The VisaScreen® Service is a comprehensive screening program for healthcare professionals who are not U.S. citizens and are seeking an occupational visa to work in the United States.
The VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials Assessment Service requires specific healthcare professionals to complete a screening program before they can receive either a permanent or temporary occupational visa, including Trade NAFTA status. The screening program 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
- A verification that all professional healthcare licenses that an applicant ever held are valid and without restrictions
- An English language proficiency examination (NOTE: CGFNS does not accept the at-home versions of English Language Proficiency exams)
- For registered nurses only, a verification that the nurse has passed either the CGFNS Qualifying Exam®, NCLEX-RN®or for select years and provinces its predecessor, the State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE).
Applicants who successfully complete VisaScreen® receive an official ICHP Certificate for the VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials Assessment Service, which satisfies the United States federal screening requirements.
There are three types of applications for the VisaScreen® service: the application for the standard service, an application to reprocess an expired order, and the application to renew an expired VisaScreen® certificate.
To apply:
Create a CGFNS Connect account and apply online. In this instance, the type of service you need will be automatically detected when you attempt to place a VisaScreen® order. For instance:
- If you have never placed a VisaScreen® order, you will be prompted to order the standard service.
- If a previous VisaScreen® order expired within the last year, you will be prompted to reprocess the order.
- If your VisaScreen® certificate expiration date will expire within a year or has been expired less than six month, you will be prompted to renew the certificate.