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2005 News and Alerts

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MARCH 17, 2005

Deadline for Canadian and Mexican health care professionals to obtain International Commission on Healthcare Professions VisaScreen^® certificates is fast approaching

If you are a Canadian or Mexican health care professional (registered nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or medical technologist) working in the United States under Trade NAFTA status and were licensed and employed prior to September 23, 2003, the deadline for obtaining your International Commission on Healthcare Professions VisaScreen^® certificate is fast approaching. You are required by the Department of Homeland Security to have your International Commission on Healthcare Professions VisaScreen^® certificate by July 26, 2005.

This certification process includes an assessment of an applicant’s education to ensure that it is comparable to that of a U.S. graduate in the same profession; verification that all licenses are valid and unencumbered; successful completion of an English language proficiency examination and a test of oral and written English (unless exempt); and, in the cases of registered nurses, verification that the nurse has passed either the CGFNS Qualifying Exam^SM or the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN^®).

The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, (CGFNS) is one of the organizations recognized by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide this service. CGFNS administers this certification process through its division, the International Commission on Healthcare Professions, (ICHP). The CGFNS/ICHP process is called VisaScreen, and an International Commission on Healthcare Professions VisaScreen^® certificate is issued to the applicant upon successful completion of the review process.

If you have not applied for the VisaScreen^®: Visa Credentials Assessment, you can apply in one of three ways:

• Request a copy of the VisaScreen^® Handbook and Application from CGFNS by mail or phone.
• Apply online. Click on the CGFNS Connect Apply/Check Status under the Information section of the homepage.
• Download the VisaScreen^® Handbook and Application from www.cgfns.org. Click on Download Forms under the CGFNS Connect section of the menubar.

If you have applied to CGFNS/ICHP for an International Commission on Healthcare Professions VisaScreen^® certificate, you can check the status of your file, including documents received and any other outstanding requirements, by visiting CGFNS Connect Apply/Check Status. If you do not have access to the web, you can check the status of your application by calling our 24-hour Automated Voice Response System at +1 (215) 599 6200. You will need your CGFNS ID number and birth date in order to access the system.

Due to the deadlines set by Department of Homeland Security for the Trade NAFTA professional to present their International Commission on Healthcare Professions VisaScreen^® certificate, it is imperative that CGFNS/ICHP receive the required education form, transcripts and license validation as soon as possible. CGFNS/ICHP recommends applicants contact their nursing schools and licensing agencies to encourage them to promptly return the educational documents and license validations to CGFNS/ICHP.

We look forward to assisting in you in meeting this requirement.

CGFNS is an immigration-neutral, nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and is an internationally recognized authority on the education, registration and licensure of nurses worldwide. CGFNS’s mission is to provide responsible leadership in the delivery of relevant services to the global nursing and health care community. The organization was founded in 1977 through a collaborative effort by representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor; Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now the Department of Health and Human Services); the Immigration and Naturalization Service; and representatives from nursing organizations, including the American Nurses Association and the National League for Nursing.

For additional information about CGFNS and its services, contact: CGFNS International, 3600 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651 USA; telephone: +1 (215) 222 8454.