What are the steps to obtaining an immigrant visa?
The immigration process begins when an immigrant submits Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, to the office of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) having jurisdiction over the nurse’s place of intended employment. Requirements for Filing Visa Petition When submitting the I-140, the RN must be in possession of: 1. A diploma from a nursing school 2. An RN board certificate or license in his/her country; and 3. A Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) certificate or, proof of passing the NCLEX. 4. Employment offer or contract 5. Resume Step 2 – DS-230 Application for Immigrant Visa Consular Processing (Required for nurses processing outside the United States) The BCIS first sends the approved immigrant visa petition (I-140) to the National Visa Center (NVC) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. If there is no backlog for immigrant visas from the Philippines, the NVC forwards a packet to the nurse or her attorney containing biographical informa
