Helpful Hints

CGFNS International provides services for international health care professionals seeking to work or migrate to the United States. The Certification Program (CP), Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) and Credential Verification Service (CVS) for New York State are for state licensure purposes. The VisaScreen^®: Visa Credentials Assessment is for immigration to the United States.

The helpful hints below are essential to all CGFNS programs in order to ensure an application order moves through the process as quickly as possible.

• Find out what licensing requirements there are for the state in which you wish to practice. In the United States, licensing requirements are established by each state

• An applicant must determine what is required by the state or territory in which they are seeking to be licensed. Applicants should contact the Board of Licensing for the state in which they wish to practice to verify that state’s licensing requirements.
• Once an applicant has determined the appropriate CGFNS program, the applicant can go to CGFNS Connect online and apply for that program, or download and print the appropriate handbook and application forms from this Web site. It is important to read all of the instructions carefully before filling out the required forms. New applicants will be issued a CGFNS/ICHP Identification Number upon receipt of application or online order.

• Determine the documentation necessary for your application to be successful. Each program’s handbook contains this information

• Documents will not be processed until all required documentation and full payment are received.
• Applicants are encouraged to request all documentation from their schools and licensing authorities as soon as they know what documentation is required for all programs except CVS.
• Applicants can check the status of their documentation on CGFNS’s Web site, so that they know what CGFNS has received and what is still needed to have their file reviewed.

• Include all names you have ever used

• Include any name changes, such as before and after marriage(s), and current name, on all documentation submitted to CGFNS.
• Include documentation verifying name changes such as birth certificates, marriage licenses and affidavits. This helps to avoid confusion if questions arise.

• Fill out dates correctly

• All dates, including birth dates, dates of education and completion dates must be valid.
• For an extended lapse of time between dates, an applicant needs to include a statement of explanation.
• Different countries have variations on how the date is written. We require writing out the month name, rather than its number, to reduce the chance of errors.

• Provide exact name of all schools

• Do not use abbreviations or initials. Shortening the name of a school may cause confusion.

• Include CGFNS/ICHP ID Number on every document

• The CGFNS/ICHP ID Number assists us in filing documents accurately that we receive on different occasions.
• The CGFNS ID Number helps to provide clarity if there is doubt regarding names and dates.

• Do not alter any information on any document

• Tampering with, or falsification of, any document or information on an application will result in the closure of your CGFNS file indefinitely.
• If information on any document is incorrect, submit a written explanation of the error. Do not alter the document.
• When you sign the attestation section in the application, you are certifying that the information you have supplied is true and complete.

• Educational transcripts

• Full transcripts/academic records with an official school stamp/seal must be supplied directly from the applicant’s school. All transcripts must be sent by mail or courier to CGFNS International. Emails and faxes are not acceptable.
• Please note: While all CGFNS International programs require the submission of academic records, the level of detail differs per program. For example, if an applicant previously applied for CP and now needs a CES report, the academic records and/or forms previously sent to meet CP requirements may not be sufficient for CES. Further, documents received in application for the Credential Verification Service for New York State may be used for other CGFNS International services, however, documents received in application for other CGFNS International services cannot be used for the Credential Verification Service for New York State.
• If you are unsure about documentation sent to us, then contact CGFNS International Customer Service for clarification.

• License/Registration validation

• All license/registration validation must be supplied directly from the licensing authority and must be sent by mail or courier to CGFNS International. Emails and faxes are not acceptable.
• Please note: requirements differ between programs so it is important to read all directions and know what is required. For example, VisaScreen^® requires an applicant to submit all licenses/registrations they have ever held whether they are current, expired, or inactive. The Certification Program only requires initial license/registration from the applicant’s country of education and a current license. The Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) requires all licenses/registrations with the exception of those obtained in the United States. The Credential Verification Service for New York State (CVS) will verify the appropriate licenses upon receipt.

• English Exam Scores

• English Proficiency Exams are requirements for CP, VisaScreen^® and for CES in certain states.

• The Educational Testing Service (ETS) offers Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), which includes a Test of Written English (TWE), a Test of Spoken English (TSE), a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT (internet Based Test) and a Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC).
• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) offers:

• There is a general module and academic module of this exam.
• Registered nurses, speech pathologists, audiologists, physician assistants and medical technologists must take the academic module.
• Licensed practical vocational nurses and medical laboratory technicians may take the general module or academic module.

• Certification Program (CP)

• For first-level, general (registered) nurses only.
• To successfully complete the CP program, passing scores must be achieved on both the CGFNS Qualifying Exam^SM and an approved English proficiency exam
• The scores from the Qualifying Exam^SM and the English exam must be attained within two years of each other to be valid.
• Applicants can choose from TOEFL, TOEIC, TOEFL iBT, or IELTS.
• Applicants must apply to take the English test directly with ETS or IELTS.
• Scores must be forwarded to CGFNS by the examining institution to be valid.

• VisaScreen^® visa credentials assessment

• Applicants must pass an English proficiency exam administered by ETS or IELTS International.
• Applicants can choose from TOEIC or TOEFL with TWE and TSE; or TOEFL iBT (total and speaking sections); or IELTS (academic or general module depending on profession and spoken band) as their english proficiency exams.
• Physical therapists and occupational therapists may only take either TOEFL, TWE and TSE or TOEF iBT.
• Applicants must apply to take the test directly with ETS or IELTS.
• English test scores are only acceptable if sent directly to CGFNS, or are electronically available to CGFNS by the testing organizations.
• To successfully complete the VisaScreen program and be issued a VisaScreen Certificate, a Visa Screen order must be active, (order received within the last 12 months) with valid, passing English scores, if not English exempt, and all other required documents that meet VisaScreen program requirements.

• Credentials Evaluation Service (CES)

• Certain states may require english proficiency verification as a part of a complete CES Report. Please check with the state board of nursing regarding this requirement.

• Timing of Tests

• English exams are not offered everywhere or as often as applicants would like, therefore CGFNS urges applicants to apply for exams early so that it is more likely they will be able to sit for the exam of their choice.
• English proficiency exam results are only valid for two years from the test date.

• Translations

• All documents must be submitted to CGFNS in English.
• Only the issuing authority of the document is qualified to translate the document.
• If the issuing authority cannot translate the document, CGFNS will translate it for a fee.
• No other sources of translation will be accepted.

• If something is unclear, contact CGFNS Customer Service for clarification.

To avoid delay

CGFNS International has identified the most common applicant mistakes, which result in a delay of their application. Below are the major reasons for delay:

• Incomplete information

• It is important to fill out the application entirely and submit all required documentation.
• An application cannot be processed until all information is collected.
• Please remember to sign your full name where necessary.

• Payment

• An application cannot be processed until full payment is received.

• Photos

• The use of photos on Certification Program and VisaScreen^® certificates began in January 2004. Applicants are required to submit photos. Certificates issued prior to January 2004 are still valid without a photo.

• Matching information between documents

• Information such as names, birth dates, dates of education and CGFNS/ICHP Applicant ID Number must match documents submitted by, or for, the same applicant.
• Information is compared with previous documents submitted to CGFNS.
• Any discrepancies will need to be clarified before the application can be processed further.