to the testing room. My friend was refused entry because she forgot
her passport even though she had her birth cert. Now she's married an
American and has her green card. Don't worry about the test. It's
real easy. The TSE is a joke, and the TOEFL is only slightly harder.
I've been reading everyone's posts with a chuckle. Years ago, as an American
nurse, I was accepted into a special program in England. IO was granted a
scholarship and even a stipend from the English government. However, when I
attempted to apply for a working visa, the stipend would not have supported my
daughter and I, I was informed that "You cannot take a job from a nurse is this
country!"
So people, be happy that the US allows you to take positions from US nurses,
even when they make you jump through hoops to get the green card. Fortunately
for you, employers here have been successful in convincing the State Department
there is a shortage of trained nurses in this country. And that they are
willing to violate the agreement that yours and my country signed, agreeing not
to raid each others country for nurses.
Please do not get your "knickers" all up in a twist. I'm not anti-Canadian.
I'm just pointing out how open my country is.
