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FAQs

My Journey — and Why I Help Others Win Theirs
What Qualifies as a Professional Nurse?

According to USCIS, a professional nurse is someone who:

  • Applies the art and science of nursing with comprehension of principles from physical, biological, and behavioral sciences
  • Makes clinical judgments involving observation, care, and counsel of persons requiring nursing care
  • Administers medicines and treatments prescribed by physicians or dentists
  • Participates in health promotion and illness prevention activities
No, you don’t need a U.S. nursing license before filing the I-140 petition. However, you will need to obtain the appropriate state nursing license before you can begin working. Most states require passing the NCLEX-RN exam for registered nurses. Your employer may assist you with the licensing process, and some will sponsor your NCLEX preparation. The key is having your foreign nursing credentials evaluated to show they’re equivalent to U.S. standards for the I-140 petition itself.

Yes! Once your green card is approved, you’re free to work for any employer in any field. However, immigration law expects that you intended to work for your sponsoring employer permanently at the time you filed. As a practical matter, most immigration attorneys recommend working for your sponsoring employer for at least 6-12 months after receiving your green card to demonstrate that intent. After that period, you can freely change jobs or even change careers entirely.

Yes! Once your green card is approved, you’re free to work for any employer in any field. However, immigration law expects that you intended to work for your sponsoring employer permanently at the time you filed. As a practical matter, most immigration attorneys recommend working for your sponsoring employer for at least 6-12 months after receiving your green card to demonstrate that intent. After that period, you can freely change jobs or even change careers entirely.

Once your priority date becomes current and you file for adjustment of status (I-485), your spouse can apply for work authorization (EAD – Employment Authorization Document). This typically takes 3-6 months to receive. With an EAD, your spouse can work for any employer in the U.S.

However, during the priority date wait period (after I-140 approval but before filing I-485), your spouse would need their own work authorization through another visa status (such as H-1B, L-1, or their own employment-based green card petition). Your children can attend school during this time but cannot work until they receive their own EADs or turn 21.