natalie90

Hey everyone =)
So iv been a registered nurse for three years now, i live in the UK and promised myself that once i had some experience on board, i would apply to work in the US. I do have family out there, but they are not blood family as my step dad is American.
I have no idea where to start for my application, do i need to go through a company? Do i email a hospital and ask them? Do i apply for a temporary visa first?
I understand id have to sit a NCLEX exam as well, as nursing is slightly different in the US to the UK.
Any help would be massively appreciated because this is something i really do have my heart set on and have since i was young. I have no idea who to contact or what to do, and im getting a bit frustrated
Thanks
Natalie

civilservant

I'm sorry to say that your career is unlikely to earn you a visa to live and work in the US - why would a US employer pay several thousand $$ and wait months to employ you over a US trained nurse that could start tomorrow?

Mrs Danvers

Hi Natalie. You will probably find more useful info here

Nurses, Doctors, and other Medical/Healthcare occupations - British Expats

Silverdragon102

Your transcripts need to show clinical and theory hours in Paeds, Mental Health, Obstetrics and Adult. If they don't then you will have issues registering with a state Board of Nursing (BON) and obtain eligibility to sit NCLEX and be registered as a RN in the US. Generally employers will not look at you until you have passed NCLEX and as mentioned may be difficult to find a employer willing to pay $$ and wait anything from 1-3 years for you to get to the US and work

Pulaski

You can't apply for your own work visa, and in fact nobody can apply for their own work visa, you need an employer to do it for you.

Unfortunately there is no visa in the US for nurses, so immigrating on the basis of a nursing career is extremely difficult. As you have correctly identified, not having a nursing qualification that is recognized only makes things more difficult.

Generally speaking, as Civilservant noted, US employers usually ignore applications from overseas because of the cost, even when the job is visa eligible. As a hiring manager I never wasted time looking at CV's from outside the US, or indeed from further away than an adjoining state. I experienced the problem myself when immigrating on the basis of my wife being a USC - nobody wanted to talk to me until I was actually in the US.

BunnyGirl

How old were you when your mum married your stepdad? What's your mum's status in the US right now?

natalie90

I was 13, and they havnt moved back to the U.S, they still live in the UK.

ian-mstm

As noted, you will have to sit the NCLEX, and you may also need to upgrade your current qualifications before you're allowed to work in the US as a nurse.

As far as a visa is concerned, there are none for nurses. You should do some research on "nurse retrogression". While there is a shortage of nurses in the US, there are no visas for them - there haven't been any for a while now, and there aren't likely to be any in the near future.


If you can afford it, you might want to think about going to school in the US and taking a Bachelor (or Master) of Science in Nursing. The degrees will be very helpful in the US - as most RN's are often overlooked for promotion without a BSN or MSN.

Ian

scrubbedexpat099

Look into EB3, used to be 6 years but now pretty quick.

Agencies seems to use it for nurses from PI, must work for other countries.

natalie90

Thanks for the info. Where would I start with looking at going to school in the US?

ian-mstm

First off... pick a state, any state - there are 50 from which to choose. There are probably 5-10 decent universities in each state, so you'll need to do a bit of research on their programs. When you find one you like in an area you like, you apply for admission. Once admitted, you'll get an I-20, and once you have the I-20 you can apply for an F-1 visa.

Ian

Silverdragon102

Wait until you have been assessed by the state and then see where you have to go to complete registration

Pulaski

Having discussed this privately with another member we think that it is far too late for your step father to be of any assistance to your goal, unless he moves back to the US with your mother. Three years later your mother can apply for citizenship, then petition to get you a visa, which would, IIRC, take about a further seven years if you remain unmarried.

scrubbedexpat099

Stepfather could petition if they do move.

natalie90

I never really thought that my mam moving there would help me. I assumed I'd have to sort it all myself anyway