Credential Verification Service for New York State
Who is this service for?
The following health care professionals educated outside the United States who wish to practice in New York State:
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What does this service do?
The Credential Verification Service for New York State verifies the authenticity of foreign educational and licensure credentials. In order to perform this verification you must complete: an application, a Credential Verification Service for New York State Authorization for Verification of Academic Records/Transcripts form and a Credential Verification Service for New York State Authorization for Validation of Registration/License form. A form is needed for each post-secondary (tertiary) school and the licensing authority that issued your first license/registration.
CGFNS then directly sends each post-secondary (tertiary) school and licensure authority the authorization forms you completed for verification of your attendance and licensure. The verification documents must be mailed directly to CGFNS from the schools and licensure authorities. You may not forward these documents to us.
For practical nurses only, proof of completing secondary school is required and this documentation can be sent from you to CGFNS.
After we receive verification documents from the school and licensure authorities, CGFNS prepares a report and sends it to the New York State Education Department. This report only outlines the authenticity of the documents submitted to us. It reports only on the authenticity of your official documents, and is not an analysis or determination regarding your education’s sufficiency or whether you have met New York’s licensure requirements.
You do not receive a copy of this report. Check your status at https://www.cgfns.org/cerpassweb/login.jsp and if your report has been sent, your status will display “Report Issued”.
The New York State Education Department evaluates your credentials. You apply directly to New York State for licensure. Send New York State licensure forms to the New York State Education Department, not to CGFNS. The New York State Education Department will contact you with more information about your eligibility.
How do I apply?
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Apply online Use the online application system to:
New users create an account here Returning users login here |
or 2. Download and mail Application handbook includes:
Download the handbook (PDF) (November 2011) Download the requirements (PDF) (April 2011) |
What about immigration and visas?
CGFNS offers other services for health care professionals who are not U.S. Citizens, including VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials Assessment, administered by the International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP), a division of CGFNS.
U.S. immigration law now requires that registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, physician assistants, clinical laboratory technicians (medical technicians), clinical laboratory scientists (medical laboratory technologists), speech language pathologists, audiologists and licensed practical or vocational nurses complete a screening program to qualify for occupational visas or temporary, permanent (green card) visas and Trade NAFTA status. The VisaScreen®: Visa Credentials Assessment enables health care professionals to meet this requirement by verifying and evaluating their credentials to ensure that they meet the government’s minimum eligibility standards. VisaScreen® comprises an educational analysis, licensure validation, English language proficiency assessment and, for registered nurses, passing either the CGFNS Qualifying Exam® or the NCLEX-RN® to demonstrate nursing knowledge. Once the applicant successfully completes all elements of VisaScreen®, the applicant receives a VisaScreen® certificate, which can be presented, as part of a visa application, to a consular office or, in the case of adjustment of immigration status, to the U.S. Attorney General.
If you need a VisaScreen® certificate, please complete a VisaScreen® application. Information is located online at https://www.cgfns.org/sections/programs/vs/default.shtml.
Please note that documents obtained by CGFNS for the Credential Verification Service for New York State may be used for the VisaScreen® program. However, since New York requires only verification of your initial license/registration, you will need to use the forms in the VisaScreen® application to validate your license/registration/diploma with all the licensing authorities where you have ever held a license.
