VISAScreen
You MUST have the Visascreen done before your I-485 will be approved.
As of July 26th it is mandatory. The TN visa, available to certain Canadian and Mexican citizens, is also subject to the visa screen certification requirement. DHS announced on July 19, 2004, however, that there will be a limited extension of the exemption for TNs. The extension, valid for a year,
It took me 3 months after application to get my VISASCREEN DONE!!!
The DHS certification requirement applies to a limited group of health care occupations: nurses (including licensed vocational, licensed practical, and registered); occupational therapists; speech language pathologists and audiologists; physician assistants; medical technologists (also known as clinical laboratory scientists); and medical technicians (also known as clinical laboratory technicians). Doctors and foreign nationals seeking to work in non-clinical health care occupations, including medical teachers, medical researchers, and health care facility managers, are excluded from this requirement.
DHS will now require affected foreign health care workers to obtain a certification of their credentials when seeking nonimmigrant status to work in the United States. On a separate note, most such workers who enter on an immigrant visa or obtain permanent residence within the U.S. are required to complete the Visa Screen certification. The certification will be required by the Consular Officer at the visa issuance stage, by a CBP Officer when seeking admission to the U.S., and by USCIS when applying to extend or change status. The regulation requires certification for nonimmigrant categories, including the popular H1B visa, though many nurses and other health care workers may not qualify for H1B status since the work does not require a person with a baccalaureate degree. Foreign nationals applying for the F-1 visa, J-1 visa, or the H-3 visa are exempt from the visa screen requirements.
The Visa Screen Certificate verifies that a foreign national’s credentials and license are comparable to that required of an American health care worker, that the worker meets all the legal requirements for entry into the U.S. in the requested visa classification, and the credentials are authentic. The Visa Screen also certifies that the health care worker has the required level of English competence. For nurses, it also certifies that they have passed the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) exam or the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Both the Visa Screen Certificate and Certified Statement must be used within five years of the date issued. The certification document will only be valid longer than five years if it is used at least once during the initial five-year period. If the Visa Screen Certificate or Certified Statement expires, the affected foreign health care worker must apply for a new certification to comply with the DHS regulation.