medicalMonitor

the monthly healthcare immigration eZine

                                   published by Hammond Law Group, LLC
 
INS issues memo which solves the social security number issue for RN’s  
On Jan 8th, the INS issued a memo which stated that a certified letter from a State licensing board indicating passage of the NCLEX exam and eligibility for a state license could be utilized as proof of eligibility for approving an I-140, Immigrant Petition.   For more information, see our Healthcare Immigration Alert of Jan 9, 2003.
[http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/Host/Publications/News_Updates/alert01.09.03.html]

INS issues memo which re-affirms that some RN positions qualify for an H-1b visa  
Essentially, the INS acknowledged that certain RN positions, most notably, specialty care, charge nurse, and others require BSN degrees thereby meeting the H-1b standards. 
[http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/Host/Publications/obtaining_h_nurses.htm] 

Article: On Nurses and Tourist Visas  
One of Hammond Law Group's attorneys, Chris Musillo, had a brief article published at the leading immigration news source, ILW.com. Chris' article discusses practical considerations involved when nurses who hold Tourist visas (B visas) attempt to Adjust their status to Permanent Resident by filing an I-485. 

CGFNS case status now available by telephone 
  
CGFNS candidates can now check the status of their pending application via an Automated Response System. To access the system, dial (international) 001+ 215-599-6200 or (domestic) 1-215-599-6200. Callers will need an Application number and their birth date to access the system. CGFNS promises no busy signals!

North Dakota: Legislature May Abolish Bachelor’s Degree Requirement for RN’s
The North Dakota legislature is expected to meet early this year to abolish the requirement of a bachelor of nursing degree for registered nurses. Currently North Dakota is the only state that requires nurses to have a bachelor of nursing degree as a prerequisite to obtaining licensure as a nurse. If North Dakota abolishes the bachelor’s degree requirement, the INS will no longer automatically approve every H-1b case for nurses working in North Dakota.

Hammond Law Group, LLC Responds to INS Proposed Rules for Healthcare Workers  
The INS issued proposed regulations for healthcare workers coming to the U.S. on a temporary (nonimmigrant) as well as permanent (immigrant) basis. If enacted, the proposed regulations would require foreign healthcare workers, including those who work in the U.S. on an H-1b or other temporary visa, to obtain a certification from CGFNS or an equivalent agency before the INS will allow the alien to work in the U.S. Hammond Law Group, LLC submitted comments to the INS, opposing various provisions of the proposed regulations. 
[http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/Host/Publications/comments_to_INS.htm]  
 
California Service Center Processing of Green Cards for RN’s
Hammond Law Group, LLC is seeing the California Service Center process I-140 petitions for foreign nurses in less than three weeks. This quick processing time comes despite the California Service Centers’ estimate of 60 to 158 days for processing. 
 

 
 
 

Hammond Law Group has a team of attorneys and legal staff who work with leading hospitals, recruiting agencies, and other healthcare providers to handle the immigration processing of cases for professional nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists and other healthcare providers. This eZine is designed to provide our clients with only the information they need. For more detailed information about any of the topics discussed, please contact us and a member of our healthcare team will be happy to speak to you.  mfh@hammondlawfirm.com