Nursing in the United States
Nurses qualified outside the United States who plan to practice in the U.S. must take the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) examination. It is a one-day, visa-qualifying examination that assesses an applicant's basic level of knowledge in nursing and English.To qualify to take the CGFNS exam, applicants must have graduated from a government-approved nursing program, which included at least a two years general nursing training and must hold a valid license to practice as a general nurse in their country. NOTE: Persons licensed solely as midwives, children's nurses, psychiatric nurses, or other specialized nurses are not eligible for the CGFNS examination.
Application for this exam should be made at least three months prior to the exam - application forms can be obtained by writing to CGFNS at 3600 Market Street, Fourth Floor, Philadelphia, Pa. 19104-2651. Website is: http://www.cgfns.org/Telephone: (215) 349 8767. All inquiries concerning this test must be directed to CGFNS in Philadelphia.
Nurses who pass both portions of the exam and receive CGFNS certificates are eligible to apply for a non-immigrant occupation preference visa (called a H-1) from the U.S. Embassy in Dublin. To practice in the United States, however, certified foreign nurse graduates must be licensed in the state where they wish to practice. To do this, they must pass the Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Applicants for this exam, which can only be taken in the United States, should contact the board in the state where they want to practice for information on how to register for the test.
State Boards of Nursing
