Purpose: A VisaScreen® Certificate is valid for five years from the date that it is issued. After five years, the certificate will expire and you may need to be recertified if you have not obtained U.S. citizenship, a permanent visa (Green Card), or wish to renew a temporary occupational visa, including Trade NAFTA status, to continue working in the United States. The primary method of updating your VisaScreen® certification is by ordering a VisaScreen® Renewal from CGFNS. Importantly, however, you must order the renewal within six months of expiration of your certificate.
What if my certificate has been expired for more than six months?
If you were unable to place your order for the VisaScreen® Renewal within six months’ from your certificate’s expiration date, you must place a standard VisaScreen® order to update your certification. In this instance, your order will be reviewed as if it were a renewal, meaning that new academic information will not be required as your education was previously found to be acceptable, and you may still be eligible for exemption from the English requirement based on your having worked in the United States.
The primary difference between obtaining a re-certification VisaScreen® Renewal and re-ordering a standard VisaScreen® after six months is the cost. More information can be found on our fee schedule page. Additionally, certificates obtained by renewal order are dated five years from the previous expiration date, while re-certification through a standard order will expire five years from the date your new certificate is issued.
How to order. Once your VisaScreen® Certificate has expired, you can order a renewal by following these instructions:
- Log into your CGFNS Connect account.
- Choose the option to purchase CGFNS services.
- At the service selection screen, choose VisaScreen® Renewal Application.
The renewal order can be placed up to six months prior to your certificate’s expiration date or within six months after the expiration date. Requirements for renewal include:
- A recent passport-style photograph, which can be uploaded from your CGFNS Connect account, or you can print the CGFNS Photo Identification Form, attach your photo and submit by postal mail to CGFNS International. Photos on record are valid for only five years.
- Updated validations of every license you have held, including both expired licenses and licenses validated for a previous order if the validation on file is more than three years old.
- Updated proof of English language proficiency (NOTE: CGFNS does not accept the at-home versions of English Language Proficiency exams). Renewal for previously certified applicants may be exempt from this requirement if the following is met:
- The period of employment in the United States must be for at least 27 months, including at least nine months in the year leading up to the date that your renewal application was submitted.
- The employment must be in the same profession as the one for which you are applying.
- Your employer signs and submits to CGFNS an employment summary on corporate letterhead.
Note: New academic information is not required to renew your VisaScreen® Certificate.
